Even though much time has past since the storm, the devastation that remains (some completely untouched by cleaning crews) is nearly overwhelming. Because it isn’t showing up any longer on the Drudge Report, Fox News or in your local paper, chances are you’ve forgotten about it.

Today I saw neighborhoods that used to contain rows of houses that are now completely grassland with strewn cinder blocks, trash and overturned cars - the houses lifted by water lay blocks away smashed into other houses or on top of other cars. Houses broken in two still contain pictures on the wall of family members and clothes hanging in closets. Furniture, televisions and roofing are everywhere. The levees are still being repaired. The familiar spray-painted “X” which show when the house was investigated and what was left (dogs, cats, bodies) are spray painted on the doors of houses, businesses and churches. Flyers are posted next to mailboxes of abandoned houses stating an official “Death removal.”

There is so much to be done. If you are looking for a Missions opportunity with your church or ministry, New Orleans is an excellent place to go. There is so much potential for ministry. Our tour leader was a New Orleans Baptist Seminary professor, whose abandoned, gutted-out house was part of the tour. He mentioned that people who, previous to the disaster, would never have darkened the doors of the church where he serves part-time are being saved. Aside from the spiritual needs that can be addressed, the opportunities for clean-up and construction are seemingly endless.

from The Thinklings
also: Spero News report by a clean up crew…”We just got back from New Orleans. It was amazingly terrible…”