We'll be back around 1 to 130

Final worship

today we went to the 'interaction center' there were a lot of options for things to do but there were really long lines. lindsay and angela donated some hair to locks of love and a group of us wanted to donate blood, butafter some intense screening only jack Claire and Anna passed :\ Anna got pricked wrongbut congratulations to jack and Claire for donating!! we are proud of them :) -lauren s.

Sorry it's been so long since I've done a post. We've just been so busy and I wanted to get to a computer so I could type out a long overview. So I'll break it up day by day:

Thursday|Woke up at around 5 and traveled to the convention center for our service project. After some frustration about where in the building we had to go, we loaded on to two buses and went to a park style place with a pool, stadium, and a building with indoor basketball, a sort of New Orleans type Rec Center. Then we were assigned games to run for kids coming for a day camp. Other youth like us were assigned groups of kids. They had huge inflatbles, parachutes, volleyball, swimming, basketball, food, music, and tons of other activities to keep the kids occupied. Because there were so many helpers, some of didn't get assigned to a specific job, but all was well. This is the day that Ashley Provo fainted, but now she is back up and running with a minor concussion I believe.

Friday|Today we woke up at a more reasonable time and went to the convention center again, but this time for the learning center. We had three different tasks to complete that would help us learn more about God and the how He is shown through things in everyday life. My group learned about HIV/AIDS, Jesus in the movies, and integrated it all with a seemingly useless labyrinth type human maze that frustrated me more than it helped. Mabye I should've read the instructions. At nighttime, we had a wonderful dinner at the restaurant in our hotel and then headed to the superdome pepped up for Skillet. We attempted to get on the floor to get closer for the show, but this wasn't possible in the eyes of the security people :*(. After that, many of us went the the Sheraton a few blocks away for their dance party and to see Agape, a christian rapper. We had tons of fun and then headed home exhausted.

Saturday|This morning was great. We slept in until 9 and then went to the interaction center. There, there was a ton of stuff to do, such as a zipline, tshirts to buy, and many other stands highlighting God in everyday life. A few girls and I went to give blood, not knowing that it would take all of our available time. Claire Larson and I were the only successful ones in the group that I was in. Poor Anna Nystul got jabbed in the arm, but no vein could be found. Now, I'm just waiting to go back to the Superdome for another amazing worship experience and then I'm planning to pull an all-nighter to be tired for the 24 hour bus ride home.

Keep posted for more posts about tonight and many more along the ride home. Also, I'm probably going to upload pictures Monday and Tuesday!

Jack Nebel

 

hi everyone!  sorry i haven't posted yet, but this trip has made me a busy bee!  we've been having a fantastic time.  new orleans is such an enchanting city and i'm so happy to be back here.  we've had lots of time to explore the french quarter, sample the local cuisine, and play in the learning and interaction centers at the convention center.  one highlight was a group dinner last night in the bourbon house restaraunt.  pam met the restaraunt manager and arranged a buffet dinner for us in a private room!  we got to eat jumbalaya, creole shrimp, rataouillie, and had the MOST AMAZING bread pudding for dessert!  pam worked out a great deal for us and everyone throughouly enjoyed themselves!  a highlight from today was visiting the interaction center- you could do an indoor ropes course, be in a parade, play basketball, volleyball, help build a habitat house- inside!, walk through a fema trailer, and dozens of more opportunities.  angela and myself both donated 8 inches of our hair to go to make wigs for kids going through chemotherapy.  another group of students donated blood.  these kids are sooo giving!  tonight is our last night in the dome, tomorrow we will pack up the bus, head to worship, and then we will head home. (posted by lindsey ruhland)

Update: ashley is going to be fine. we had some calls cant it and we'd just like to let you know that all will be fine. posted by jack nebel

We are helping out at daycamp today. Ashley Provo became too dehydrated and passed out. She's fine now and getting fluids so its all good

Good job FOC were on the news!!!! (and all the other 37000)-lauren

Here's a pic of the gathering at the superdome. its pretty sweet. they had fireworks and tons of music along with many speakers. now its back to the hotel for community life activites like dancing and hanging out. then to bed and wake at 5 for our service projects. Posted by jack nebel

just went to imax movie. upset about heat and room. having fun going to the aquarium. feeling hot hot hot :) love claire.