Comments:
liprap on July 23rd, 2009 at 10:45 am #
Love those “Jesus, Justice, Jazz” t-shirts!
D bloc on July 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 am #
Jesus, Justice, Jazz & Jaywalking
Yes, I suddenly found myself in a mob of giggling, bubbly Lutheran Youth last night at the Walgreen’s on St. Charles as they were buying copious amounts of sugary beverages and candy. It took me a minute to figure it out.
Kevin, nice picture of Davey and Goliath, by the way.
Sarah on July 23rd, 2009 at 8:34 pm #
My son is one of those Lutherans and is having a great time in your city. Thank you for welcoming them! God bless New Orleans!!
Cheryl on July 23rd, 2009 at 9:04 pm #
My two daughters are there from Hawaii. Painting a library tomorrow. Thank you NOLA!
Deb on July 23rd, 2009 at 9:13 pm #
My daughter is one of 10 kids and 3 adult leaders from our church in St. Louis in NOLA this week. Today they cleaned up a state park. We are happy to be sending our kids and our money to your beautiful city, and we thank you for sharing your spirit with them.
adrastos on July 23rd, 2009 at 10:37 pm #
They’re great kids; had a bunch in the shop today. They even spent some money.
Valerie on July 23rd, 2009 at 11:23 pm #
My daughter is part of the Lutheran horde. They mean no harm, really. They’re loving the food, the music, and the chance to do something meaningful in your beautiful city.
Wowee on July 24th, 2009 at 6:33 am #
Hello to all the proud mothers. It is really inspiring to see that there are still people in the world willing to sacrifice themselves to do something for others.
DeborahB on July 24th, 2009 at 8:04 am #
Two of my daughters are there, from Faith Lutheran in Cincinnati OH. Thanks for welcoming them into your city!
Sue Daubert on July 24th, 2009 at 9:14 am #
Our son and daughter are in your wonderful, welcoming city with a church group from Pennsylvania! We miss them very much, but we know that they are having a great time in New Orleans. Thank you for your hospitality!
Teri Filardo on July 24th, 2009 at 9:29 am #
My son is there with his youth group from Louisville, Ky. They are having a great time and enjoying serving. Thank you so much for welcoming them into your city!
Jeanette Kropa on July 24th, 2009 at 10:04 am #
I was at the last gathering in New Orleans, before Katrina, and now my daughter and husband(pastor of Jerusalem) are there celebrating and serving with the other 20 youth and adults from our church in Seville, Ohio. Not only are the youth giving to New Orleans, New Orleans is giving to the youth. God bless everyone there!
Linda Fredo on July 24th, 2009 at 10:22 am #
My two sons are there in your wonderful city, along with three other youth and two adults from House of Prayer in Aliquippa, PA. Thank you for welcoming them. God Bless Everyone!
Teri on July 24th, 2009 at 12:08 pm #
My son is there from Minnesota! It was a long trip down, but he sounds happy and is having a fabulous time in your city! Thank you for welcoming him and the group from our church into your city! God bless!
Colleen on July 24th, 2009 at 12:31 pm #
Reading the warm welcome my daughter and the other 36000 Lutheran teens are getting is incrediable. Having her text me and watching her grow in faith. Watching her be excited about the service work. So proud. TY NOLA
Ardelle on July 24th, 2009 at 2:26 pm #
What a thrill for my grandaughter, Kiana, from Minnesota! She has been looking forward to this for so long. These young people are AWESOME!! Thanks for the love you are showing them. About those fire ants….!
Sandy on July 24th, 2009 at 2:28 pm #
It is an amazing thing…even from PA I can feel the energy coming from New Orleans. My daughter is there with our group from Emmaus Road LC in Fairless Hills, PA. God Bless them all and may they continue to grow in faith!
Kjirstin on July 24th, 2009 at 3:36 pm #
Wow I wish I was there to help my son is there helping and he is have ing great time. I have attened 4 youth gatherings in my life. They are life changing thanks to New Orleans for giving my son memories for a lifetime. Gods blessings on all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Rose on July 24th, 2009 at 3:42 pm #
Go Lutheran YOUTH !!! My daughter is there from the Uupper Peninsula of Michigan….She’s excited and loving the Big Easy!
Cheryl Alto on July 24th, 2009 at 4:58 pm #
My daughter is in New Orleans from Portland,Oregon. She is loving her time there and wants to move saying she has met the nicest, most gracious people. Thank you city of New Orleans!
Ceci on July 24th, 2009 at 6:13 pm #
Colorado Youth are sharing reading skills with New Orleans,learning about Louisiana’s needs and their culture. Jazz, Frog legs and gators and love of it’s citizens…what a blessing and experience.
I was driving my partner home from the hospital yesterday afternoon when we ran into several hundred of these kids on Poydras and then Canal Streets. They started spontaneously waving at all of us vehiculars as they made their way to the Superdome or wherever they were going. My friend was delighted, and I couldn’t help but call out my window to them, “Thank you for thinking of us.”
The kids are all right!
Jessica on July 24th, 2009 at 8:15 pm #
Thank you amazing City for hosting our kids, mine a Catholic(LOL) but still there for the most amazing experience he most likely will ever have. He is loving NOLA. His mom approves, Newcomb College!!!
Denise on July 25th, 2009 at 11:17 am #
Our daughter, Sarah,from Altoona,PA is in New Orleans with a combined group from the Altoona area churches.
