The Finish Line!

Thank you all for your prayers this week. We have had very limited internet access, so we haven't been able to give you too many updates, but we have had an amazing week of ministry and have been so blessed by the people here. We are just now recovering from a very eventful evening, highlighted by a great time of debriefing and a visit from Sister Josephine, a woman who has a grassroots ministry to children in a very rough neighborhood. Expect stories from the team in the days and weeks to come. Please pray for safe travels tomorrow and especially for Patti Thompson's health.

Feed the Multitudes at NOLA 2009 - Slide Show

lake ponchatrain

Here we had devotions. As you can see in the background is the largest bridge in the world. It was a beautiful sight. Everyone had a great time.

Katrina Destruction

Nighttime Boxing Party

This is how Jeremiah Jeantet (JJ) releases stress on the mission field.

Bethel Colony South Worship

We had an amazing time experiencing god's blessing at Bethal Colony, a transformation ministries for men with addictions, and watching them worship our lord. We also, had the privilege of serving them a great meal made by the Rhem family.

Here is a small clip of God's blessing to this ministry experienced through these men.

Enjoy,

God is Good All the Time

Christmas Shopping in July

Steve Jeantet took the Thompson family to Toys R Us this afternoon and told Jack and Julianna to spend some money.

St. Roch has a subsidized Christmas Shoppe that is open during the Christmas season. They offer gift items at a discount of up to 70% off the retail price for the community so they can afford to buy presents for their children.

The instructions that Steve gave Jack and Julianna was to pick out gifts that they thought the children would like and told them what the budget was. Jack and Julianna came up with a strategy prior to buying the gifts. First they wanted to check out the sale flyer. When entering the store they noticed the flyer box was empty so they went to the customer service window. They only had one flyer in the entire store, so the children had to study it before shopping. They had a “red hot” special going on with an additional 20% off any clearance item. Jack and Julianna each had a cart and headed straight to the clearance section. They thought carefully about each purchase and the children that would be receiving the toy. They made wise purchases and found some great bargains. Two carts were overflowing with bags of toys that God blessed us with. Our support money was infinitely more than we could ask or imagine so the community of St. Rock will be blessed.

--Patti

Home...

It is a bitter-sweet moment for the Shepard family as we are sad to be home because of the many relationships we have created with the residents of New Orleans and the family we have come to know and love.....the missions team. We spent a week with individuals that we only had a brief time during our meetings to get to know, to virtually knowing every little detail and uniqueness of everyone.
As for New Orleans, our family experienced a revelation in our hearts that is urging us to continue His work. We feel that the Lord has moved our hearts and passion into a different direction and we pray that He will continue this feeling and unfold His plan for our family. I myself felt very torn leaving because the work is not finished. I am already counting the days until I return to continue to minister in any way, shape, and form. So many ideas are swirling in my head at this very moment. I want to find new ways to help and minister to everyone in New Orleans, that it is hard to grab a hold of just one. This may be just "the new car" feeling because we have just returned and its fresh; however, I believe that He is providing so much more!!

We will continue to pray for the families in New Orleans, Steve and Kim, and the safety and health of Team 2. I cannot wait to read all about the ministry that Team 2 will provide to New Orleans this week. We will pray each and every day for you!!

***A special note for Billy - Let Mike know at Bethel Colony that I am looking forward to the mural to be posted and I apologize for not being able to see the finished product. We will pray for all of the men and leadership at Bethel Colony as well as all of those at St. Roch!!!***

Steve and Kim - Thank you for a wonderful and spiritual week. It was a great pleasure to get to know your family and we hope that this is not the end......Its only the beginning!

John and Dawn - Thank you for the support that you gave Steve and Kim and the leadership you have provided for all of us. We have grown and will continue to grow spiritually with the excellent leadership that you and the Jeantet's have provided during this short but powerful journey. (John - I know the Lord speaks through all of us in one way or another but thank you for speaking for him and selecting me for the many opportunities to pray for the team. He continues to bring us out of our "comfort zone" and encourages us to speak his word. Each time its get easier and the words become even more clearer.)

Thank you Team 1 and our Father in Heaven for opening our eyes and becoming our new family in Christ!!

