APRIL 2012

4512 Living and Serving in New Orleans, LA S. DERBIGNY Experiences

... ns from io Reect
Ashley Bair..........................................2 Bueana Cox.........................................3 Laura Ek..............................................4 Tyrone Johnson..................................5 Eric Lipka............................................6 Jillian Manning..................................7 Allison Wehrung...............................8 Emma Wood.......................................9 Lauren Wright..................................10

The housemates on our fall retreat in Austin, TX.

Back Row: Eric, Ashley, Lauren, Ji!ian, Tyrone, Laura, Bueana Front Row: A!ison, Emma

Kathy Lee, program coordinator......11 Brief biographies of each housemate can be found on his or her page.

G ree ti n g s f r o m N e w Or le ans !
ere you will nd the experiences of nine people living and serving in intentional Christian community through Presbytery of South Louisiana and Christian Renewal New Orleans.

We love. Because God rst loved us. 1 John 4:19 We believe. For we walk by faith not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 We live. For where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am with them. Matthew 18:20 We serve. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

ram ur Prog O

! By way of AmeriCorps and the PC(USA)s Young Adult Volunteer Program, the nine of us work with a variety of organizations and communities here in New Orleans, and through the words on these pages we hope to share some of our experiences with you. ! Thank you so much for your support and interest in our journeys. ! ! Love, the YAV and ICC ! Program.

Christian Renewal New Orleans http://www.crno.org/ Young Adult Volunteer Program http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/yav/ AmeriCorps http://www.americorps.gov/

Ashley Bair

on Appetit

all are made with a specic purpose. Just like the church. Something specically laid out in the Bible. God has created a recipe of life for us in the Bible through Jesus Christ.We try to interpret things our own way, and that's okay, but there comes a point where we deviate so far from the recipe, it doesn't even taste like food anymore. This year has been a great year of discovery for me. One of the many things I'm learning is that a lot of my mind, my selshness, my control comes from the world. And my truth comes from Jesus. This was revealed to me through my wonderful community. It's an awesome thing. In trying to nd my place in a community, I nd myself looking to others for approval and guidance, and then realizing it falls short. If we take each action back to the basic denominator- the Word- we nd ourselves looking to God for help. And that's a great place to be. God reveals Himself to us through our recipe. Maybe I will add those 2 Tbsp's after all...

I have learned a lot from my family about cooking. They stick to the recipe, every now and then tossing in a little of their own avor, but typically following the directions to the tee; what makes it taste so good. That's not my personality. When I see a recipe, I want to reject it. "But, I can't use a recipe! What if I want to add 2 Tbsp of vanilla, instead of 1? Who says I can't? It's too constricting." I want to do it my way. This was my attitude upon arrival in New Orleans. God had led me on this journey of mission and I wanted to learn as much as I could, leaving behind the rules of the community and His people to nd something I wasn't even completely sure existed.My church. Truth is, everything I reject and everything I seek are in fact God's church. Sometime I lose sight of the fact that God is the Creator. Not just of us, but of everything. Cell phones, computers, pop music, chemically produced hair products, television, etc.;

Ashley is currently working with the Non-prot organization Project Homecoming, a New Orleans rebuilding initiative started by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance and the Presbytery of South Louisiana. Ashley's home church is Holt First Presbyterian Church of Holt, Michigan. She is currently an MSW candidate at the University of Michigan and plans to continue her studies in the fall.To read more about her experiences in New Orleans, you can nd her blog at http://ashbairlivingoutloud.blogspot.com/

Dont ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. Howard Thurman

Also In This Newsletter

More Information on Some of Our Placement Agencies.....5 What is intentional community, anyway?.............................6 How You Can Support Our Community....................................7 Also keep an eye out for a few extra pictures and other words of wisdom on vocational discernment, New Orleans, and what it means to live in community.

