THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTED ON FRIDAY AUGUST 8TH

A Dose of Joy

Friday~ During lunch we went over to Andre’s house~ where the VA group was working, and said good bye to half of the group as they left in the afternoon. Parting in bittersweet as there is a connection that is made in the midst of mission trips, you experience people at a different level and bond within faith and the desire to serve others.

We finished up at Miss Sophie’s and worked till about 4pm (kinda late). Made sure to got all the tools back to Little Farms.  It is amazing how much Jake, Marci and I did this week~ we finished he punchlist that was out for us.

When we showered and cleaned up, the group that was left from VA and us, headed out for dinner in the French Quarter and ended up at Jimmy Buffett’s restaurant called Margaritaville. The cheeseburger in paradise was well cooked, but the atmosphere was amazing, and the location near bourbon street was a once in life time experience

The German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said “ if you do a good job, you heal yourself at the same time, because a dose of joy is spiritual care”

Looking back on the last few days there has been much spiritual care within me, and within our group.  We have done a good job for Miss Sophie, for Andre and for all the people the UCC’s groups have served. In addition, from my observation~Each of us have had a dose of joy through our experience and grown in ways ~some ways we may not know.

I am sure as we head back and get back into our lives and leave the memories of paint, sweat, and daily life in NOLA~that the things we have done will become fond memories, and times we aspire to be at again. For in the joy that has been found in this time of work, lives have been changed ~Both those whom we have served and us as we worked and served in God’s name.

Peace~Rev Ryan