The feeding outreach in New Orleans this past weekend was great!! We had some amazing food: red beans & rice, spring rolls, jambalaya, pulled pork barbecue sandwiches, a black-eyed pea & rice dish, potato salad, desserts, drinks, bread, etc. We had 19 volunteers and we believe we served approximately 70+ homeless. This number is lower than normal, but we believe it is b/c of the homeless having to deal with the City's new ordinance making them remove their tents, etc. from the areas. Their deadline for that was the night before our outreach. Most of them were trying to figure out where to relocate. However, the ones that were able to join us for lunch were very appreciative and enjoyed the fellowship.

I am asking everyone to please keep the homeless in prayer and the situation with the City. The City keeps trying to relocate them to get them out of the city and they are actually just pushing them into the neighborhoods instead of trying to remedy the problem. They need an area where they can pitch their tents and live until a better situation arises for them. The homeless are not going to disappear -- in fact, it is a growing problem that is going to continue rising as time goes by. And, in defense of the homeless, they are not all alcoholics, drug addicts and mental cases (I agree some are and they desperately need our help), but a lot of them are normal people going through life circumstances that have them where they are. If you have never sat down and listened to their stories and just talked with them, you need to do it just once. It will change your outlook on homelessness. Everyone of them is someone's son, daughter, mother, father, and yes, even grandparents in wheelchairs. And, I truly believe if Jesus was here today physically walking among us, we would find Him right there in the middle of them loving on them and healing their brokenness.

Sorry for getting on my soapbox--just please keep them in prayer