Bueana Cox

m not going to write you a love song because you ask for it, because you need one. Writing this was the hell of me. Literally, I sat prying through moments after moments and experiences after experiences that I have had here in New Orleans; moreover, sending myself on a self-caused emotional roller coaster. I spent my Easter in solitude because the night before I mourned the death of the one that means the most to me. I bawled my eyes out and as the Holy Spirit came to comfort me I was assured that nothing on this Earth mattered if I did not share with others this sweet love relationship I have with Jesus. Who cared how many times I ate fresh seafood that you could smell the goodness a mile away? Who cared if I painted some homes in Holly Grove? Who cares about the diculties and joys of living with eight people? Who cares if I had to call roadside service

more than ten times in less than a year? Who cares about emotions provoked by the live jazz bands music oozing from all the bars down Frenchmen? Who cares about the kids that I work with? The ONE that does at all times past or present, died and rose so that I could have these many experiences and moments.While you may try and Im quite thankful NO ONE can truly care about every moment of my life, which is TOTALLY okay. The ONE that does died and rose so that I could have these many experiences and moments. I arose the next morning with a peace that surpassed my own understanding. I was joyful!! He cared!!! To him I dedicated my entire Easter day. This is not what you needed, but Jesus has walked the seas well before I believed that theres a reason to write you a love song today.

Bueana calls Chicago, Illinois home, and studied Business Administration at Southwest Baptist University. She is a member of AmeriCorps here in New Orleans and works with Trinity Christian Communitys after-school program, as well as helping them rebuild homes throughout the Holly Grove community. She has many ideas of what she would like to do at the end her term, but your prayers are APPRECIATED!!!

Laura, Lauren, Emma, and Ji!ian learned about Mardi Gras Indians at the Backstreet Museum during our February community day.

Weve learned that living in New Orleans, being a Saints fan is mandatory. Who dat!

At a February gathering, we took Cajun and Zydeco dance lessons with other volunteers in the New Orleans area. A(er our lesson we headed out to Rock n Bowl to soak up live Zydeco music and brush up on our bowling ski!s.

Laura Ek

good friend once told me: If you dont look back a year ago and say I didnt have it gured out then then you havent grown. This year is no exception. Flipping back through my journal pages, I found a piece of paper with words I wrote on the warm summer night I found Jesus. I am always with you. Wait. May it be. Inhale love, exhale peace. Breathe deeply. He took my hand then, gently and rmly promising to lead me through anything. This did not just happen: like an insistent teakettle, I couldnt shut God out. Everyone's spiritual path looks different. Fleetwood Mac sings in Never Going Back Again: She broke down and let me in, made me see where I've been. And I realize I cant turn away. Not with this calm ame of ever-pure love no human heart can fulll. While wadding through the mud of life, occasionally Im given incredible glimpses of insight in the light. Grappling as all humans do at some point in life with questions on spirituality and the existence of God, I chose God. And I started living that belief. I moved to New Orleans to pursue service work living with fellow believers in a Christian community house. I even go to church now. Coming to New Orleans, I anticipated my individual spiritual transformation. I expected an easy transition into this new Christian life. The truth is, we rarely envision the hardship before us. If we saw ahead of the curve, would we ever take that next bend in the road? Serving at the Johnson School and Community Garden opened my eyes to the people we share our world with: their struggles and concerns overshadowing my own. Poverty and violence became very real. Despite challenges, I felt called to stay and continue to serve this parking lot sized piece of the world. Towards the end of a particularly cold and windy community gardening day, I

looked up to see one of the 7th grade students of the school sauntering up. Headphones tangled up in his dreads, he waved to me and said Hi Ms. Ek! I smiled and asked how hed gotten here. He lifted his skateboard in response. Now, I know Jacob lives in the 7th ward, which is quite a ways away from the garden. So I asked how long it took him on his skateboard. About 8 miles, took me 4 hours, he replied. I welcomed him into the garden, and told him he could plant whatever he wanted. I dont like vegetables that much, but I guess I like beans. Lucky for Jacob, it is planting time for beans. As we traced our trowels in the ground to make furrows, and hung the string for the beans to one-day climb, I felt incredibly blessed by this young mans presence. Last week watering plants in the garden, a woman across the street whom I often speak with across the fence asked if she could come into the garden. I didnt know it would be that day, but the timing was perfect. We began to water the plants. After we watered, we weeded. After we weeded, we planted. And then we watered again. People walked by, some shouting to her, surprised to see her in the garden. She waved and responded to their inquiries: See, Im trying something new. Better than sitting on the couch. Day in and day out, I shared conversation with this woman. And if we were too far to talk, at least we exchanged a wave. And nally, one day, she picked up her feet and walked over. Community requires effort; its not just for my comfort. Instead community is there for my growth: a humbling realization. My character at home in Christian community and in service work stretches like hot pulled tay. And through all this mess, Ive come to nd that life is rst and foremost relational. Instead of a New Years resolution this year (loose weight, eat healthier, be kinder to strangers), I chose to Let go