This is a picture of Connor and a woman named Barbara. We met Barbara at Feed The Multitudes on July 4th. Barbara is a small elderly woman and was not able to carry her groceries from the rally to her bus stop. Connor and I had the priviledge to take a 45 minute walk with Barbara. She talked for a while and she seemed glad that she had someone to talk to. Barbara really opened up to us about her knowledge of God. She grew up in the Catholic Church. We discussed the many traditions of the Catholic Church and she came to the conclusion that the traditions distracted her from really knowing God in a personal way. She recently left the Catholic Church and is attending another another Bible Preaching church. After talking at length with Barbara, it was clear that she is a believer and has trusted in Christ and Christ alone for her salvation. Her house was totally destroyed by Katrina. A local church is now rebuilding her house - 4 years after Katrina. Barbara said watching people she doesn't know rebuild her house has strengthened her faith in God's people. Connor and I will never forget Barbara, the next time we see her will be when we are worshipping God in Heaven. John Hoopman

Within His Reach

Monday morning as I sat in a room filled with over seventy men recovering from drug or alcohol addiction I was shaken awake by the scripture, praise, and shouts of joy these brave men declared. Some were wide-eyed, some had heads down, and some seemed to be fixed on every word with eyes closed and mouths proclaiming words of truth and power. Their worship time was replaced that morning by a fiery preacher who is known for his extra long exhortations. The worship, which several on my team had experienced last year, was described as one of the highlights of the 2008 missions trip. I left Bethel Colony after Monday morning's chapel time with hope that I would experience their worship some time this week.

My hope was fulfilled the next evening. After our team prepared and served dinner for this same group of men, we joined them for worship. The room was small. The humidity was high. And the sound was nothing I've ever experienced before. But what my senses took in was nothing compared to that of my spirit.

It's taken me a few days, but from that experience came this poem.

Within His Reach

Where have you been, what was your path to arrive in this place?
Did you know Him before and find yourself trapped
in a world with claws of torment, demons in disguise?
Or did you land here against your will, taking Him in for the very first time?

Whatever the route, you're here now and He has you...
held captive by the Word of truth and songs of praise,
and by those who have preceded you in a similar trap
crafted by the enemy of our souls, yet sifted through the very hands of God.
Those who have been taken from darkness into light
right here in this place.

You're here now and He has you...
transforming by the power of His spirit
building the bridge day by day from destruction
to redemption; casting your sins from east to west
and soaking you with crimson drops of pardon.

He has you... and the evidence is clear,
illuminating smiles and bright songs of joy
declared aloft air so moist and dense
the Words of truth and praise to Him on high
just sit and hover and linger and tell the story from where you came
and where you are...
now.

You're here now...

and He has you.

We're Home!!!!!

Well we just arrived home! We are all safe and sound at home. Guess what!? It is 67 degrees here in Delaware. On the plane the pilot said, "We will be arriving in BWI airport shortly. It is 67 degrees and sunny so we should be on time. Thank you!" When he finished, we all gave a good "whoop!" since it had been at least 105 degrees EVERY DAY!

When we got to the church everyone had to say there good-byes. It was hard for us all to split up because we have been a family for a whole week living and laughing with each other. Anna was telling me and I agree that it is going to be weird waking up and not having everyone to say good-morning to, or prepare breakfast with, or say "You snore and you know it!!!!!!!!!!!". I'm defiantly going to miss that. I'm going to miss everyone and everything about them. I hope that even if we are miles apart phisically, that we will stay together as a family in our hearts and minds.

Washing Feet

The past two weeks have been amazing. It has been such a blessing as a leader to watch the lives of both the people of New Orleans and of Glasgow be transformed. As team 1 is getting a few hours of sleep before they fly home and team 2 has crashed after a long day in the sun, I finally have a chance to reflect...

Today was awesome. We were at Feed the Multitudes, a free food festival for the poor of New Orleans. Four thousand guests poured through the gates of the Lakefront Arena today and were overwhelmed at the display of unconditional love before them. They were offered assistance writing resumes, health screenings, haircuts, manicures, and pedicures. There were huge water slides, balloon animals, snowballs and face painting for the kids. Guests ate endless portions of jambalaya, red beans & rice, chicken and hot dogs under an entertainment tent that was bigger than any one I've ever seen. And when they left, they were offered prayer and not one, but two loaded bags of groceries to take home.

Our team was spread out among almost all of these activities and so was I, but it was at the end of the day when the festivities were almost over that I had the chance to be Jesus to a woman named Agnes (pronounced Ahn-yes). Under the spa tent, in the heat of the afternoon, Agnes came to my station for a pedicure. It was the first pedicure she had ever had. I washed her dirty feet, massaged them, filed them, and polished them. I listened to her story and told her parts of mine. But it wasn't until later that I realized that that was the exact example that was given us by our Lord Jesus. He didn't just preach and perform miracles from on high. He came to where the people were and loved them as they were. He washed the dirty, grimy feet of the disciples. He called us to kneel as servants to others and love them unconditionally. And that is why we are here.