Greetings from Baton Rouge, LA! We arrived safely in Baton Rouge on Monday evening. After a long drive with a stop in Memphis and a quick visit to the National Civil Rights museum, we finally made our way to Louisiana. We've only been here a couple days and already our team has been blown away by our experiences. Let me share a few memories that stand out. First, southern hospitality is truly amazing! The people here have been some of the kindest, most sincere people that we have ever met. They have made us truly feel at home. We are working with the Healing Place Church (www.healingplacechurch.org). They started a local community outreach through the "Dream Center" which they purchased last year. The Dream Center serves to meet the tangible needs of the poor and needy in the inner-city of Baton Rouge. Yesterday, we went out to the streets to distribute food and pray for those in need. I had a conversation with a family that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. When the storm hit, they fled in their car and drove as far as they could. They ended up in Texas for some time and eventually settled in Baton Rouge (only 1 hour outside of New Orleans). But the experience of being displaced and separated from their home and loved ones was so traumatic, that even to this day, they won't even leave their apartment complex as they dream about returning back to New Orleans. It broke my heart to hear their story. But what gives us hope is the ministry of the Dream Center. The Healing Place has some of the most dedicated and loving volunteers and staff reaching out to people like the ones we met yesterday. Each day they offer a variety of programs to help minister to the whole person. Their philosophy is to treat each person with dignity and respect and to help them find their purpose in Christ. It's more than just offering free "stuff". It's showing people the tangible love of Christ and helping them experience the transforming power of the Gospel. I couldn't help but think of our community in Chicago. I pray that we can respond to the needs of our community with the same compassion of Christ.

Today, we visited New Orleans and many of the neighborhoods that were affected by Katrina. We visited Claiborne Ave, which was the most devastated area. It was heartbreaking to see the destruction still present, even though four years have passed since the storm. The neighborhood has been almost entirely abandoned and looks like a ghost town. Homes are eerily marked with the number of survivors and dead in black paint. The Healing Place was one of many churches that responded to the people in this area. The effects of Katrina can still be seen all over the Greater New Orleans area. We closed out our time in prayer for the many families that were displaced and devastated. Places like the Dream Center are offering new hope in a season of despair.

Over the next couple of days we will be ministering to the homeless and children in the local neighborhood by the Dream Center. Please continue to pray for the team. Everyone is doing well and enjoying the southern cooking! Well, I am at least ;). It's been encouraging to see
the team minister together and learn from the people as well. I will give another update this week.

Blessings,
P. Jimmy