Remember and Rejoicing, The View From the Other Side

"Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them (Pharoah and his chariots). "In your mercy you have led forth the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. Exodus 15:11-13 You would have to go back to the early blogs to see some of these pictures. We talk about where we have come from but it's so easy to forget. Today I pulled out my old digital camera and found these pictures on the memory card, circa early May. Like the ancient Israelites, looking back gives confidence for the present and the future. Memorials were built, songs were written, festivals were established, all to remember. Here are our "Lagniappe Memorials," along with commentary. Remembering the promises of God and His mighty deeds.

Jean and Mike "The Man" Polombo, Lagniappe's friend from Home Depot. Seen here Jordan is hauling debris from the pad where many of our bunkhouses now sit. There was so much debris that we didn't know there was a concrete slab. 18 semi-tractor trailers were necessary to haul the debris to the landfill. The top photo shows completed bunkshouses on the site.

Outside the bathroom. Note the plumbing to the left. A platform was build, elevating the floor and providing 22 showers, 12 toilets, and 10 sinks.

Today: Commercial bathrooms plus two walk in freezers donated by the manufacturer. The truck belongs to John Henry our worship leader, a recent MS State graduate and worship leader from RUF. He "just" showed up, having taken a job with a local civil engineer firm in Gulfport. His arrival is just as significant as building completion.

Commercial kitchen incomplete, sunroof open, side door not yet installed, and makeshift kitchen. These were great but crazy times.

A friend from Jackson with staffer, Andy Chapman. One hundred new mattresses were delivered for the hundreds of volunteers scheduled to arrive in June. At this time there were only one or two bunkhouses completed, an ability to house a mere 88. Were we stupid, ambitious, or trusting? Maybe all of the above.

Debris everywhere. We didn't go anywhere without a can of fix a flat.

Rejoicing that we could pay for supplies.

A comfortable place to relax solo or a place to debrief with a team at the end of a long day.

This is what it looked like when we moved in. Sean Loften, demolition expert and friend from Chatanooga. Actually Sean is a grad student from Chattanooga and the creator of the Lagniappe promo video. Seen here Sean is tearing down offices from the old West Building.

Before. Jean posing while Carson Day looks on from above. Carson came to serve and left with a wife, all within a period of several months.

Just Cause

 

Good to have you back

Last night, we had tour buses pull up and start to unload. I didn't get photos but it was great to see folks back in the Bay, helping do the work of the Kingdom. For all of you that are thinking of coming, and planning to come for sure, it is a HUGE encouragement to drive around and see volunteers out working again. On my way across town today, I (for the first time in a while) saw 2 groups of volunteers working on houses. I hadn't noticed any work being done by volunteers in a while. It's great to have you all here, and I look forward to seeing many more of you down soon. Special shout-out to Parker and Mason -- good to have some Jackson boys, Kalberkamp pres continues to represent!

I Have Been To Narnia

Yesterday Jean and I drove 3 hours to speak 10 minutes at a presbytery meeting in North Florida. Last month I spoke in Asheville and Atlanta and Saturday to a ladies group in Hattiesburg. At the end of this month I drive to Orlando, once again to tell the story of what God is doing in the Bay. I feel like one who has just returned from Narnia, telling others to remember that such a place really exists, the place where Aslan walks and speaks clearly. I can see in their eyes the excitement they once knew and have now forgotten. "Yes, there really is such a place," I remind them. Jesus is so very real. There is such deep joy, but there is a price because there's no resurrection without death. There's no joy without loss. That's the paradox of Christianity, the law of inverse affects. The way up is the way down. It's when I'm weak that I'm strong. It's when I seek to save my life that I loose it yet when I loose it for His sake I find the abundant life that He promised. And I'm so very afraid...that one day I'll be sitting in a pew somewhere, with someone telling me to remember...that I will one day forget, having been away from Narnia for too long. Please pray for the work here. Sometimes it gets very hard. Please pray for our speaking engagements. Jean speaks at a missions conference this weekend. Please pray that God would ignite the hearts of his hearers with the vision for the work here, and that yes Jesus walks and speaks clearly in the Bay. May it be so everywhere one day.

Not going to be one of the Nine...