and let God. And like a paddle dipping into the still lake, these ripples lap every edge of my shores. God asks of me for my best self, but catches me every time I fall. Slow down. Let God change you. And theres been no better place to learn this than the ttingly named Big Easy. This year is the most rewarding struggle of my life; Ive grown more than I could imagine. Heres to next year.

Laura is originally from the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Her family currently resides in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay. Laura obtained a B.A. in Anthropology and a minor in French from the University of Arizona in 2010. Now located in New Orleans, Laura serves full time between the YAV and AmeriCorps programs as a Garden Educator at James Weldon Johnson School and Community Garden, and a Volunteer Village Manager through Project Homecoming (a rebuilding organization). She plans to reside in Louisiana next year, continuing graduate studies in the fall.

Tyrone Johnson

y experience this year living in the I.C.C house and volunteering can be summed up in one word---Stretching.

through this experience I see God shaping me to be the man of God, God has called me to be. Jesus answered him, Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above. John 3:3

me of n on So s o ie ormati ore Inf ement Agenc M ac Our Pl

Project Homecoming (Ashley, Laura, and Eric): http://projecthomecoming.net/ Trinity Christian Community (Bueana and Tyrone): http://www.tccno.org/ Global Maritime Ministries (Jillian): http://www.portministry.com/ Mid City Ministries (Jillian): www.carrolltonavenuechurch.org Chinese Presbyterian Church (Emma): http://chinesechurchkenner.org/ CHART (Lauren): http://chart.uno.edu/

I have never been challenged more emotionally, spiritually and psychologically than this year. This year I have learned more about my introspective self then ever before and also learned what the meaning of Character-building really means. Balancing my schedule: with work, intentional living, and other ventures I have learned about time management and and being dedicated to priorities. God has really stretched me while living here and in New Orleans by having me live outside my comfort zones and learn to overcome barriers I used to shy away from. At work, I lead volunteers in rebuilding projects and work at an after-school program working as a mentor to pre teens and a tness instructor to middle school and elementary school children. I love my job but God really stretched me in this capacity as well, especially learning patience with little children. All in all this has been the most stretching year of my life, however

Tyrone is an AmeriCorps volunteer working with Trinity Christian Community. He is originally from Randallstown, MD and is an alumni of Lee University in Cleveland, TN where he studied Pastoral Ministries.

Housemates planted trees with Bayou Rebirth for our December community day.

Home sweet home on South Derbigny Street.

Eric Lipka

efore I came to New Orleans, I felt like God was calling me to make some huge dierence in New Orleans; however, I didn't realize just how much of a dierence he would make in my life. I remembered seeing the motto of the YAV program: "a year of service for a lifetime of change." That snippet about change is what enticed me to the program. I've always wanted to make a change and I thought this was a great way for me to do it. I get out of bed each morning and realize how much I love my job. Sure at times it can be rough, I mess things up in the home building process, but what makes my job fantastic is the fact that I have the honor of working with people from all over the country. It amazes me how far people will come to help out for just last week. I worked with Gerd, a German who came down with his brother and niece to help out in New Orleans. While it is great to work with all of these wonderful people, it also can be hard, because at the end of the week, I have to say goodbye to these connections that I've made. Speaking of connections, lets talk about the connections I've made in the house. Whenever someone asks me what it is like to live in this intentional community, I usually start with a laugh, because the fact that 9 people ranging from 18-25 can be brought together

