2008 Seton New Orleans Missions

Testimonies from New Orleans Team #9

2008-07-11T21:53:00.001-07:00

Jen Pacini
I am a witness to God and to the Holy Spirit. God has shown Himself to me in many ways and all I had to do was open my heart to Him. We started the mission trip with Steubie on the Bayou. I really started to open my heart to God and started to see the amazing things that He can do.
The first day of missionary work I chose to do Free Prayer. We were standing on the side of the divided parkway and were just about to move then a car from the other side turns around and comes to pray with us. That was the best feeling and the group and I could not stop talking about it!!!
Miss Ava is the sweetest person I have ever met. I was able to go to her house on the last day of work and she was so happy to see us there, which made me smile even though all I did was wash dishes! There is so much more that happened that I could share but then it would be way too long!
During the trip I kept hearing from Wes that to be a witness and you have to witness and now that I have seen what God can do I can really be a witness and it is the best feeling in the world! This mission trip is like nothing else you will ever experience and I hope that every one can have this experience!

Megan VanGoethem
When deciding whether or not to come to New Orleans, there was always doubt in the back of my mind. But deciding to come was a decision that changed my life! I can honestly say that this mission to New Orleans is one of the best things that I have ever done. The most interesting thing about my mission was that I learned not everything is about what you want. I came to New Orleans thinking that I would be working with kids during vacation Bible school. God has a completely different plan for me. I ended up doing things that I never imagined
myself doing. God called me to a variety of ministries and with each one, a separate miracle took place. When God called me to go out and do free prayer, we had the people of a tattoo shop down on their knees praying with us. We were able to bring life back to the people of an assisted AIDS and HIV house. And a a team, were able to feed and help thousands of people at Feed the Multitudes on July 4th. This experience for me, has been a mixture of many emotions. But when it comes down to it all I can feel is happiness and being at peace with God. My relationship with God has grown more that I could ever explain.

Kelli Lawless
This being my second mission trip I was very excited to be heading off to New Orleans to be a part of the Team Nine. My excitement turned to nerves as we waited for the plane. I have not had good experiences with flying so I was not in the best state of mind. We experienced some difficulties with taking off but we were fine within 30 minutes. While in the air I started thinking about the trip and why I was so called to be there. I was confused and intimidated. When we arrived at the Center, I was greeted with a warm "Welcome Home" but this place wasn't my home. I got scared that I wasn't going to fit in or belong. I was overwhelmed. At Steubie, I learned a lot about myself as well as others around me. I realized that I could be the real Kelli here because that is what God wanted. I didn't have to pretend here. Then one day during devotions I was reading a letter from my mom and the last line said" let your love and faith shine through you" -- with those words I was done running, I was done trying to convince myself that I was okay. It was time for me to 'fess up and start over. I was being handed a clean slate and I was being forgiven. After that I felt clean. I felt like a new person. I loved the sense of freedom and joy that I had been given. I also was given the most amazing gifts of friendship that I could have ever thought. The people on New Orleans #9 are my family. Without them I would not be who I have become. It is amazing that in such a short amount of time, people you just met are the same people you couldn't imagine living life without! I now have roots in New Orleans and I have family in New Orleans and I have a home in New Orleans. This city has changed my life, these people helped me see the real me and God let me know I was His and I was loved. There is so much that happened here that I will never be able to forget and I could not tell you everything I have been through. New Orleans is not just a city. It's a way of life and after ten days it's my home. It's going to be hard without it but with these amazing people as my rock and the Big Guy Upstairs as my shelter I know that I'll be okay. I know now that God has a plan for me and now I know that I can do this and He is holding my hand. It took ten days, an amazing group of people and an amazing strong faith to help me realize that.
God Bless New Orleans #9

