Most of our team traveled today to New Orleans to see the damage that remains there.  It is hard to describe the vast area where shells of homes stand with no life in them or around them.  As one person said, "I now understand why New Orleans continues to receive the media coverage it has."

We stopped at the eastern outskirts of the city and found that the intersection's stop lights were not working; there was no electricity.  The gas station located on the corner was closed and three tanker trucks siphoned the contaminated gas from the storage tanks.  They will remove the water from the gas and then sell the recycled gas to asphalt companies for use in their processing.  The high water mark on the building remained about 30 inches above the base of the building.  One of the workers said that the building will be gutted and rebuilt.

The damage was also surprising by its diversity.  Some buildings in this section of the city had caught fire and partially burned.  In one canal a car sat along the inclined side wall.  We passed one car dealer where some ten cars sat with windows, doors or trunk lids open to air them out, I assume.  In New Orleans proper we passed under an elevated highway where several hundred abandoned cars had been placed.  Some of them had wheels or doors missing, perhaps the result of thieves.  Through much of the downtown section few people walked the sidewalks and many of the stores remained closed.  Some of the high-rise buildings had windows missing on upper floors and there was significant damage to their signs.

While the buildings communicated devastation, there were signs of renewal.  Most of the billboards along the highway advertised a mayoral candidate.  A couple from the Seventh Day Adventist Church had come for their fifth time of helping in the recovery.  At one of the historic cemeteries we talked with a man named Walter whose family had lost everything.  He had recently returned to the city after a five month hiatus and was giving tours in the cemetery.  We visited a neighboring church where hundreds of intercessory prayer candles had been lit for the needs of people.

We have two additional days to help with the recovery in Long Beach; the recovery effort in this region will continue for years.  Chris, the representative on site for the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program, said that the Presbyterian Church USA plans to have a presence in the recovery work through 2017.  Clearly, the physical and spiritual need is great.  How people remain focused and engaged in such a long term recovery is a wonder.

This trip has revealed with specificity what I had known generally; there is such great need in the world around us and God uses well the energy and talents of Christians who say "Here I am, Lord, send me".

Please pray that God will continue to use our church in response to the needs of those who are hurting.

Steve