into one house, from all sorts of backgrounds, upbringings, and faith stories is pretty funny. After the laugh, I tend to take the question seriously and talk about how lucky I am. Personally I don't think that there is a better thing that I could be doing straight out of high school. This opportunity to live with people 4-7 years older than me, in a house, in a new city, where my closest relative is in North Carolina, is a huge step. I also take a second and describe what the relationships in the house are like, because they are a stronger bond than many friendships that I have ever had. The reason for that is because our friendships are built o of Christ. I truly believe that the strongest foundation in a relationship is Christ, and that is just what we have in our house. So sure, in the house there will be trials, tribulations, and storms, and the foundation may be shaky, but it will never fail, because God promised to never fail us, to never leave us. The people that I have met and continue to meet in New Orleans are amazing. Especially the home owners that I have met. They thank God for every tile that is placed, for every piece of baseboard that is installed, and every door that is hung, because every little step makes up one big step for them to come home. I've made some little steps on all of the houses that I've worked on, and also

little steps on the homes that I have completed, but all of those little steps are going to turn into one big step for nally bringing the wonderful people of New Orleans home.

Eric works for Project Homecoming as a Work Site Manager. He came to New Orleans to help in the rebuilding process so that after many years families can nally come home. He is originally from Matthews, NC and graduated from Providence High School with the class of 2011. He will be attending Maryville College with hopes of excelling in their Pre-Med program. To read more of Erics experiences in New Orleans, visit his blog at: http:// cominghometoneworleans.blogspot.co m/

What is intentional community, anyway?

! People live in intentional communities all over the world, in both faith-based and secular contexts. Each communitys inner workings vary, but here is a brief glimpse into ours: All nine housemates are currently serving terms with year-long volunteer programs in New Orleans. In addition to simply sharing our living space with each other, we gather every Tuesday evening for meetings that include discussions on book and Bible studies, vocational discernment, social justice, and what it means to live in community. These weekly meetings also provide the time and space for us to check in with each other and address any issues that may arise. In addition to our weekly time together, we go on three retreats over the course of our year together, and come together one Saturday a month to participate in a service project and to share a meal. While we combine resources for this monthly meal, our other expenses are typically handled individually through our stipends.

Jillian Manning
am already halfway through my service yearor less than halfway to go for those pessimists out there..and what have I stumbled upon during these months in new orleans as a yav? too many sights..lessons..and experiences for me to count no doubt..but overall my experience this year has been all about linking.linking people..ideas..concepts..cultures together.

gratication..I link the small things that I do on a daily basis to what could be in the future..to link their reality with their potential.. while working with the seafarers I am provided a face with many of the social justice issues and global issues that are occurring in our worldI am able to have a rst hand account as to the fact that the decisions I make on a daily basis have an impact on those all around the worldit makes a very personal place in my heart to ght for these issues and provides me with a little bit more passion in my convictions.. Ive learned that making a personal connectionthat link..makes quite the dierence..it gives one hope and passion..it bridges the gap literally and guratively on who and how we help..and helps us realize it is christ who brings us together for a greater purpose.. be a lamp, a lifeboat, a ladder. help someone's soul heal. walk out of your house like a shepherd. mevlana rumi peace & love jillian

Jillian works at Mid City Ministries with their tutoring and mentoring program along with Global Maritime Ministries where she works with seafarers that are on the cargo and cruise ships that port in New Orleans. She graduated with a masters in social work from Bethany College and is from Greensburg, PA. She hopes to pursue her passion in social work in the fall. Jillians blog can be found at littlepostcardsfromnola.blogspot.com/

I strive to be a positive inuence and role model for the children I serve with the hopes that they will make smart and healthy choices as they grow up I hope that some of my work will inspire those I serve and possibly create a chain reaction that motivates others and even though I could be getting ahead of myself here..but one of my biggest hopes is to have an eect on the broader conicts in the city and even in our country maybe by just giving my time and attention to the children I work with they will see that they matter to someone..and in the long term maybe this will give them a positive outlook on life and themselves..which could link to reducing their likelihood of getting into crime yes I realize this is a bit of a stretchbut I am quite the optimist and this is what gives me a ake of hope when i feel like I am trudging along without a lot of instant

How You Can Support Our Community

1. 2. Through Prayer. Please pray for our Intentional Christian Community program, and that we can continue building strong relationships with each other and the communities we serve. Please also pray that as our time together ends in a few short months, we will each transition into our next steps as smoothly as possible. Through Donations. Those of us living with CRNO through the YAV program are each asked to raise $6500 to assist in providing our stipends and housing. If you would like to contribute to our fundraising eorts, checks may be made out to Presbytery of South Louisiana and mailed to the address below. Please include YAV in the memo line, along with the name of the YAV, if you choose to designate your donation towards a specic volunteer. Site Coordinator YAV Program 2221 Filmore Ave. New Orleans, LA 70122

! ! ! !

