The Last Couple Days

Hey everyone!!! Its the 3rd day of the gathering and we've been having a spectacular time these last few days. Yesterday was very eventful day full of powerful experiences. In the morning Atonement, Peace and First English churches left in the morning to do their service projects. They went to an elementary school and helped young kids make booklets and read to them. They said they had a fantastic time and that it was really cool to have the opportunity to help the kids. As they were doing their service project Good Shepherd and Christ the King spent the morning at the Interaction Center. We were able to tour around the different booths, make crafts as well as play games and watch presentations and performers. We then ate lunch at the riverwalk and looked around the stores for a little while. In the evening at the mass gathering we listened to the band Group One Crew and the speakers, Pr. Jay Bakker, Viola Vaughn and Pr. Becca Stevens. Pr. Jay Bakker had very rough childhood growing up and talked about his original problems accepting God and how He came to learn that God loves everyone and that there is hope for everyone. He was a incredibley inspirational speaker and it was a great opportunity to be able to listen to him talk about his experiences. Viola Vaughn moved to West Africa in 2000. She explained how the organization she runs called, 10,000 Girls, grew through one little independent 9 year old girl who wanted to just pass the third grade. The organization now helps over 1300 girls gain an education that helps them live successful lives. Pr. Becca Stevens started the organizations and Magdalene and Thistle Farms that help out women who have criminal and drug problems find new lives and hope. She talked about her experiences and the importances of accepting everyone.

This morning Atonement and Christ the King walked over to the Convention Center together. Atonement went to the learning center and did several different workshops and then walked through the French Quater. We took a bus to a high school in the far East for our service project. On the way to the high school we went through the 9th ward and saw all the devistation that is still here and all that work that needs to be done. At the high school we watched a powerful movie on the education system in New Orleans pre-Katrina and then directly after Katrina. We then stuffed school kits for students in New Orleans. We made 902 boxes with 5 kits in each. A total of 13,000 school kits will be put together by tomorrow. All together we will make enough kits this week so that every student in New Orleans from kidergarten to 3rd grade will be able to have one. It felt great to be able to help out. Good Shepherd also had their service project and they also read to little kids. They too said they had a blast. After a quick dinner at the Convention Center we went back to the Superdome for mass gathering. Our speakers tonight were Spencer West and Michel Chikwanine. Spencer West had lost his legs at the age of 5 because of a disease and talked about the importances of hope in everything and for everyone. Michel Chikwanine had been a child soldier in the Congo before he managed to escape and was reunited with his family. He too spoke about the importance of hope and trusting that things will eventually be better. The band tonight was Skillet. They were amazing and an official new favorite. They are a rock band with Christian undertones. We then went dancing at the Sheraton Hotel before returning to our hotel.

Thanks once again for all the support!!
JJ Dynneson (CTK)