Danielle Cornelius
Coming into this mission trip, being my fourth one, I really thought things would be like always. God would show up, we would change lives, as well as have our lives changed a little. But something was different this time, because I was very hurt and upset and sad. Earlier this year a very close friend of mine hurt me. I really didn't know what to do. I thought I was getting over it until the day we were leaving, it all came back. All the hurt and pain showed up again. I
knew I had to find the strength to forgive him, because unforgiveness is only a barrier that keeps us from God. I just didn't know where to look. That's where God stepped in. At Steubie on the Bayou, God reigned down His love and strength on me and I just felt this burden of unforgiveness lifted off my shoulders. I soon realized that even though the forgiveness had taken place, the hurt was still there. There was still part of me that was broken. That's when I remembered what my Aunt told me. When my aunt and I were on a retreat together, she came to me one night during worship and told me " when you are broken, pray for others" so that's what I did. First day of ministries, I did intercessory prayer. All day 3 amazing people and I sat in the chapel praying for others as they were on their ministry sites. That was the day God changed my life forever. He came into that chapel and I felt His love like I never have before. The four of us just praised Him, but not with our voices, with our hearts. As we did that God just held our hearts and fixed all the brokenness in us. I would love to explain to all of you what I felt, how God and the Holy Spirit moved through me, it's too hard to put into words. As my amazing brothers and sisters in Christ said, "God is so much bigger than words" And He really is! So now I live for Him. Everything I do I want to do for Him. Because I can never fully explain what happened that day in the chapel, I will live it. So people can see Christ our Lord in me without me having to use words. After that day, the rest of the week I went out to do God's work, to be His hands and feet. I met amazing people who quickly became family. The people on my team also became family and God also showed up through them but if there is one thing I would take home from this trip it is that I should never doubt God again. The way He showed Himself this week showed me that the one I can always count on is HIM, He won't ever hurt me. He just wants to be there to take the hurt away. Life changing is really an understatement for this trip. God came and changed lives and I thank and praise Him for that. God Bless!

Kristen Bryar
This was my third mission trip, and second trip to New Orleans, and coming back was truly like coming home. I fell in love with the city all over again as we began our ministries. I started off the week strongly as an intercessor, praying for the rest of the group. During this time my heart was opened to God and I learned how to listen to Him, and let Him guide me.
I realized how lucky I was while ministering to children at vacation bible school, where the kids were excited just to receive a hot dog and new toothbrush. My heart broke saying goodbye to the kids because I knew they wouldn't receive the attention that we gave them at home.
After cleaning a bathroom for the first time, I felt proud and accomplished. Through learning and hard work, God taught me to value and believe in myself, as well as how to rely on my team. I have seen God's love grow in every single team members like and I'm extremely proud of all of them.
God has given me a gift of friendship of the people of New Orleans also. While working the 9 - 12 year old water slide at a fourth of July Feeding of the Multitudes for 5 hours, I surprisingly got to know a lot of kids and was sad to say goodbye to them. It was a difficult and extremely tiring day, but the feeling of helping kids to have fun was more than I could ask for.
I saw God in people like Hy & Libba McEnery, who devote their lives to serving their community, always putting themselves last. In people like Miss Ava, who never fails to have a kind word or prayer to share, and in Mr. Tui, a 18 year old fixing a house so that his family can move back to their home town. These people are an inspiration and by working for the and alongside them, I have grown immensely as a Catholic.
This mission trip has given me courage, friendship, and the strongest faith in God that will stay with me forever.

Cathy Scott
I started off thinking "how is this going to work?" I had been distant in my faith for quite a while and wasn't sure if I could ever make it back to where I was before.
Now here it is 10 days later and I feel pretty good about my faith. I'm praying everyday and talking with Jesus. My hope for humanity has flourished and by the grace of God didn't freak out at anybody. I'll hold onto what I've learned for as long as I can.

Ryan Heraty
Where have I found God on this mission trip? I've found God numerous times so far. When I was doing free prayer this guy named Doug pulled over and gave everyone in my group a drink. I also saw him in vacation bible school playing with kids who don't own a lot and see trouble every day. I also saw God in chaperones. They spent so much time and money for us. They also drove us around to wherever we needed to be. Finally, I saw God in the veterans because they helped all of us newbie's understand most things and showed us around.

