Ready to save the world

So here I am riding in a van with people I am just getting to know. We are about two hours into a 20 hour road trip.

Where are we going? We are on our way to New Orleans to volunteer with Operation Helping Hands. Yes, there is still work to do in the recovery of the city devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Operation Helping Hands is working through Catholic Charities. They said I could come along, even though I am Lutheran. I am most concerned that perhaps Catholics don't drink as much coffee as Lutherans. So, I was very worried over whether I will have coffee in the morning. A couple of the people admitted to the java vice, so we will have to see how this scenario plays out. (I wish you were here, Java Queen!)

So anyway, I got in this van this morning with a bunch of people I don't know. We are going somewhere I have never really been. I do not know where we will be staying and I am not sure where we will be working. Exactly. Right now, all I know for sure is I am exactly where God wants me to be.

I have been to New Orleans before. Almost a year ago exactly, Kevin, Jamie and I were in the city for a newspaper convention. Which is how I came to feel drawn to come back. What I saw in the Lower Ninth Ward last year – even two years after the storm – has left a vision I can never forget. I have an overwhelming feeling – a c evenalling almost – to help the people who are still without homes.

We left Elk River at 11:31 this morning. There are 8 of us right now. We will be picking up one more for our group in about 45 minutes. Here is the run down: driving this van is Gary Keifenheim of Elk River. Sitting in the front passenger Carrie Bang of Elk River. The middle row of the van is holding me and next to me is Anne Shields of Onamia. Jeanette Lange of Elk River, as well. Did I mention this is a 15 passenger van.

Actually, the sign on the side of it says it is a “Bus -- bus not a school bus” whatever that means. It looks like a sentence to serve government issue van.

We are following a Suburban carrying three people. They are Dave Castle of Anoka, Ron Olson of St. Micheal, Jenny Orsborn of Zimmerman.

Jenny is the group leader. When I arrived at the church she jumped up and introduced herself with a hug. “We do a lot of hugging in this group,” she said. “Are you ready to save the world?”

Mother Theresa said, “If you can't feed 100 people, feed just one.”

If you break it down to a real life-like scale, by feeding just one person, you are – perhaps – changing that one person's world. Maybe we are not saving the world globally for the people we will be helping in New Orleans, but we may be changing or saving a piece of the world for one family, or one person.

That is something huge.

So that's the run down. We have just passed through Rochester right now on our way to pick up one more for our group in Harmony. After a little pizza we will continue on our journey.

I hope to be able to blog often and let you know what I am seeing and what is going on. Right now, it is a little hard to try to listen to conversations and get to know these seemingly awesome people and drive. Well, ok, I am not driving, That would certainly not be safe to drive and blog at the same time. Especially since Carry spent some time telling us stories this morning about passenger safety and seat belts. Carry is now retired, but used to work for Minnesota Institute of Public Health. Part of her job was education of seat belts.

We just stopped for lunch and picked up Michelle. We have crossed the Iowa border and have been driving on county hwy's. We have passed several Amish buggies and are surrounded by corn fields. I haven't found a wireless connection yet, but when I do, this will go live.

Bye for now.

Peace.


p.s. we are actually in Riverside, Iowa by the time I found free Wi-Fi.
We have driven 324 miles.
Stay tuned...