It was 8:30 am as we pulled up to the first house. The ten minute drive to this house was quite an eye-opener. There were not that many cars on the road. No one was rushing to get to work. No kids were outside playing. Stop lights didn’t work. Street signs were missing. Spray paint was on all the houses and businesses. Windows were knocked out. Garbage was piled everywhere. Hardly any of the local businesses were open. The place was just deserted. Looking around, all we saw were vacant houses, abandoned businesses and remnants of a local community. Dressed in old jeans, Salvation Army shirts, work gloves, wading boots and eye protection we got out of the van. Our job was to clean the house. We walk around to the back and look in the sliding glass door. Instantly we realize this is not going to be an easy job. In a glance we see soggy insulation hanging from what used to be a solid ceiling. We cannot tell if the house has carpet or tile because the entire floor is hidden by 3-4 inches of mud that is still wet after 8 months. Everything is out of place. Kitchen utensils, silverware and cups are resting in the mud at our feet at the back door. Pictures and mirrors that used to be on the wall were on the couch and floor. Words cannot describe what we saw in those few seconds. One thing was obvious– Everything these people had worked for and bought was now nothing more than a pile of junk. Hardly anything was salvageable. A verse suddenly came to mind – Matt 6:19-21:
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Were we in some third world country? No. In late May, Oikos College Ministry took about 30 people to New Orleans on a Mission Trip. Our job was to “muck” houses and help people recover from hurricane Katrina and Rita. We walked into houses like the one described above every day for a week. No-one really knew what to expect, but one thing we did know – God was going to use us in a powerful way that week. God also matured us. It was an incredible experience to walk into a house in complete upheaval and know that today you’re going to show the love of Christ to a family by simply cleaning out their house. Every day, we’d get to meet new homeowners. We’d pray with them as soon as we got there. We also got to share in words and deeds that we were there because Jesus Christ loves us and because we want to share His love with them. Even though our job was to take everything in the house and pile it in the front yard, our goal every day was to show Christ’s love to people who didn’t have much hope. Through hard work, sweat, and the strength that God provided we finished our jobs each day. Through the love and blessings that Christ has poured into our lives, we accomplished our goal each day too. I watched our college students interact with the homeowners and other volunteers and easily saw how much others were encouraged by our college students. Everyone that went on the trip has many experiences and stories we’d love to share, so please ask us about it. We’ve also made a video where our college students describe their experience. View it here. Thanks to all who helped get us there. Your contributions were directly invested into God’s kingdom for his Name was and is glorified!
- Thomas Thatcher