The week is dwindling down and patience is beginning to fade. With the increase in temperature, I know there has been a decrease in my motives. Yesterday was the most tiring day so far and I did not think that I could go on any longer. Yesterday we had the privilege to walk around the 9th ward for our prayer walks. The 9th ward is a very poor part of town and it is where the levy broke and most of the flooding occurred. A prayer walk is when you walk around the community and pray with people that you see and talk to them about their life. It can also be a chance for you to take a look around and mumble prayers in your head about the surrounding area. I was not looking forward to walking around the neighborhood but I was excited to talk to everyone. I was upset at myself for the selfishness in my heart so I put it aside and walked with happiness. While walking we got split up into groups. My group was Me, Leanne, Hadassah, Hannah, Klarinda, and Katie. We found many people that were more than happy to talk to us. We met a few lovely ladies who had so many stories and things to share. As we were listening to them, we knew that they knew God. It made me so excited to see the hope that was in all of their hearts. After everything that happened I cannot believe how happy all of these people are. It makes me wonder how back home I see so many unhappy people who did not go through anything that these people went through. It makes me realize how powerful God is and how much he is really doing down here in Louisiana. I was very glad that each person that we stopped to see was happy to pray with us. I loved praying with all of them and just letting them know that we care.
After about an hour of walking I was getting exhausted and in my head I was ready to get back. My energy came back when a lady passed us and beeped so loudly. She was smiling with one of the biggest grins I ever saw and she was waving. Then I looked down and realized that she was waving and happy because she saw our shirts and knew the reason that we were all down here. Then I beat myself up again for being selfish.
After talking to a few more ladies my feet were aching and I was extremely tired. We were all ready to sit down and go back. We were soon there and I was very glad. Finally Katie turned and looked at us girls and said, “Before we go back why don’t we sit down here and pray for all of the people that we met today?” I could see the rest of the group ahead and I was a little upset that we were stopping again. We were so close to going back but we still needed to pray. In my mind I was happy to pray, yet I was thinking of my hunger. We all sat down in a circle and held hands. The prayer began. We all went around and prayed about a different person that we all met. In the middle of prayer I heard a car stop behind us. I took a peak and realized that it was a lady sitting in her vehicle with the window down and her eyes closed. I did not think that much of it and we continued praying. After we were done praying and about to get up, the lady got out of the vehicle and was crying. She walked over to our circle and asked if she could pray with us. During her prayer she was crying and thanking God for all that we were doing. She was grateful for all of us taking time out of our summer to help her community. By this point all of us girls were in tears as well. We were crying because we were saddened by what she was saying, but my tears were for a little more than that. I was upset at my selfishness and how I was complaining in my head about walking. I was thinking of myself and not the impact that we were making on others. I was mad at myself and upset that I
would have even thought those things before. When the prayer was over we all wiped our tears. She explained to us how she was just on her way to her Grandchildren’s house. She was on her way to tell them to not be discouraged and that God was going to provide for them. Their house was still not complete from the storm and she was explaining how they were getting to the point of wanting to give up. It was then that she saw us praying and was encouraged that there was still hope and people that care. When she was saying this I choked up a little more. I was so happy to see that all of us high schoolers were actually making a difference.
The people of New Orleans saw what we were doing and they were very happy and encouraged. This changed my whole outlook on prayer walks. Prayer walks are really helping the people and it really is giving them all something to think about. While still talking to the lady she told us that she has been looking for someone to help repair her grandchildren’s house. She was so excited about Touch Global. She called up her grandchildren right away and told them that there were still good people in this world and not to lose hope. This was just amazing to me. The fact that she would stop and pray with us was wonderful.
After we were done talking to her we took her down to the block party. A block party is when we grab a bunch of people from the community and all of the workers and come together for food and fellowship. It is a good opportunity to get to know the people of New Orleans. The block party is always a very good experience. Last night I was so impressed with our youth group. Everyone walked around and talking to everyone that was there. The ones that were there were very open and willing to talk. While I was talking I looked around. It was a very good sight to see. Courtney, Morgan, and Kelli had a group of kids jump roping. They fit right in with the kids and got a game going. Elizabeth was talking with other children as well as their parents. Klarinda was playing with bubbles with a two year old named Cameron. Hannah, Hadassah, Heidi, and Megan were off with a group of kids taking pictures and making them feel so welcome. Kayla Strenck, Kayla Kreiser, David Good, and Doug Fisher were playing a game with kids and just sitting around and talking to them.
Watching each member of the Keystone Senior High Youth Group break out of their shell and talk to the community of New Orleans was incredible to me. I can just tell that everyone has grown so much. The block party helped everyone see what everyone actually had to go through. Looking at the kids in the community made me so sad to think that they had to go through what they did. They were all so happy and outgoing and it saddened me to think that they ever had to suffer like they did. But in sight of what happened to them, they all still were the happiest children I have ever met. Leaving the block party I reflected on the day and I realized that God brought me here for a reason this week. He is telling me not to be selfish and to put others first. He is teaching me to stop thinking about Brooke all the time and to put others in place of myself. I am so excited to see what God has done in the rest of our group. It all could not have been done without everyone’s prayer and support.
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