Hi Christ the King! This is a half-asleep Brita writing to you from New Orleans, while fighting with all I have to stay awake. Today we were assaulted by... the sun for a change! The constant heat had us sweating through our shirts as we explored the French Market some more and enjoyed some more "snowballs" (aka snow cones).
Our morning started off in the Superdome for a final worship service. Having communion with 33,000 other people was certainly an experience that will be hard to forget. The service ended with the announcement that the next gathering will be in three years in Detroit!
After the closing worship, we took a chunk of our day to wait in line at Mother's and got delightful po'boys from a very sassy cashier. We also took a visit to the Voodoo Museum and learned about the Voodoo history. After the lady at the museum got angry at Hannah, then suggested I was stupid, we went on to eat our last supper at Margaritaville. Dinner was lots of fun sitting at a counter and listening to Jimmy Buffet music.
Then we walked back to the hotel along the Mississippi River, and Eric and Adam got lots of compliments, as well as prayers from homeless men, on their "Princess 1" and "Princess 2" shirts.
This trip has been an amazing experience filled with memories, and as we head home tomorrow morning, I think we can all call it a very successful trip! Thanks for supporting us on this trip and for your help making it all happen.
Brita Jacobson
Monday, July 23, 2012
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Practice Discipleship
Hey Christ the King! This is Robyn and Jenna in New Orleans. Today, we woke up at 7am to find that it wasn't raining for the first time this week. We started off at the Convention Center where we had morning worship with our Northwest Washington Synod and had some great small group discussions about discipleship.
Afterwards, we headed off to the French Market, where we stopped at the picturesque St. Louis Cathedral along the way. After a few group pics, we headed to the actual market. There, we got delicious snow cones "stuffed" with ice cream. After some fabulous finds, including alligator-on-a-stick, to awesome t-shirts, to jewelry, we went to the Superdome. The gruesomely hot walk and long wait in line was definitely worth the chance to experience worship on the dome floor. From intense dance sessions to conga lines, there was a ton of energy tonight.
With several speakers tonight, one stood out. An 18-year-old named Greg Von Wald volunteered to speak about taking action to "be the change you wish to see in the world". To close out the night, we were treated to a performance by Switchfoot.
This trip has brought our little group closer together, as was evident tonight as we laughed and joked while eating pizza and going over the day.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. Please continue to keep us in your hearts.
Thanks,
Robyn Cypher and Jenna Mauer
Afterwards, we headed off to the French Market, where we stopped at the picturesque St. Louis Cathedral along the way. After a few group pics, we headed to the actual market. There, we got delicious snow cones "stuffed" with ice cream. After some fabulous finds, including alligator-on-a-stick, to awesome t-shirts, to jewelry, we went to the Superdome. The gruesomely hot walk and long wait in line was definitely worth the chance to experience worship on the dome floor. From intense dance sessions to conga lines, there was a ton of energy tonight.
With several speakers tonight, one stood out. An 18-year-old named Greg Von Wald volunteered to speak about taking action to "be the change you wish to see in the world". To close out the night, we were treated to a performance by Switchfoot.
This trip has brought our little group closer together, as was evident tonight as we laughed and joked while eating pizza and going over the day.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. Please continue to keep us in your hearts.
Thanks,
Robyn Cypher and Jenna Mauer
Friday, July 20, 2012
Practice Justice
Hey CTK Lutheran Church, this is Savannah and Hannah from New Orleans! This morning, we were assaulted by an early morning wake-up at 5:00am (3:00am WA time!). Soon after, we headed down to the Superdome to get our projects for Practice Justice Day. All of us hopped on a bus to a local school and had tons of fun playing games, reading, writing, and doing crafts with the chilluns.
After visiting the school, the weather was not cooperating, and instead of visiting the French Market, some of us took naps, and others went swimming in the hotel pool. After we rested up, we went on an oyster adventure! We ate dinner at Acme Oyster House and Taryn made everyone eat one oyster. Everyone survived.
After Acme, we proceeded to the Superdome, where we had our evening worship. There, we listened to several great speakers. One stood out to us, and her name was Diane Latiker. In short, she created a program which showed troubled teenagers that there is hope to be the person you wanted to be when you were a little kid. This program made the neighborhood she lived in safer and changed the lives of people who just needed someone who cared.
Following another speaker, we paused for the people in Colorado who were affected by the shooting.
Today was a great day in New Orleans. Thank you for your prayers and continue to keep us in your thoughts.
Thanks!
Hannah Mantei and Savannah Schedin
After visiting the school, the weather was not cooperating, and instead of visiting the French Market, some of us took naps, and others went swimming in the hotel pool. After we rested up, we went on an oyster adventure! We ate dinner at Acme Oyster House and Taryn made everyone eat one oyster. Everyone survived.
After Acme, we proceeded to the Superdome, where we had our evening worship. There, we listened to several great speakers. One stood out to us, and her name was Diane Latiker. In short, she created a program which showed troubled teenagers that there is hope to be the person you wanted to be when you were a little kid. This program made the neighborhood she lived in safer and changed the lives of people who just needed someone who cared.
Following another speaker, we paused for the people in Colorado who were affected by the shooting.
Today was a great day in New Orleans. Thank you for your prayers and continue to keep us in your thoughts.
Thanks!
