The View from New York

Hey all,
Today, as I was spending the morning relaxing and enjoying my vacation back home in New York a really wonderful snow started to fall. Unlike Rebekah-who came home to 2 1/2 feet of snow, this was my first time seeing snow this year in NY. I had my journal with me and this is what came out:


Warm Inside

A little hound nestles up on her pillow,
While full grey clouds pass over the blue sky.

I peak through the blinds
Admiring the fertile winter sky—
My breath appearing on the glass.

Millions of tiny white miracles begin to dance down to earth.
A cold blanket forms on the country road,
Yet it seems to mystically create more warmth in my heart.

My little hound gently paws at the back door;
She wants to romp around in the white miracle.

I am warm inside.

Fellow Non-Profit Needs Help!

Hey Everyone!

I am glad Rebekah caught ya'll caught up on the fact that we are indeed still here in New Orleans serving. I had written a blog on my own personal site (the link is to the right if you want to read it) about my silly plane ride escapade during the Thanksgiving break--I got terribly sick on the plane! Haha, but fornately I am on the mend.

Today I received a rather devastating email for the rebuilding sector of non-profits here in N'awlins. A close partner of lowernine.org's, The Phoenix of New Orleans, got their tool warehouse broken into and close to $3500 of their tools and building materials were stolen. It is really sad because PNOLA has to almost stop rebuilding homes until they can replace the tools they lost. Plus, this time of year is huge for volunteer trips, so they will have many hands to do the work, but no tools...so, due to the robbery, everyone looses.

I felt called to write in support of their rebuild efforts because I know how tremendous it feels to rebuild a home....and how it feels when you do not have the correct supplies, let alone not having any. You feel helpless and ineffective.

PNOLA is looking for donations of tools to replace what was lost. While our organization will try to partner with them and give them some of our supplies, we have a scarce amount of supplies as well. So, while I know it might be a stretch to buy a table saw and send it to New Orleans, please check out their "wish list" and consider donating a small amount of money to their cause. I will enclose the link to the news blurb on what went down, and how you can help them out, so they can continue to rebuild this city that us 3 SJW's love to call home.

www.pnola.org

Thieves Steal Thousands of Dollars Worth of Tools From Volunteer Organization

Laila Morcos ABC26 News December 9, 2009

Related links Phoenix of New Orleans

NEWORLEANS - When lifelong, Mid-city resident Wallace Turner heard the news, he was shocked. 'I'd like to see someone to help them because that's who's been helping them in the past," he says.

The Phoenix of New Orleans warehouse on Iberville street became the scene of an overnight break-in. Thousands of dollars of tools are gone. "We already didn't have enough tools to do what we were doing, and now the little bit of tools that we did have have been taken from us, so now we don't have anything," says Kristi Jacobs. She says the organization that helps rebuild houses in Mid-city and surrounding areas can't host volunteers or do any work now. "All the things they took are things that are 100 percent necessary to do the things we do. We can't rebuild."

And now, the organization is going to have to rally for more donated tools. "They took a couple of generators, a couple of table saws. They took a mitre saw, they took all of our ladders and wheelbarrows and screw guns and batteries and batteries that power screw guns," she says.

PNOLA's helped many people, like Turner, who's doing his part. He's going to donate his own wheelbarrow to give back.

PNOLA needs a lot of tools to continue their volunteer work. For a list of those items and how to help them out, go to their website, www.pnola.org

Copyright © 2009, WGNO-TV

We're still alive!

Hey ya'll!

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are all still alive and going strong! Our days have been pretty full, and we have a pretty packed weekend ahead. Helen Prejean is taking us to Grand Isle for the weekend! I am sure the trip will be a blast, Helen is always fun to be around. :)

In some recent news, one of our community members decided to leave the program. Although the timing may have been a little off, we wish Rian the best of luck in all her future endeavors. The months she has spent in the SJW house have had a great impact on my personal growth, and I wish her all the best.

Since I haven't written in over a month, I suppose I should let you know we raised about $150 dollars for UNICEF. Thanks everyone for your generous contributions. :)

We all got a chance to have a nice little break for Thanksgiving. I went home for about 6 days, and it was wonderful to see my family and friends. I had a great time, but there was a little part of me that missed the liveliness of the city. There also were a couple times I had to give Traci a call or text Becky some inside joke we had.

We are going home again in a little while. Becky and Traci leave on the 18th, and I am leaving for home on the 20th. Christmas is my favorite holiday, and my friend Maria has a terrific cocktail party every New Year's that has been in my date book since last year! haha.