June may have been the last time that I have posted on this here Blog. Curt seems to be very faithful at blogging but I blame that on the coffee. If I averaged six shots of expresso a day I also would need many outlets for all that caffiene. Today I blog so as not to be one of the nine. Jesus heals the lepors and only one returns to thank Him. Not being one of the nine is a common expression here at Lagniappe, that along with many other expressions but that is a whole other blog. The thougth is not to forget to thank Jesus for the many blessings and incredible happenings that He is working right in front of us on a daily basis. A high percentage of the posts on this blog are about just such things. I often posted after a day that God's hand was evident, but now I haven't posted for some time. Today, we had a couple from Wisconsin that we had worked with earlier back in the Morrell days stop by and want to work with us for the week. I had just hung up the phone with Mary Perkins, who if we could finish the hanging, mudding, and taping of the sheetrock on her house, which was just started last Monday, she had someone who could finish the painting and texture the walls, moving her so close to getting in her home. Two volunteers show up and are the answer to prayer that this homeowner wants answered so desperately. I do not want to be one of the nine and I will praise God for even seemingly so little workings in the big scheme and number of volunteers that run through this place. Its not that these things do not take place anymore, its just that I have probably nine times out of ten not returned to thank Jesus and 1 out of 100 times not blogged about these things. Continue to pray for Lagniappe but thank God everytime you pray for this place because He has already done incredible things and will continue to work His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Festivus, The Lagniappe Tradition of "The Airing of Grievances"

I don't recall exactly when we adopted Festivus. I think it was during Spring break when Jean and I were talking at Lagniappe's first staging site, a peninsula in the back of Buchaneer State Park in Waveland. Knowing the interpersonal challenges we would face we determined to establish a weekly forum for repentance and reconcilliation. Since I am able to recall more movie and tv trivia than Scripture references, I told Jean how that sounded an aweful lot like Festivus, the fictional holiday made famous on an episode of Seinfeld. At Festivus families and friends gather at the dinner table for "The Airing of Grievances," a time for shouting all the ways a person has disappointed you over the past year. This is followed by "Feats of Strength." Lagniappe Festivus is the application of Matthew 18. We don't shout how people have disappointed us or wrestle them to the ground. We humbly go to a brother or sister who has hurt us, seeking restoration and reconciliation. It is an attempt to establish a pattern for repentance to God and to each other. As a testimony, I believe Festivus has kept us from devouring one another. Several times I have come to Festivus with anger and resentment and left with a renewed love for Jesus and deeper love and respect for my brothers and sisters. If you want to learn more about Festivus check out this website: http://www.vidlit.com/festivus/

Go Packers!

Meri Spencer (Wisconson native- yellow shirt and cheeze on the head above) was the recepient of a 'surprize' Packer party tonight at Lagniappe. Thanks to Kathy Spencer for the hard work and the Brats!

The Crisis of the "Quarter Life Crisis"