Allison Wehrung
ts quite hard to believe that I have been in New Orleans for more than seven months. Since I moved here in August, Ive met countless people who have left their mark on my heart. One of those people is Ronald. Two housemates and I met Ronald back in October, in the midst of soaking up music (and humidity) at the Blues and BBQ Festival.

adventures outside of our proverbial castles, often to places far away both geographically and culturally. Sure, folks back home might be worried: What is she doing with her life? When's he going back to school? Are they safe there? But we sneak out anyway, just to see what it's like. And we'll be alright. That is not by any means to say that our adventures will be free of struggle and hardship, but well make it. During a recent community meeting, my housemates and I were posed the question: How is it with your soul? Oh, no big deal, right? Just describe the well-being of your soul. But I quickly realized that the reason that question intimidated me so much was simply the abundance of answers I could provide for it. My soul is grateful, for the city of New Orleans and my community here. My soul is inspired, by the Young Adult Volunteer program and the work that it is doing. My soul is weary, because this year has tested my condence in many ways. My soul is hurting, for people who are without homes or adequate food, and for those who encounter violence on a daily basis. And my soul is renewed. While challenges are still ever present, I am so incredibly grateful for the experiences I have had through the YAV program. I have learned so many things about myself during these two years, and its very intimidating to think that this major chapter of my life will be over in a few short months.

Perhaps my community and the YAV program have become another of the castles of which Ronald spoke, and its just time for me to go explore the rest of the world. So with a grateful, inspired, weary, hurting, and renewed soul, I will continue my journey from castle to castle, in constant wonder of who I will meet and what I will learn along the way.

Ronald, who was being pushed in a wheelchair, approached us that evening and proceeded to tell us that he does improv poetry, and he wanted to share one with us. O he went, rhythmically rhyming in an on-the-spot poem he told us was called "Three Queens." It was all about these three princesses who just wanted to take o their crowns for a day and enjoy regular life. About how the king and queen were worried for the princesses, but the princesses just needed to get away from the castle for a while and see what life was all about. They were going to be just ne. After he was done, Ronald told us he just wanted to say that he could see the light and the love in our faces, and that he just wanted to remind us that we're beautiful. Ronald literally left us speechless. Often I've retrospectively seen God's presence in a certain situation, but friends in that moment I felt like I was staring God right in the face. It seemed so unbelievable to me that a random man in the park could get so much right about us. About me. Many of us embark on these year-long

Allison works in Ochsner Health Systems Spiritual Care Department, and came to New Orleans after a YAV year in Nashville. She is originally from Davidson, NC and studied religion at Furman University. She will be attending Columbia Theological Seminary in the fall. For more YAV stories, nd her blog at http:// allisonswanderings.blogspot.com

To be engaged in some sma! way in the revival of one of the great cities of the world is to live a meaningful existence by default. Chris Rose

Vocation is I give you a new commandment, that you where our love one another. Just as I have loved you, greatest passion you also should love one another. By this meets the worlds everyone wi! know that you are my greatest need. disciples, if you have love for one another. Frederick John 13:34-35 Buechener

Emma Wood

hen I think about my time in New Orleans, it is hard to believe almost two years have passed. I feel like God tethered my heart to this place, long before I came. The rst thing you will notice about the city in the summer (when I rst arrived) is the oppressive heat. You are thinking to yourself that there is no way you will make it through weeks of this kind of humidity. Just when there seems no end in sight, you are sitting on your porch in the evening and all of sudden a cool breeze sweeps its way up the street and across your face. New Orleans often projects a similar attitude. It seems too broken to be xed. The politics are too muddied with corruption and nepotism. The violence is an unstoppable inevitability. Most of all, its structurally illogical to continue to rebuild in a place where the wetlands are dying and the land is sinking. Who are we to hope so recklessly for a place that is beyond restoration? As a part of my time as a YAV in New Orleans, I have encountered some of the most amazing people; the children of the S.T.A.I.R., tutoring program where I spent time teaching reading skills, and how they race in and ll up the space with their joy and curiosity. The Chinese immigrants who nd Chinese Presbyterian Church in search of a piece of familiarity in a foreign and confusing place. The members of my intentional community who hold me up in Christ, and provide me with the laughter that I often really need. The most life-changing individual I have met in New Orleans is the pastor of my church, Pastor Claire Brooks. Pastor Claire has taught me endless lessons on life, ministry, and faith. I had been working very hard to get a program moving in my church, and I was encountering a few hardships. Feeling very low and ineective, I took my concerns to her, hesitant to admit things were not going well. As I began to explain myself, it became clear the

