Those Who Keep Us From Sinking

“It’s one thing to announce something. We’re meeting each Wednesday at 10 am at Good Shepherd Church. That’s an announcement. But to promote an event is to sell it. Do a little arm-twisting, maybe. Motivate people to want to come. August 29 is our “Katrina One-Year Anniversary Prayer Rally” at FBC-NO. Here are the reasons you need to be there. That is promotion.”

We urged the pastors to PROMOTE this prayer and praise rally. The latest e-mail from Pastor David Crosby shows in the order of service that Anne Graham Lotz and Fred Luter will be the two featured speakers, that a number of our ministers from various denominations will lead prayer times, that the combined choir from several churches will sing, and that American Idol runner-up George Huff will be singing.

Events of all kinds–from concerts to parties to worship services–will be held all over the metropolitan area that Tuesday. We invite everyone who reads this blog to join us that evening at First Baptist New Orleans for the 7 pm service.

Fifty pastors, leaders, and guests attended the weekly pastors’ meeting at Good Shepherd Wednesday morning. I always leave amazed, reflecting on how different every meeting is, as unique as your children, and what a blessing each one has been. We begin with group prayer times, lifting one another to the Father. Honestly, that may be the best thing that happens all day. And we end with extended fellowship around the lunch tables. Good Shepherd’s fellowship hall is taxed to the limit as we crowd in and gorge ourselves on this authentic Hispanic food.

“Last week’s menu was Honduran,” said Dona Rodriguez, the pastor’s wife. “Today, this is Mexican.” I smiled and said, “You know how we are around here–if it’s Hispanic, it’s all Mexican to us!” She laughed, “I know.” Large tacos, three to a plate, unlike anything Taco Bell ever dreamed of, adorned each plate today. And for dessert, a bowl of fresh fruit with ice cream and chocolate syrup on top. I’m caught up eating for the next 48 hours.

“A man came in to our church on crutches,” Travis Scruggs said. “He was with the New Orleans Police Department and a retired Marine. During the rescue operation following the storm, he had fallen off a roof and broken his leg. Now, he needed help in gutting out his house. At the time, he was living on board the ship docked down at Chalmette. We took care of his house. Now, we’re ready to start rebuilding houses. We can’t help everyone–this is a big job–so we’re trying to be selective. And I thought of him.


“We had not heard from him since we gutted out his house. But we looked him up and asked if he wanted us to rebuild his house. He said, ‘You know, I never tell people thank you. I have never said it to anyone. But after that group from First Baptist of Arlington, Texas, gutted out my house, I wrote them a thank-you note. This is the only home we’ve ever owned, and they were so wonderful.’ He was overwhelmed that we are now going to be sending teams in to rebuild his gutted out home.”

Travis said, “He still does not know the Lord yet. But God is at work.”

Warren, Sam, and Helen are working as chaplains with Operation NOAH Rebuild–here from Oklahoma–and told of ministering to New Orleanians and leading some to Christ.

Freddie Arnold said, “I heard on the radio coming in that everyone needs to fill out a Form 95. I had never heard of Form 95. This lawyer said the Corps of Engineers may be paying large amounts of money for damages due to their failure to build safe levees, and that if so, only those homeowners who have a Form 95 on file with them will be eligible. He was referring to the 17th Street Canal that broke.” Ken Taylor said, “I heard the same broadcast. The lawyer was Joe Bruno and his website is www.brunobrunolaw.com. You can download the Form 95 there.”

“We’re having a day of Disaster Relief training at the associational office this Saturday, August 19, from 9 am to 3 pm,” Freddie announced. Anyone wishing to be a “yellow shirt/yellow cap” and work as a DR volunteer in the next disaster, whether here or anywhere else, must attend the training. At the end of the day, each participant will be given the cap and shirt. No charge, but must call the associational office and put your name on the list. 504/282-1428.

“God has done it again!” Freddie said. “He’s called an Arkansas couple into full-time Mission Service Corps work.” They will be handling the meals for volunteers from their state staying at Gentilly Baptist Church and working throughout the city. Freddie added, “They’re trusting God to meet their needs.”

Jackie Gestes, the new pastor of Memorial Baptist Church in Metairie, was attending his first pastors meeting. “My wife is still in Lubbock selling our home,” he said. “The Lord went to great lengths to get us here, beginning with our Holy Land trip last November where we met the Pewitts from Memorial. Here we are in August, moving to New Orleans.”

Oscar Williams (Good News) and John Jeffries (Chalmette FBC) are the first of our pastors to receive their Bush-Clinton Katrina checks, each one for $35,000. Both said they were informed that they are eligible for the additional assistance of up to $200,000. Jeffries told of a woman with the Fund calling to say the check was Fed-Exed to him. That was a puzzle because, living in Livingston, an hour away, he uses a post office box. He kept watching and checking, and no check arrived. He made another call and was told that the Fed-Ex man had left it in the back of the house, since no one was home. Again, he could not locate it. Then he remembered that a couple of days previously they had had a hard rain, so he checked the yard and everywhere. Finally he found it. The package containing the check was in high weeds next to his neighbor’s house!

Steve Gahagan (NOAH) announced that they’re not taking any more requests for gutting out houses now and are beginning to work on rebuilding. “We have limited funds and materials,” he said, “but everyone is desperate and wants theirs on the list.”

Free Mission Baptist Church, one of our two SBC churches in the devastated Lower 9th Ward, is now meeting at the associational building for church on Sunday. Pastor Johnny Jones said, “We’re running about 20 now.”

We heard status reports from Lynn Rodrigue at Port Sulphur, Kevin Lee at Edgewater, Boogie Melerine at Delacroix Hope, and many others. We learned of Jerry Darby’s sudden and severe hearing loss and received a discouraging update on the situation with Lionel Roberts’ son’s legal situation, and determined to pray intensely for both these dear brethren.

A couple of weeks back when Lionel Roberts opened up and shared about his son’s incarceration, I commented that it was courageous of him to be so open about it. A lot of pastors would keep such news to themselves. He said, “I want you to pray for us. If you don’t know, you can’t pray.” He was silent a moment, then said, “I debated about telling my mother. I knew she would be so hurt. But then I thought, ‘She’s the best pray-er in the family. I have to tell her!’ That’s why I’m telling you. We have to have prayer.”

Someone said today, “If people quit praying for us, we’re sunk.” Several others said, “I can’t tell you what these Wednesday meetings mean to me. Honestly, I don’t know what I’d have done without all of you.”

Up in Alexandria, there are editors of our state paper, executives of our state Baptist convention, and workers at every level who are determined not to let us sink. All across America–in large city churches and small town and rural congregations–wonderful and Godly men and women have New Orleans residents and churches on their hearts. They have come and labored; they have witnessed and prayed. They have worked in hundred degree heat when the humidity was outrageous. They have slept in bags and on bunks and stood in lines for the port-o-johns and ate sandwiches for a week. They have emptied their pockets and bought materials to help strangers get their homes back. And they have returned to their own homes with lumps in their throats and burdens on their hearts.

We are blessed beyond words by their sacrifices for us. We are encouraged beyond measure by their presence among us.

Every word they share, every hug, every gift, every labor is a life-preserver thrown our way.

We couldn’t sink if we tried. They won’t let us.

One thought on “Those Who Keep Us From Sinking

  1. Bro. Joe:

    Sinking is NOT an option…GOD WON’T LET IT BE! He preserved the city of New Orleans and our brothers and sisters there so He could do a mighty work. I got your prayer card in the mail and we’re praying BIG. God’s richest blessings to all of you. B

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