A few years ago someone sent me an e-mail called the "Quarter Life Crisis". By way of background it was one of those 'forward it to a friend' e-mails and essentially was being forwarded around to the "twenty-somethings" who we're asking the big questions in life. I wrote a 'counter-point' to the Quarter Life crisis. A good friend asked me today for that e-mail. The response is what follows. ********************************* The Crisis of the "Quarter Life Crisis" Somewhere along the way someone promised everyone 'tomorrow'. Somewhere along the way we were supposed to make more money than our parents, be happier, more fulfilled, wiser, more sensitive and more open-minded. Somewhere along the way we decided that the script was up to us. So we planned... and we dreamed... and we educated ourselves... and we got the best degree... and we made all the contacts... and we shook all the hands... and we smiled at all the parties... and we started climbing to the top... We defined the 'top' It was money. It was success. It was happiness. It was marriage. It was children. It was every page out of every L.L. Bean catalog we've ever seen. Sitting by the fire with a golden retriever. Having a snowball fight with a model. Having a coy look at our fiance on a wharf in Nantucket. Sipping cider from a $225 cast Iron pot with a pine cone painted on the side of it. That was the top. But on the way up something happened. We met people coming down. Money wasn't enough, or there fast enough, or it was just spent as soon as it was acquired. They weren't successful at being 'sucesses'. People wanted them to work, labor, sweat, and earn respect. A college degree and 2 years of Poly-sci wasn't enough to make them the office expert. Hapiness was making them very unhappy. Sad things happend to them. They weren't supposed to- other people got cancer, other people's parent's divorced or died, other people had their hearts broken. But we started to realize we we're the 'other' people. Marriages were tumbling down. There were friends with 2 year old children who had step mommies and step daddies. The 50% divorce rate was not supposed to affect my life, my friends. I never dreamed that half of the weddings I was IN would end in divorce. There were lots of people on the way down, lots of them. And so we hoped for tomorrow, a better day, a better job, a better marriage, a better life. Somewhere, someplace, somehow we would get to 'hapiness'. Everyone else must have been wrong. It must have been them. It must have been their parents. Everyone else is screwed up. But in the back of our seared consciences there is a nagging thought, like a hair in our mouths, that maybe, just maybe, it's us. We've seen glimpses of it. Anger, Selfishness, Bitterness, Pride, Envy, and deceit. But we ALWAYS plugged our ears. And it never went away- a hollow groan from our souls telling us that it WAS us. We used to joke with friends saying, "It's all about me." But it really was. Depressed. Lonely. Sad. Discouraged. Let down by our own dreams. And we we're only 20-something. And then someone called it the 'Quarter-Life Crisis'. And we said, "Yes!" That's it! That's how I feel! That is my life! There's just one question: Are you sure it's "Quarter-life"? Who promised everyone tomorrow? Why is today not your 1/2 life crisis or the 3/4 life crisis or the 'life' crisis? Somewhere, even in our diagnosis, the disease shows up again. It's only 'Quarter-Life' we say. It won't always be like this. Keep climbing. Keep going. The people coming down are the exceptions, not the rule. It's only 'Quarter-Life'. Maybe the echos of emptiness from all the relationships, jobs, and toys were just shallow echos. Maybe this isn't the way up, maybe this is actually the way down. Maybe the broken empty people are closer to the truth, than the idealistic ones on the way 'up'. Maybe the bottom is much further down. There is a "Mid-Life" Crisis you know. It comes after the "Quarter-life" crisis. How could that be? Could it be that things get worse, not better? Could it be that after all these crises we're still NOT there yet... Why do old people talk so much? Why do they sit in parks and watch the birds? Why do they take an hour to eat a meal? Why do they still write letters with paper and pen? Maybe they know what Solomon knew. Meaningless, Meaningless, he said. It is all a 'chasing after the wind'. Money. Jobs. Marriage. Good Kids. Vacation homes. Nice cars. Ski boats. and Happiness. When you grasp for them you grasp at vapor, nothingness. There is nothing solid except Him. Over and over Solomon says in the Book of Ecclesiasted that all things lack meaning UNTIL we see God as the author of all things, all times, all places, all seasons and all lives. That same God has promised tomorrow to no one. Neither has He promised you 'today'. The breath you breathe today is a gift from Him. The life you live is a gift from Him. The crisis is not a 'Quarter-life' crisis. It is a Life Crisis. It is as old as solomon. It is a Life Crisis of living for tomorrow, for 'things' to get better, for it 'all to work out'. Today is yesterday's tomorrow. Is it better? Has it all worked out? Does it really help to know that an entire generation of people are as miserable as you are? Maybe your script was wrong Maybe your plans were miscalculated. Maybe it was just 'all about you.' Maybe the script wasn't up to us. Maybe the 'Quarter-life' crisis was a part of His script.Maybe God hasn't left me, maybe He's left me with only Himself. Maybe the emptiness of 'Quarter-life' is a greater blessing than finding out at 'mid-life'. Not in a preachy, funky, churchy way, but maybe, just maybe, Jesus was right. Maybe when He said, "I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly..." He was right. Maybe the emptiness of everything you have been grasping was to leave you with only Him. You don't have to forward this. You don't have to send it to 5 friends. Just ask yourself, what is the meaning of the meaninglessness? Jesus alone is the way, the truth, and the life.

You asked for it! Here it is!