Alissa Serio
I had the privilege of witnessing God's big picture this week. The things that I experienced one day prepared me for the following days events. Compared to other trips, this was much more spirit led. During previous years when we would pray and discern where God was calling us to go, the sign up sheets were quickly filled and frequently there were too many people signed up for a day's ministry. This trip, it was the complete opposite. It was incredible the way the Spirit moved through moved through everyone, and even just as incredible the way each missionary was ready and willing to do what God was calling me to intercessory prayer. (this is a ministry where you spend hours in the centers chapel praying for every person on the trip) As I signed up, I saw the other names who had also felt called to this ministry. I was excited as I saw the names of three very close friends. All three are very spiritual so I knew we were going to have an intense day to say the least. Throughout the day we prayed for others, and now it was time to pray for each other. We spilled out guts and shed a few tears. It was obvious how present the Holy Spirit was in that room. We spent the following hours (which was like minutes) comforted in the presence of our God. We learned to worship with our hearts that day. Just about every prayer I had prayed for years had been answered in that time. He made me realize how little we know or can truly understand. We can pick up on bits and pieces of God's big picture but never can we fully grasp it. God works in His own time. And He knows better than all of us when the correct time is to answer our prayers. It is a very humbling experience to really realize that we are not our own God. Through the weeks prior to the trip God had been weighing a few simple words on my heart, these words were "You must die to yourself: I heard these words about three times a week for the previous 2 weeks, and once even on the trip. It is such an important phrase. We have to die to our own will, our own plan, and our own ideas. We have to die to our own will, so we can live out His. God's grace reigned down upon every soul on this trip, and by Gods grace we were all set free. I compliment each missionary for letting this happen. It was a beautiful thing to witness and experience.

Sue Schulz - adult
My mission experience has been the most humbling yet fulfilling experience in my life. Jesus came to this earth to be a servant to all of us, and through serving poured out His love to everyone. As I worked and watched and listened I witnessed lives changing all around. Some were changing because of all the help they were blessed with physically and spiritually and others were changing as they shared more of themselves with others that they even knew they had. The common denominator in all of these changes was God's love. The more I and everyone around me opened our minds and our hearts and our ears the more God poured out His love to the world through us. I came onto this trip expecting to help and guide the youth in rebuilding homes in New Orleans, hoping to be helpful and supportive as they grew in their faith and learn how to strengthen my own relationship with Christ. I have to say I was blown away. I do not recall a moment when I was guiding any of the youth. I was learning and growing and receiving so many gifts through the tremendous power of their faith and love within themselves and toward each other. Yes, I learned how to be closer to Christ, but not through books or teaching but through watching and listening to the talented, gifted and blessed servants in Christ we have in our own youth.

What I experienced was a brand new beginning to my own life. This was not a mission trip. It was the start of a new journey. I see the love of God in all the good around me. Sure, we helped the people of New Orleans, but in doing so, we gained so much more in return. As I learned to be humble and truly enjoy serving others I became so incredibly enriched in return. The more I was blessed and able to give the more I received. God's love truly is contagious. Helping others is no longer something I feel I should do, it is something I feel privileged to do as I am rewarded in ways so much greater than anything I can ever give back. I have gained the love of Christ through my new extended family, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Emily Disselhorst
Getting ready to go down to New Orleans for a second time, I couldn't find words to explain how excited I was. This summer was my third mission trip and all I wanted was to be back in the center of Jesus the Lord. I couldn't wait to return and create stronger relationships with the residents of New Orleans, but more importantly a stronger relationship with God. This summer I was able to return to see the people I met last year like Miss Ava and Hy and Libba McEnry. It was great to see the changes they made and their faith with God grow even more. Starting off our trip I was looking forward to meeting the newbies and forming relationships with them. As we worshipped and served the Lord together, I was blown away at how open they were to this new experience. In the end, I formed relationships with them much stronger than I expected. This year on mission trip I had experiences things that I haven't experience before. During a day of intercessory prayer, I was able to experience God in a very big way. I felt God's love and strength more powerful than I ever have before. My experience this year will stay with me forever in my heart, along with the new relationships I have grown with the people a part of the team. My relationship with God is stronger now than it ever has been before. God has sent me to be a witness of His love and to spread it as far as it can go. These people have changed my life and with my relationship with God, my life will never be the same again. God Bless!