Hannah Mantei and Savannah Schedin
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Citizens with the Saints: Practice Peacemaking
Hey members of Christ the King! This is Eric and Adam from Nawlins. We had a fairly late wake-up, but unfortunately, it was raining on the way to the Convention Center. Upon arriving, we were assaulted by air conditioning. The morning worship was filled with human waves and singing. After fun with bumper cars and bounce houses in the Interaction Center, we decided to get lunch in the convention center. We got chicken tender po' boys, and they were pretty good. The po' boys had pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, and of course chicken!
After that, we started heading to the French Quarter, but it started pouring down rain, so we headed back to the hotel for a while. Once the rain stopped, we walked to Bourbon Street, and from there we went to Cafe du Monde for beignets. That whole area was covered in bugs. Some of us were annoyed by the bugs, while a few -- like Sam -- continued to pick them up by their legs and look at them or put them on people's shoulders. After waiting for a long time, we finally got our beignets. They were incredibly sweet and piled up with powdered sugar. They were delicious!
We were still hungry, and it was dinner time, so we went to get dinner at Deanie's Seafood. Six of us got barbecue shrimp pasta, which was good. Sam and Eric shared a massive lump of seafood called the "Giant Seafood Platter", which included two whole crab and deep-fried oysters. After gorging ourselves, we proceeded to the evening gathering. At said gathering, we listened to some speakers which included a guy with dreadlocks named Shane. He told us how God's plan for us may often involve risks.
We love you all and God bless. We miss you all and prayers would be greatly appreciated.
This is Eric and Adam, over and out!
After that, we started heading to the French Quarter, but it started pouring down rain, so we headed back to the hotel for a while. Once the rain stopped, we walked to Bourbon Street, and from there we went to Cafe du Monde for beignets. That whole area was covered in bugs. Some of us were annoyed by the bugs, while a few -- like Sam -- continued to pick them up by their legs and look at them or put them on people's shoulders. After waiting for a long time, we finally got our beignets. They were incredibly sweet and piled up with powdered sugar. They were delicious!
We were still hungry, and it was dinner time, so we went to get dinner at Deanie's Seafood. Six of us got barbecue shrimp pasta, which was good. Sam and Eric shared a massive lump of seafood called the "Giant Seafood Platter", which included two whole crab and deep-fried oysters. After gorging ourselves, we proceeded to the evening gathering. At said gathering, we listened to some speakers which included a guy with dreadlocks named Shane. He told us how God's plan for us may often involve risks.
We love you all and God bless. We miss you all and prayers would be greatly appreciated.
This is Eric and Adam, over and out!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Welcome to Nawlins!
Hello members of CTK! This is Holly and Marin writing from New Orleans! We had an early morning by, thankfully, a problem-free travel! Upon arriving in New Orleans, we were assaulted by heat and humidity, and mobs of sweaty youth in matching shirts, as we stood out in completely un-matching outfits like weird Northwesterners. We got to the Superdome, and the size of the convention really hit us. Inside this massive dome with flashing lights and loud music were over 33,000 youth. The speakers were incredible, but one in particular stood out. Her name was Nadia, and she was a tattooed pastor with an amazing story that really hit home. Needless to say, after her talk, we were all wanting more and touched in one way or another.
Unfortunately, after the dome service ended, we were detained for an hour due to extreme weather, but we eventually went out to get pizza. It's still pouring rain, and there's a constant stream of thunder and lightening. I almost died slipping on a sidewalk, but it's okay because three cute boys whistled at me :)
Well, we miss you all and prayers would be greatly appreciated. We love you all and God bless!
Love,
Holly Berg and Marin Jacobson
Unfortunately, after the dome service ended, we were detained for an hour due to extreme weather, but we eventually went out to get pizza. It's still pouring rain, and there's a constant stream of thunder and lightening. I almost died slipping on a sidewalk, but it's okay because three cute boys whistled at me :)
Well, we miss you all and prayers would be greatly appreciated. We love you all and God bless!
Love,
Holly Berg and Marin Jacobson
Friday, July 13, 2012
Our Trip in Pictures
Packing up and getting on the road!
Day 1: Work Projects!
Day 1 Evening Activity: Speech about the History and Culture of the Yakama Nation:
Day 2: Visiting a Nursing Home
Day 2 Cont'd: Kids Club
Day 2 Evening Activity: Worship Circle
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| "Smudging" with Sage smoke to prepare us for worship. |
Day 3: Kids Club
Day 3 Evening Activity: Imperial's Garden (Farm)
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| Picking BEANS! |
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| Note: The kids had my camera for most of the evening... :) |
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| "It goes off like a gun (PEW!)... Brighter than the sun!" |
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| Ariana, one of the Youthworks staff. |
Day 4: Work Projects
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| The house the kids worked on! |
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| Kathy, one of our hilarious adult leaders! |
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| Lunch is over... Back to work kids! |
Evening Activity Day 4: Community Cookout
Foot-washing service: Our Tissue Pile
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| Most were from Lily Stephens... |
Day 5: Going Home...
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| Kim, the other adult leader in one of our groups. |
Also, thank you so much to all of you who have been following our blog and keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. And for everyone who helped us fund this trip, we are very grateful. We couldn't have done it without you!
Blessings,
Taryn
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