Finally, you can order your hats and shirts online at the Lagniappe Store. What better gift could one give, than a little lagniappe, from Lagniappe. Think about it. The shopping cart, isn't pretty yet, but it works, and you can order and get stuff you need to help remember the work in the Bay CLICK HERE TO ORDER

Thanks to the "houma" girls

People often ask, "what can we do for you?" and secondly "how is your wife doing with everything?" Great questions both, usually the second question comes from other women, who somehow get the idea that it might be tough on a wife to move down here and help with a church plant in the middle of a disaster relief site. (sarcasm intended) It is hard, and the ladies from Houma, LA who came and ministered to them were great encouragement, both to them, and to us, as we got to see them be encouraged. Ellen did some great photography that I needed for the website, and we've updated the photos of the area with RECENT photos from Friday of this week. That's right, the photo album you'll see below, was taken 2 days ago. Yep, you guessed it, it's still that bad. We are about to have our 5th gas station open in the county in the next 20 days. Still more than half of the residents have FEMA trailers in their yards. We still need your volunteers to come down and co-labor with us, participating in the restoration of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

From Katrina 1 Year Later...

FACES OF THE PCA WOMENS CONFERENCE

Twins? Friends from way back Interns Quiet evenings alone... 

Got Tickets?

Okay here's the real question...Do you have tickets or access to tickets to next Monday night's football game- the men of Lagniappe are salivating to go to the Monday Night Football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons- so if you have connections, tickets, box seats (wow, would that be nice!) or any suggestions let us know and then look for us on ESPN!

Have you hugged a Presbyterian Today?

Good question right? This is Sarah Denton (banana yellow) and Kim Allen who went with Lagniappe Church to the PCA women's conference in Atlanta, Georgia this weekend. Our booth at the exhibit hall was directly across from the PCA bookstore and these aprons were 'back by popular demand'! The girls didn't buy these I don't think, but I think they really felt like Lagniappe needed to make some similar 'evangelical wear'- we are presently considering a line of Carhart overalls that say, "Have you gutted anyone's house today?" or perhaps little crosstiched wall plaques that read "Trailer, sweet FEMA trailer". Thanks to all the girls who came and helped this weekend- you are definately part of the Lagniappe family- we miss you already and think about you all the time- we WOULD NOT be where we are without you!

Jesus Lives in Asheville

I have been out of the Bay since Saturday, speaking to a church in Atlanta Sunday and driving to Black Mountain, NC (Just East of Asheville). NO HUMIDITY, MOUNTAINS, GREEN, AND EVEN MORE GLORIOUS...AN ABUNDANCE OF COFFEE SHOPS. I am speaking at chapel to the students of Montreat College. Yesterday I spoke about God's work in the Bay and how He has sovereignly administered grace through suffering. I challenged the students to consider how God uses suffering and crisis to bring us to Himself and to mature us. I also issued a call to consider our summer internship program. Tonight at 7pm we will show the Lagniappe video and have a time for questions and answers. Tomorrow concludes the week at chapel as we look at 1 Corinthians 12, Unity and Diversity of the Body- How to respect the differences God has created in each of us and how we serve together in love. Pray for the time here. I am meeting with several students at lunch to discuss their interest.

view out the front door this afternoon.

 

Rainy Day In The Bay

We are so glad that Jordy is back in the Bay after a brief stint being gone. He arrived in the Jetta, (a donated vehicle) and T-Jean was playing in the rain water. He took a pass and sprayed this spray on T-Jean, and doused him. What a day. By the way, the jetta turned 100,000 miles today. This week we are preparing to go to the PCA womens conference in Atlanta. Hope to see many of you there. We are excited to be able to get on the road and share what God is doing in the Bay. Even on a rainy day! 

Available soon...

This Wednesday we finally receive our shipment of the most requested item from teams this summer- T-Shirts! Everyone wants something with Lagniappe on it, so here you go! We are going to add a web page order form where you can buy the T-Shirts, Hats and also embroidered logo golf shirts. T-shirts will be $15, hats are $20 and golf shirts are $25- a portion of each sale goes to support the ministry of LPC, so buy one for your friends too!

