Saturday, Feb. 27 - Finale

Though we observed an hour delay starting our work today because of rain through the night, we finished under clear skies with brilliant sunshine. About 10 future Habitat home owners joined us on the work site today. Several in our group found it a very positive experience to work with these folks and hear their stories. We saw and/or met the residents of the 11 houses on Ferry Place that are owner occupied. The future owner of house #12 worked with us several days, as did the future owner of #13. Jeremy Payne, the on site supervisor for New Orleans Habitat, hopes that the two houses under construction can be finished by the end of April. Then, according to Kate Snider, the director of the RHINO ministry, the St. Charles Ave. Presbyterian Church will shift its focus to another place of need in the city, likely still with Habitat, but perhaps with another agency helping people rehab homes that have not yet been fully repaired after "the storm," as the folks here call Katrina. SCAP has made a commitment to continue the RHINO ministry through 2012. We will go to dinner in smaller groups this evening, then gather for worship at 8:30 Sunday morning with the SCAP congregation before heading north. Many in the group are already asking that we request dates for another mission trip to New Orleans in the spring of 2011. We give thanks to God for the opportunities we have had this week for service in the name of Christ to the people of New Orleans and for our fellowship as a community of disciples.