Pastor Claire was listening to me and not at all upset. After I was done she paused for a moment and said; Emma, sometimes we serve faithfully and things work out. Sometimes we serve faithfully and things dont work out. But, we still serve faithfully. I carry this advice with me everyday. I repeat it to anyone who will listen (probably an obnoxious amount). Yet, when I think of a woman that I would like to become one day, I think of Pastor Claire. The people of New Orleans are the wind moving slowly against despondence. I owe so much of the growth within myself, and the lives Ive been able to touch to P.C. USA and YAV. Without this program, I would not have found these people and grown so strong in my faith.

Please enjoy this poem I wrote about New Orleans: Dear City

The streets are broken, fractured by lumbering oaks that cast kaleidoscope shadows.

The walls broke and ooded the streets. Time escaped what hands could reach. There is a layer of dirt, and a righteous stench.

Emma is 25 and from Elizabeth City, NC. She graduated with a BA in English and Communications and a minor in Political Science. She is a 2nd year YAV super senior serving in New Orleans, and plans on staying in New Orleans and pursuing a Masters in Counseling Education. She works at Chinese Presbyterian Church. Her blog can be found at http:// ewood336.blogspot.com/

Vines cover the graves of those who built it, while neon lights highlight survivors. The lost souls have pulled me under. Eyes locked to the faces, I dont not recognize.

I am you dear city, you are mine dear city.

The sounds are triumphant, the taste is resilient. Hope never rose, because I saw what you didnt see.

Fingers reaching out to grab a hand. Months waltzing into years. There was not a moment to despair, for what we can repair.

I am you dear city, you are mine dear city.

Lauren Wright
was sitting in my favorite coee shop, Fairgrinds, working on some things, and a man walked up and asked me what I was up to. At rst I thought that this particular conversation was going to be a quick, shallow exchange, but I should've known better. Nothing is quick or shallow in New Orleans. I soon found out that there was nothing shallow about this man named Dirk and what he had to share with me. It's not everyday that someone takes interest in your life, and it's not everyday that you hear stories that tug at your heart strings... but this day was dierent. Days like this seem more frequent here in New Orleans. Everyone has a story, everyone has scars and experiences and triumphs to share, it's true. But here in New Orleans it's dierent. People are willing to share. People walk around with their hearts and hands open, ready to give and receive. Ready to teach and learn from experiences, to freely give these things that put the lifeyness into this crazy time we spend on Earth.

two pine trees in front of their house had stopped a wall of debris, cars and rubble that the wave had carried carried towards their house. Those pine trees had grown for centuries to protect this couple on this day. God had awakened these seeds hundreds of years before to root these beautiful, lifesaving pines. Dirk shared another story of a friend who returned home to his parent's house from college, not knowing that his parents had evacuated their house due to Katrina. He found the house empty, and hunkered down for the coming storm. A 35 foot wave consumed the house, but this guy was prepared. He had his sur)oard and a life jacket, and rode the wave out of the third story window of his house. He rode it for 3 miles through the woods until the wave brought him to a stop. God had instilled a passion for surng that would prove to serve him well. I think these stories are extremely powerful and speak volumes, but they wouldn't speak without being shared.Theses stories are so unbelievable that they almost don't seem real, and they wouldn't instill hope, or awe without being told to another person. I also think it is the simple stories about relationships and connectivity that can be the most meaningful, and also the point. Dirk then spoke of the coee shop and story of it's survival through Katrina. After the storm when people were allowed to return to the city, Fairgrinds Coeehouse was a safe haven for him and many in the community. They weren't open for business, the inside was gutted, there was nothing there but a single coee pot that the owner would sit outside the coee shop. The coee was free, but people were invited to leave a dollar or so to keep the coee pot lled all day everyday. Dirk said once the pot was empty, someone, anyone who was there and