Thank you for welcoming our youth in your city! They are excited to gather in and lend a hand to people most of them have only read about in newspapers or heard about in the media. What a heart-touching, life-forming experience and opportunity for everyone there AND for us who are watching online and will hear so much more when our youth return home.
Tina on July 25th, 2009 at 8:59 pm #
My twins boys are there from Palo Alto, Ca. They worked on picking up debris along a road with their. They were happy to be of service to your community. Thank you New Orleans for your hospitality!!!
Nicole Bates on July 26th, 2009 at 1:48 pm #
We have 6 boys from the Tx. Hill Country getting ready to leave NOLA and return home. These boys were glad to serve in NO after having lived in the aftermath of flooding for several years themselves. Thankyou New Orleans, for allowing our youth to have the oppotunity to serve.
Stephanie on July 27th, 2009 at 12:34 am #
Thank you so much,New Orleans, for allowing us the opportunity to not only visit your city, but stay, worship and use our talents to serve for the betterment of your citizens.
This was very special because my youngest son(16) was able to participate.
You are very special people for you endurance and willingness top let us help.
Regina on July 27th, 2009 at 1:11 pm #
Thank you to the people of New Orleans, you gave us far more than we could ever have giving you!
Christy on July 27th, 2009 at 5:51 pm #
Thank you New Orleans! I took a group of 17 kids, along with 2 other adults. We are from SD — about as unlike New Orleans as it can be. We have all been changed by our experiences there. The kids loved it — the people, the food, the excitement of DOING things. Thank you for taking the time to write this blog post about the Gathering. Know that the people who came are forever changed by their interaction with and for the residents of your wonderful city. We thank you for your hospitality!
Ahna on July 27th, 2009 at 8:19 pm #
To all the people of New Orleans and surrounding communities, THANK YOU for welcoming us into your communities and allowing us to work with you as you continue to clean and rebuild. It was an honor to visit with you, hear your stories, and let you know you are not forgotten even after five years. I wish we could have stayed longer to continue our ministry and work with you. Keep hope and don’t ever give up. We love you!
Proud Mama on July 28th, 2009 at 2:59 am #
My daughter was so impressed by what she witnessed and volunteered with. She told me that several times she was moved to tears. She and another youth from our church in Nebraska are now going to work with their youth pastor to get a group to go down next summer on a mission trip. This time the adults will be included! Thank you again for hosting this wonderful event. It really meant a lot to our kids!
[...] volunteers descend on New Orleans – video It’s Raining Lutherans! – [...]
God Squad Mom on July 30th, 2009 at 12:04 pm #
WOW - It was our kids in Walgreen that night - they have had nothing but absolute positive comments on their time in New Orleans. Thank you Grandpa Eliot for making their day and singingwith them. New Orleans’ sprit is alive and well.
Claudia Hampsher on July 30th, 2009 at 3:54 pm #
Thank you, New Orleans, for the most awesome week of my life. Sorry about the jaywalkers.
michael on July 30th, 2009 at 4:21 pm #
i got chills reading about all the kids and the projects they were working on. truly inspirational. love to everyone who came to nola. thank you. thank you. thank you!
Changed Lutheran Teen on July 31st, 2009 at 11:52 pm #
I just got back from the National Youth Gathering with the rest of my youth group from Montana. Even though our pastor had been to 3 previous Gatherings and our other adult leaders had been to one as youth, every one of us took away amazing, life changing, touching gifts from the city of New Orleans. THANK YOU to all of the people that organized the Gathering and to the AMAZING, AWESOME, WONDERFUL people of New Orleans. I had a wicked time helping your city, and hearing you thank and welcome us was the greatest gift I have ever recieved.
kmaglynore on August 4th, 2009 at 5:55 pm #
well, we have returned also filled with the spirit of new orleans. our jesus was there and lead us….our justice was evident in all we did, leared, experienced shared and brought home. our group was 21 strong - 2 servant team members who stayed at tulane….12 kids - l who is disabled….and the 7 adults moved to tears at the accomplishments we made. moved to laughter at the wonder of the city. moved to silence as we listened each evening during the final 15 to days filled with love and respect.
friday evening as we arrived back to the sheraton by courtesy van -we had to remain at the dome for communion assistant rehearsal - a native stopped me and thanked me for all 38000 students who were the most respectful, polite, happy, energized and he went on………gave me his card and asked that i tell the most high about his wonder at our being so dedicated. THAT”S WHAT IT WAS ABOUT~!
love to you NOLA………..
Brenda on August 15th, 2009 at 8:26 pm #
To some of the naysayers who never thought something of this magnitude could be pulled off….Jesus ALWAYS wins! Now preparing for our ‘New Orleans Revisited’ testimonial service next week in church, I can’t stop thinking of what I witnessed with the youth I brought down from a little town in Zittau, WI. Not only life changing, but life forming…this is what it’s all about. I’d like to personally thank our incredible hotel staff at the Doubletree, the dining staff at the fabulous restaurants, all the hard working behind the scenes folks who even made this possible ,but more importantly to the people of New Orleans. You’ve impacted my life in such a way that I’ll never be the same. We passed out over 1,000 crosses to the residents, the homeless, the forgotten and God is in New Orleans. We will not forget you NOLA, you are forever in our hearts and I’ll be back working Camp Restore next year….see ya then and God Bless ya’ll!!! <
The first time I saw them was at Rouses — about 15 of them, cheerful and fresh-faced and pushing carts laden with food like they were on an amazing adventure and not just shopping at the supermarket ….