Yet another new blogger

As one of the newest staff people here, I think I have the best job of them all; I get to meet people every day who are open to what God is doing in their lives and are willing to laugh and cry with me and pray. I also find out about funding opportunities to help folks repair or rebuild their homes. One opportunity came up recently and I was able to get money for Mrs. J., pictured here. This narrative was written for the application:

“Mrs. J. is a sixty-one year old grandmother who lives with four grandchildren ages 14, 16, 17 and 19. Her seven-year old godson also lives with her. She has raised her grandchildren for twelve years since their father, her son, was incarcerated and their mother left them in her care. Mrs. J. has a three bedroom house which is paid for. She is on disability for a seizure disorder, back and neck injuries, asthma and high blood pressure. She also receives money from the foster care system for the children. When Hurricane Katrina occurred, she took the children to a friend’s home further from the Gulf in Bay St. Louis. They nevertheless had to leave that home when it flooded to over two feet. Her own home had the roof torn off by wind and it was flooded by the rains. After the water subsided, they returned to her home to live for several days, eventually going to stay with family in Georgia for one month. They returned to Bay St. Louis when her FEMA trailer arrived.

Mrs. J. has a son who is blind and diabetic, living in a trailer next to hers. He requires some care; she hopes to be able to have him join her in her home when her house is repaired. Mrs. J. has been able to repair her roof and purchase an air conditioner with the money received to date. She states she has been depressed and had stopped going to her church until recently. This past year has been hard on her children as well; Mrs. J. hopes having her home repaired will give them the stability they all appear to need.”

What a privilege to meet this grandmother and to see how our God brought this opportunity to rebuild her home to us and then to her. Please pray that we will continue to find the families--they don’t have to know Him as Savior and Lord, just be open to whatever God gives us to offer them.

September 2006 NOT 2005!

Today I drove around the Bay to record some photos to take and show at the PCA women's conference in September. It was sobering. At every turn I continually said to myself, "No one is going to believe that these pictures are from today....noone." It was a bit surreal. We spend everyday driving by houses and FEMA trailers, piles of debris and tattered American flags, but to drive around to SPECIFICALLY 'take it in again' was sobering. I kept looking for sheds we had built or homes we had repaired and was struck by the fact that there is so much still to be done, so little we have done. Please pray for the Bay, please. It is in desparate need. We are in desparate need. We need teams, support, prayer and stamina. All over the city tattered American flags wave in the Gulf breeze- the residents of the Bay will not give up, neither will we. 

Lagniappe and Life...a new blog

Here's your invitation to check out "Lagniappe and Life" a new personal blog. I decided to post mostly 'church' related blogging on the 'official' Lagniappe Church website and post my thoughts, etc. on my own blog- please check it out, leave a comment, say hello and check back often- be sure to read the 'header' on the blog and it's disclaimer! Happy blogging! P.S. the web address if you didn't click above is www.lagniappeandlife.blogspot.com

first time on blog

Its been about a year ago since I first arrived on Sept. 9 to Hancock Co, Ms. and been able to see a mountian being moved! The mountian of broken spirts that I met when first arriving, lives turned upside down and dreams washed away by the flood waters of katrina. Families searching for any means to get their lives back to normal. Watching families liveing in tents untill their F.E.M.A. camper, working with Water Missions International providing pumps for hundreds of families, and how importian a shed was for the family. I would not belive that someone would cry about receiving a shed, What I saw was the tears were because someone cared for them. Its been a year and still so much to do! I sit back home in Georgetown SC and write this in the comfort of our home! My heart is back in MS. for many of the families who struggle getting back into their home! Last Thursday before leaving, looking at the list of families we are still helping with finding the resorces to get them back into a home, seems overweling, I belive that by faith we have gotten this far, and it is that Faith, that will see us thur! Our Lord tells me to love my neighbor, because of Gods Love I will return and keep helping our neighbors in MS. Its the body of Christ that is alive and working in our world today that seems so filled with trouble! Is God alive? Yes, you only need to come and see him at work in MS! What better way to fill an empty part of your life, just like myself, than to come and show a neighbor Gods' Love! For me, Life was just working, paying bills, just day by day! Today by me forsakeing my own needs, the reward is knowing that by faith, my life has a scents of meaning! Its not easy, faith never is, but the feeling in my heart is one that I have searched for so long! You know? What have I done to make a difference in my county, State,the world? Does my existants even matter? Life has passed by so fast, Today I have new Brothers and Sisters in Christ from around the world! Dear Friends in MS! My life is filled with so much Lagniappe! If you feel the emptiness in your life, step out into faith and come be a part of the restoration of the Bay St. Louis MS area. Help us, together by faith we will move this mountain! Your friend in the Bay! Conrad

Missin' Me Some Terns....