Steve Scott - Adult
I've been going on mission now for nine years and the N.O. trip is so different than a group work camp. The N.O. trip is more free-lance and not as structured as Group Workcamp, giving you more opportunity to listen to what God wants you to do.
God works through me in more subtle ways. I don't have the emotional jumping up and down but rather hear God through suggestions in the mind. I was working on a project Saturday and was tired and wanted to quit and go back to the Center leaving the connections of the wires to someone else. A sudden peace came over me and I realized there was no one else to connect the wires. The voice said "you have to make the connections and here is how to do it."
I keep looking for the burn of the spirit I see in the teens, but meanwhile, I listen for the voice.

Susan Ludwig - Adult
Where do I begin...To be completely truthful, initially I had NO plans to go on a mission trip. But I thank the Holy Spirit and my son Jake for inspiring me to come.
It was the end of April when Jake and I had a discussion late one evening. In fact it was around midnight on a Friday night. We were discussing how judgmental I tend to be of others (which I admit is something that is true and that I'm not proud of and I'm working very hard to correct) and he suggested I go on a Mission trip with him to New Orleans. He said, "Mom, it will change your life". He reminded me how going on his first mission trip 3 years ago had also changed his life --- (I can testify and agree it certainly has).
However I told him that with working full-time that I had limited vacation time and to be truthful, I would rather spend my vacation time either up North in Minnesota fishing, or in Florida laying out on the beach! He looked straight at me and said "That's horrible! I can't believe you would say something like that!" And I looked at him and thought to myself, he's right, that is horrible. Here my son is asking me to go on a mission trip with him and I'm selfishly thinking about myself.
And then, I knew he was right - I had to go to New Orleans - I knew in my heart that going to New Orleans to spend time ministering to others and to do this together with Jake was the right thing to do and what my heart told me to do.
We had an amazing week!! After spending a week with these fabulous young people and worshipping the Holy Spirit--- I have a whole new appreciation and outlook on Life!!
God Did Show Up!!!! He was with each and every one of us every minute of the day. It didn't matter whether we were ministering to the aids patients, or on Eagle street at Vacation Bible School, or rebuilding a home that had been gutted, or doing Free Prayer, of talking and listening to those that had lost their loved ones, friends, and homes in the horrible devastation left behind from Katrina, or Feeding the Multitudes on the 4th of July -- God always showed up!
And everyday, we had a perfect evening, ending with worship where we were all Blessed by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit! We were able to reflect on our day during processing and then spend time praying, singing and worshipping the Holy Spirit.
Every night I went to bed I felt so much at peace. It was such a great feeling to know that we spent the day ministering to those in need, and the evening we were Blessed by the Holy Spirit. What more could you ask for on a mission trip?
New Orleans, Team #9 was family. I loved being able to spend a week with such inspirational, spiritual youth and adults. We all fit well together like pieces of a puzzle - but also, it was so wonderful to spend time with Jake. How lucky I am to have been able to minister and worship together with him. The Bond that we have shared together this week will be with me forever. I thank Jake so very much for asking me to go to New Orleans with him. The Love that I have for him just pours out of my heart. The new friends that I have from this week I hope will become lasting friendships.
I thank God for making this all possible-the mission never ends! This is just the beginning!!!!

Kati Scronce - adult, well kind of!
I wasn't sure how much one group could do for a devastated city. Tears of joy and remorse for these amazing people poured from my soul and has forever changed me. Who knew that a short ten day trip could change my life forever? That a simple thank you could change me so! By putting myself in the middle of the battle that some thought was over God was able to place me miles outside my comfort zone and take my faith to a new level. I never could imagined how unbelievable this mission could be- As we came rolling in representing God's army in neighborhoods we would otherwise be chased out of. We were welcomed like soldiers returning home from war. I fully believed-no, expected that all the people of New Orleans to angry, hard shelled and unpleasant. I have never been so happy to admit I was wrong! While they are still angry at the government they see us as a beacon of light in the aftermath of a storm. We equal hope. The hugs and smiles confirmed that we were wanted and appreciated more than we could ever imagine. the feeling is mutual now here on a plane that just landed back in Chicago and am fortunate enough to get to go home but I will never forget that many people did not have that option. One of the most incredible moments of truth for me on this trip came with a tour of the lower Ninth ward. I simply cannot put into words the devastation that still exists after three years; the houses still bearing their battle scars tells a story of hopelessness and abandonment. My heart hurt and for once I was silent. My spirit was angry and God was reminding me how many people still need our help. I am proud to say that a group of kids and chaperones who boarded a plane on June 26th, 2008, are returning as a family and accomplished missionaries. I now know what a family, not a group, can do for a devastated city full of hope.