willing would brew another pot, and the people who were gathered shared their stories and gathered in the wake of the storm. Coee became enough for them at this time, relationships, and the power of their stories were the point. I'm glad to know the story of the coee shop I love so much. I love it even more now. I think that's how it is with life. Some of the most meaningful times and stories in our lives come in the wake of a storm. It is true that the people of New Orleans have been through a lot. They could've given up and left this place to die. But they didn't, and their hardships and experiences fuel them as they move forward. I think I have a lot to learn from the people here and this city. I think I'm beginning to learn what it looks like to have an open heart and open hands as I walk through this life. Relationships are the point, and I think New Orleans might just have it gured out.

Can you imagine boarding up your house in preparation for a storm? You don't know what's coming, but you're as prepared as you'll ever be. You look out through a crack between some of the boards and you see a 30 foot tall wall of water headed straight for you. What do you do? Sitting at Fairgrinds, I found myself transported to this situation as Dirk shared his friend's story with me. Dirk's friend didn't tell his wife what was coming. He didn't tell her there was a wall of water headed for their house.. he just told her they needed to head to the back of the house, and they prayed. The wall of water engulfed their house and they thought they were dead and gone. Eventually the water subsided, and there was a calm. The eye of the storm was passing over them and they stepped out onto the porch in the peaceful silence. Everything around them was gone. The

Lauren is serving at Bayou Blue Presbyterian Church and CHART (Center for Hazards Assessment Response and Technologies) doing wetlands advocacy. She is originally from Signal Mountain, TN, and studied Journalism with an emphasis on Media Design at Middle Tennessee State University. Read Laurens blog at http://selahren.wordpress.com/

Kathy Lee

oung Adults & the Church

Later this month, I will attend the 2012 PC(USA) National Multicultural Conference and will give a presentation on Young Adults and the Church. Where are they? How do we reach then? What do they want? I am often approached for answers to the young adult dilemma because of my role in the YAV Program and the church, and because I myself am young, and an adult. I wish I had a formula for churches to attract young adults, but thats the problem with ministry, isnt it? There is no formula. Most often, the volunteers I serve with are desperately seeking discernment in all areas of life. How can I feel useful at work? Do I want to go to grad school? Does Gods silence mean no? Is this a good way to spend my time and money? Again, there are no formulas to gure out the right answers.

doesnt just mean standing around and just existing. Being occurs when housemates help each other to take out the trash for the week. Being occurs when you listen to a co-worker verbally process a stressful day. Being happens over coee with a mentor or over a book you read with a child. Conversations and relationships help shape our faith and our perspective on life. While we each have a personal relationship with God, it is with others and in community that we experience love and growth and are challenged and comforted. As our intentional community is reading the Book of Acts together, I am surprised about all the details of the relationships between the apostles and the early church. They have debates and discussions. Working relationships begin and end. New members are invited in to be leaders and participants around the circle. No matter what questions we face in life, my prayer for all of us is that we learn to be with one another. Yes, this takes time and sacrice. Our laundry may go undone for one more day, but we may grow in wisdom and light with just a few words shared between one another. For it is in loving, as well as in being loved, that we become most truly

ourselves. No matter what we do, say, accomplish, or become, it is in our capacity to love that ultimately denes us. In the end, nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way we have loved one another. Daphne Rose Kingma

Kathy is the Site Coordinator for the YAV Program of the Presbytery of South Louisiana and the ICC program of CRNO. She is a native New Orleanian, and studied advertising at Pepperdine University. After completing her fourth year as a Site Coordinator, Kathy will attend Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in the fall. Thomas is the assistant to the Site Coordinator and will be moving to Austin for the brisket and tacos. More reections from PSL YAVs can be found at http://pslyav.wordpress.com/

Like most volunteers, I am also a doer. I make to-do lists almost every day, and I feel a sense of pride when I accomplish tasks. Our program constantly reminds our volunteers that their experience is just as much about being as it is about doing. Being

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6