Evacuation Journal... Our Third Month November 25th On Friday we had our own File Gumbo and Red Beans and Rice meal at Castle Rock.     We made enough for 100 people, and it was gone in one hour! Ms. Bertha was our official cook. November 24th Today we all helped Cafe Reconcile serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal to the community free of charge.  November 20th Today we had 64 people at our Worship Service.  It was great to have everyone together again in New Orleans.  Everyone from Arkansas will spend the next week in New Orleans in order serve a Gumbo meal to the community on Friday.  This will also be a time to find housing and assess the situation in New Orleans. November 19th Today we all take off from Arkansas for New Orleans.  Paul and Colleen, Joan, Laura, and the D-Team are moving back for good.  Mike and Rocio Babst and Tyrone and Keira Christoph will be joining us soon. Sandy Lee and Duane Gidney will be staying in Arkansas until the end of the school year to minister to the four families staying in Arkansas. November 6th-17th All is a whirlwind here at Urban Impact.  We have been working these past few days packing up the offices here in Arkansas to get ready for our move to New Orleans.  There will still be 30 people here in Arkansas until the end of the school year.  Mike Babst and Sandy Lee will be staying with them to help with transportation and school issues.  We have a new link on our website.  Please check out the Relieve, Restore, Rebuild brochure.  It is helpful in understanding what Urban Impact is planning and already doing in New Orleans. Please continue to pray for Tammy Davis and her family.  Tammy is undergoing treatment for cancer.  Please pray for healing for her body from this terrible disease. November 3rd-6th This weekend Tammy Davis returned from Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN.  She will be undergoing Chemo treatments here in Arkansas. The Brown and Alfred families left today to start new jobs in Houston, TX.  Please pray for them as they and their children make the transition to new schools, jobs, and homes. November 2nd A note from Scott Lundeen: When we first journeyed into New Orleans after the storm, we were overwhelmed with HOPE.  In spite of floodwaters, fires, devastation, and circling helicopters, we saw buildings standing and foresaw a rebuilt community.   After weeks of relief work, we are now firmly into restoration work – and we are still surrounded by hope: One homeowner told our work team, “Your strength encouraged me to be strong and think I can get through.”  Again and again our teams have brought HOPE to overwhelmed homeowners as they have moved mountains of debris out of homes and cleared the way for recovery.  A work team member who had been on many mission trips told us, “We have never been on a trip where we impacted people so personally.” While cleaning a home, one of our work team members found an antique clock.  She is going to bring it home and restore it – and then send it back to its owner.  That piece will become a constant reminder of HOPE and relationship – and a great object lesson of the work God does in our lives! One of our staff members, Michael Robinson, has been diligently working with city and community leaders and Imagine Schools (a group that manages charter schools around the country - website:  Welcome to Imagine Schools) to explore a charter school network in our community.  This work will be crucial in bringing people back, and the thought of quality schools in our neighborhood brings significant HOPE to residents here.  Pray for God’s guidance and favor in this process. Monday four of us helped a 72 year old widow by hauling out her heavy furniture.  Her beautiful home had been destroyed by the flood and was now ravaged by mold.  The carpet was still slippery with mud.  The quality furniture – along with clothes and pictures and jewelry – was all ruined, and much of it fell apart as we carried it out of the home.  Among the few things she salvaged were one wedding picture and her daughter’s graduation picture.  She did not have flood insurance. Throughout our time with her she remained upbeat and HOPEful, sure that God would take care of everything.  When we prayed with her, she only asked prayers for her daughter, who had come back and was overwhelmed by the destruction of her childhood home.   Two weeks ago I talked with a retired man from my hometown who asked how he could help.  He has a heart for missions, and I asked him if he could come for a month to serve.  Without a pause he said sure!  Last night he arrived!  A videographer from Minneapolis came yesterday to interview a couple of us, and he had a man with him serving as an assistant.  This assistant came from a different state, ran a production house, and “just happened” to be here when the videographer needed help.  One of our interns is in the army reserves and is trained in supply management – and boy do we have supplies.  Over and over again we have seen God directing people and resources to meet needs that we could never have imagined!  We are being trained in HOPE – God will come through! There was a young boy from one of our worksite homes, and he memorized the names of each team member.  The team was amazed at this boy’s gratitude and interest.  The team was HOPE with hands and feet.  At another site, a lady was singing and preaching with the group, even though she had lost everything.  Her faith and HOPE made a deep impact on the work team.  As a member said, “Not only do we bring HOPE to them, but they’ve brought HOPE to me.”   We are excited about building a healthy neighborhood, and that vision will bring needed hope to this city.  But even that hope is temporary.  What a privilege to know and share a hope that will never disappoint – hope that is founded on faith in Jesus Christ!  (“Now faith is being sure of what we HOPE for and certain of what we do not see…” Hebrews 11:1)     Thank you for your partnership in sharing HOPE with our city – and your encouragement that brings HOPE to us! Scott Lundeen November 1st  Today we celebrated the 30th Birthday of Laura Ferguson with a surprise party and food.