James Schnell
This being my second mission trip, I had big expectation for myself on the trip. I didn't know how I was going to accomplish those goals but I would try my hardest to achieve them. We got down to New Orleans and heard what we were going to have to do and I didn't know how I was going to manage my time. But then the Holy Spirit showed up that first night we were there and I knew everything was going to be alright. I said a prayer and hoped that God would take control and help me get through this week. The week was going on and our jobs were closer and closer to completion. On the last day I felt the most relief I have felt on the entire trip. We finished Mr. Toi's house. The screen door was up and had a lock on it. The front door was finished and for the first time this man could feel safe in his house. The look on that man's face when we handed him the keys explains our entire trip: joy, happiness, relief, and comfort.

Dan Guentz
How have I seen God this week? The answer is in many ways. To kick off our week we attended the Steubenville conference where I saw God in the really hardcore worship. And then in the beginning of the week during free prayer (in which a group of people would go out with a free prayer sign and pray over the people of New Orleans). During free prayer I saw God through all of the people we prayed over and then the next day I went to VBS. I saw God through all kids having a good time hanging out with us and the change in their attitudes. Then I went into intercessory and free prayer the next day. During intercessory prayer I felt God because for the first time I rested in the Spirit and was prayed over/prophesied over. Overall this whole week I saw God through all of my mission co-members and how we all became like a big family.

Steve Omiatek
This week was amazing. I have witnessed God many ways but not only through me. I have experience God during Steubie for the 1st time in a long time. The Holy Spirit was so strong with me, that it gave me chills. Later that week God decided to give me the gift of prophecy. With this gift I have opened my world to God as well as others through me. I helped at vacation bible school and showed kids how to pray. Opening to them showed them that some one cares for all the people whose houses were destroyed. We helped them get out of their darkest times. All of these are being witnesses for God!

Amanda Omiatek
My life has changed forever. If you were to ask me before the trip if I had a strong faith in God, I would of said 'no.' I have felt, seen, and heard more than I could ever think of from God. My perspective on life has so much of a greater purpose than before. I never thought I would come home and feel like a better and more happier me. I was nervous at first to come on this trip. I felt like the odd one out and a little scared because I didn't know anyone. But then at the airport to New Orleans, everyone started to open up to me and make me feel comfortable. By the time I got to New Orleans, I felt like we were family. Everyone opened up their heart to the Lord and to each other. On this trip I learned not to be shy and to open up my heart to the Lord. He died for us and we should praise Him for that. He is the one person who will always be there for you. I learned that during worship and by helping those who have absolutely nothing and are just happy that they are living! New Orleans is a town of many sins. But there are so many great people who need our help. So next year, when I go on this mission trip again, my heart will already be open to God but I will be prepared to learn more and to help people see God's light. PTL!

Jared Mathews - chicken nugget
On the first day of ministry I wanted to do free prayer but it was filled up so I did Mr. Earl's. We went there but there was nothing that we could do besides play with the dog, but since I'm allergic to dogs, I couldn't do that either. We got back to the center at 3:30 and the free prayer groups were back so we grabbed a sgn and walked out the front door and while we were walking down Rampart a guy sitting on a bench in front of a tattoo shop whistles at us and waves us over I didn't want to but we did anyway. When we crossed the street he said "free prayer?" and we said "yes" and he invited us inside the tatoo shop. Then we stood in a circle and the guy kneeled and looked at us so we knelt too and he asked some people and 2 or 3 more people were standing around us. Then we started to pray and we went around in the circle and the guy told us to read Psalm 23. After we got out of the tattoo shop we called Alissa and she read it for us. Then we walked around for another hour but we didn't get to pray for anyone else but it's not like anything would have been as good as going to the tattoo shop!