Last weekend we had the nice surprise of snow! It was remarkable how chatty everyone was about the snow, and most people could recall the last snowfall. The snow didn't stick, but it sure had everyone all stirred up. We were in Baton Rouge listening to the wonderful Joyce Rupp talk about opening our doors to God. The experience was an incredible one, and I am greatful for the opportunity to participate in the retreat. She has great advice, and I really enjoyed her presence.

Thanks for all the support! Sorry it has been so long! Happy Holidays!


~Rebekah

Useful Web Browsing; Wired Discipleship

Alright, close your other Safari window, I know Facebook is open in it, and you too are wondering why!? Its only 9am and your status has changed 3 times?! I know, I have already changed mine 4 times, and contemplated joining mafia wars.

Sound familiar?

We are all SO guilty of using our free computer time on quasi-empty(yet fun/informative) things such as Facebook and AOL Instant Messenger.

I have a solution. Start browsing with purpose. Be clear on what you are searching for--know that this is hard and takes time. The internet has so much powerful information on it, hone your search!

To get you started, I have for you an awesome 15 minute youtube video about "Validation (re. modern day discipleship). Additionally, check out the other link, "The 8 Irresistible principals".

We live in a wired world. Might as well wire in effectively and set your browser to "spiritual nourishment!"

Love you all!

Traci

ps: If you like this concept check out stumbleupon.com This is a great site to have a custom search bar ready for you, whenever your little heart desires some computer face time.

Trick-or-Treat...for a cause!

Hey ya'll,

Just thought I would update you with a little project we are planning. As many of you are aware, social justice is a pillar of our program. One thing I remember doing as a teenager was to Trick-or-Treat for an organization called UNICEF. I know we were able to raise a good bit of money doing it, so I brought the idea up with other members of the house. Everyone agreed that we would take to the neighborhood streets and ask for donations. To open up to a larger audience, I have created a donation page for anyone to donate money if they so choose. Please do not feel obligated, but I wanted to give the opportunity to anyone who might wish to participate. Below is a link to the page; just click and follow the directions on the page to make a donation. Thanks for all your support!

http://inside.unicefusa.org/goto/SJWNewOrleans

~Rebekah

Rebuilding Alex's House

Hey Ya'll, Traci here again...

It is mid-October and I find myself in the midst of something great at my work; I am in the process of helping to rebuild a home from start to finish! I am working on the lovely corner of Lizardi and Royal Street in the Lower Ninth Ward helping to rebuild Mr. Hubbard’s home that was flooded during Katrina. When I arrived here, I was assigned to this house and so I could start in on documenting my work as I am creating a formalized training program for rebuilding homes for lowernine.org.

At first I was a little tentative to stick to one house for more than a month; I enjoy variety, and commitment scares me, haha. But, after working at this 100 year old house, and helping to lead my own crews, it has become “mine”. I feel such ownership for this house, I want to take care of it, rebuild it to the best of my ability and infuse it with tons of love!

I think something that has made working on Alex’s house even more enjoyable is the fact that I have a great co-worker named Tim. Tim has previous construction experience, so he is the project manager on this site and I have been recently dubbed “his lil partner” by Darren and others. Day in and out we have worked together; sometimes we work with 7 other people hanging drywall, other days it has just been Tim and I sawing pieces of siding and talking about our lives as we wait for our supervisor to pick us up at the end of the day. I find it so powerful to have gotten to know a co-worker so much, so fast, and that we both feel very dedicated to “our house”. Whenever new workers come with us, we divvy up the tasks and both lead our small groups. This has been great since on the days that it is just me and Tim he teaches me certain things, and then I get to demonstrate what I learned to others when necessary.

Overall at Alex’s house I have learned how to install insulation, cut and hang drywall, do residing, and fire proof and weatherize a home. Once the drywall is hung totally, we will help to tape and mud the joints and then hopefully get to do some flooring and painting!

To give you a clearer understanding of what I have been doing, check out the video Tim and I made at “our house”. It was filmed prior to hanging the sheetrock. This link will take you directly to the video, while you are there check out my other videos of NOLA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNToA9i51FU

Shaping the Gift

Feel yourself in suspense and incompleteness

Limbo in God’s hands—

Knowing His work is slow and deliberate

Drip, drip

Rain against the windows

It sounds like possibility

An infinite combination of pitters and patters.

Relax, unwind

Let your spirit massage out the past hurts and pains;

Trust that they were worth it.

This is slow work, that of God.

The anxiety of the future “working out”,

Has a salty taste to it I believe.

Swirl it around in your mouth,

Spit it down the drain

Let the plan go.

Get in the car, windows down

Warm sun on your forearm.

Admire your present skyline—

Love your present…

Inhale the smells, good and bad.

Look to today,

Romp around in today!

Today might be it…

Hold on,

Let go,

Live boldly and thoughtfully.

Your life is a gift.