Okay, here's my personal post of the day...It's a lazy Sunday afternoon and I just couldn't resist giving a shout out to everyone who plugged back into the matrix and is gone from this summer! Tom's face sums it up well- You wouldn't believe LPC right now- I'll blog some photos tomorrow- you will really NOT believe it, the place looks great and you had so much to do with it! We still have Rynnie with us and that is a joy! You would LOVE Ruth (an R.N. who is interning with us until December and ate lunch with the family today). Aunt Kitty is working 2 days a week at LPC and in a strange time warp of the universe Conrad conjacked himself back to South Carolina to help with Hurricane Ernesto- I'm not kidding. Special kudos to the Furnace girls- and yes, pappa bear is coming to Furman on the weekend of Parent's Weekend (no one get too jealous, I was already scheduled to be there for a conference all weekend). On a side note I may get to see Dave and Haley in a couple of weeks- I'm about to head to Conneticut to see my cousin Paul who lives in Gardiner, N.Y. and make a 1,450 mile motorcycle, head-clearing, ride back to the Bay. I'll give you more details as they become available. I'm trying to route through Tuscaloosa, Knoxville, Memphis, Lexington, K.Y., Washington, D.C., Morgantown, PA- HELLO Kenley & Sarah! I really miss you guys, thanks for the pictures- I can't wait to see you again! 

Habitat, NAACP, NPR, Lowes, Lagniappe and Jesus

"Did you bring the camera?" Jean asked as we exited the truck. After accusing him of being a media hog we laughed and walked over to the crowd. It was 11:45 and we had just arrived for a 12:00 media blitz sponsored by Habitat. As a ceremonial dedication the cameras and community surrounded this small, 1,200 sq.ft. dwelling. It was an event marketing reps. salivate to attend, a time to "brand" their logo for all to see. Habitat had their logos displayed proudly, the mayor of Bay St. Louis was there, Lowes was present, as was the financial institution making the loan, the NAACP, NPR, Americorp, Habitat of Jackson and Habitat International. Oh yes, Lagniappe was also there. BY INVITATION. Jean concluded the service by read from Scripture, proclaiming God's glory revealed in Jesus, and prayed. It was succinct and lasted only 5 minutes but it displayed clearly the purpose of Lagniappe's presence in the Bay, to declare and demonstrate the love of God. Could we be accused of pandering to the media? You bet and we'll declare and demonstrate the love of God in Jesus Christ at every invitation.

The Day to Day

Hello Kim Larroux! Always there to greet with a smile and kind words of encouragement. Kim is our a.m. receptionist/greeter. Families entering our facility for the firt time are greeted by Kim's smiling face. Kim also answers the phones, takes messages, contributes to the organizational planning, and taking care of #III (Jean Larroux III). Great job Kim.

Clyde Baker came to Lagniappe after running the MTW Disaster Relief site in Moss Point. He faithfully served there and came to the Bay occassionally to visit. Clyde is now a regular, having moved to the Bay. He even brought his own housing, a 10'x 16' structure. It was a shed in Moss Point, it's now his home. Clyde cheerfully gives of his time freely, raising support for his "basic" expenses. Clyde built home for a living and brings a great amount of skill to Lagniappe. God is wonderfully bringing the people we need to do what we do. Ryn has been with Lagniappe since June, having coming as a 'tern.' Ryn has returned to serve during her Fall semester at William & Mary. Ryn loves people, loves to work, and will 'gladly' oblige any request to help. It's amazing to witness the maturity in this 20 year old.

Let me introduce you to Mimi. Mimi was one of two PCA families in the Bay prior to our arrival. Mimi lost everything and continues to live in a FEMA trailer. Daily she commits to coming in and helping out where she can. She calls families we have helped, asks how they are doing, and does basically anything we ask her to do. She also attends worship regularly with her daughter who comes down weekly to worship with us. Her daughter lives in Hattieburg. We are overjoyed that Mimi is a vital part of the Lagniappe family.