Katie DeVita
Going back to New Orleans this year for the second time was something I had been anxious for since July 8, 2007, the day that we got back home last year. But the last month leading up to the trip I found that I was leaving for New Orleans for the wrong reasons. I was using the mission trip as a way out from the teenage drama and a way out just leave my life for a while. Although I did get a vacation from my life, I got so much more. God truly touched me in a way that I never dreamed possible. At Steubenville, I sang my heart out for every song, truly praising the Lord for everything He has done for me. I realized that God has a plan for all of us. Everything truly happens for a reason. Going into a week of ministry after Steubenville, amazing things started to happen to me. I began to read the Bible and see just how much it had to teach me. I made connections with others and our team slowly but surely became a huge family. Las year, I stuck to a ministry and went there everyday. This year, God had things to teach me in every ministry. He taught me to be grateful at Mr. Toi's. He taught me how to be a witness at free prayer. He taught and showed me how much He loves me at intercessory prayer. And He taught me how to love His children at the Lazarus House. The biggest thing holding me back was my self-esteem. I was tired of being made fun of, I was tired of being different. I wanted to go back to the girl I knew last year before team 7. A girl lost without Jesus because teenage life was honestly a lot easier. But this year, God showed me a huge thing. It didn't matter what others thought about me. It didn't matter if the kids at school called me a 'Jesus freak' or if I didn't get invited to a lot of parties because I was different. Being at a party with Jesus Christ Himself is the best party I could ever imagine! God will always open His arms to me and let me in. This year I have learned how truly blessed and happy I am to be a woman of God. So yes at the beginning I used this trip of a way out. But what I found instead was a way into a truly happy new life, just being me, Jesus Christ's beautiful daughter.

Dylan Maule
During team #9 I saw God at Eagle Street many times the way they used manners and became polite. I felt that God moved through me and through the kids of Eagle Street and of course felt it during worship.

Carolyn Gorski
This was my 3rd mission trip so I was considered a veteran, but when I got to New Orleans I felt like a newbie. We got the warmest welcome from team #8 when we arrived. I looked around the Center and I remember Bryan saying it was like Hogwarts and it truly was. I got so confused on where everything was. But at the end I finally got it.
When I came on this trip I thought I was pretty close with God and there wouldn't be that much of a change, but boy was I wrong. The first night of worship was so intense and I knew that this trip would be completely different from a Group Workcamp.
When we got to pick out our ministry site, I felt called to go to Mr Toi's house. I thought he was going to be older, but he was only 18, the same age as me. He was living on his own in a house that wasn't in the best living condition at all, but one of the things I saw hanging on his walls were pictures of his family and pictures of Jesus dying on the cross. He showed me that even though you may have nothing of significant value, you can still believe and strive to do better for your family and for yourself. No matter what, always believe and have faith and God will always be on your side.
So the past 10 days have truly changed my life and I will never be the same.

Andrew Hoggatt
Where have I found God on this trip? I don't even know where to start. Between free prayer and having all types of people come up to you and ask for prayer or vacation Bible school where kids don't even know how to say please or thank you.
I spent most of my time in New Orleans at VBS, and the change I saw in the kids by the end of the week was just amazing. One thing that amazed me the most is how almost all of them knew a Bible verse and these kids are only 8 years old! On our mission trip it's not all about rebuilding from Katrina and helping the poor. It's also about just listening to people talk and tell their stories. Sometimes just sitting down and talking to someone is the best help. God works in all different ways and New Orleans still has such hope and will restore back to normal.

Alyssa Fanella
This trip has been my 6th mission trip taken with SEAS. God has really sent people to me in my struggles and has shown me that He is there for me. I truly needed this boost because I was beginning to really doubt even God's existence in my life. Through this trip I have realized that God has completely blessed my life with many wonderful people and I simply let my struggles blind me to that.

Katie Browning
At the beginning of this trip, I had a lot of things that weren't going right in my life. Coming on this trip to New Orleans for my second time I was excited yet nervous at the same time. We started the trip off on an amazing note. Steubie was fantastic, I connected with God on a level that I have never connected with Him before. God showed up so much, he filled the entire arena with His presence and it showed. After the amazing Steubenville, we headed back to the Center of Jesus the Lord with God and the Holy Spirit flooding out of us.
The first day back I had a rough time at worship so I went to my room and called a friend. God showed me His presence through him. He ended up coming down and my whole life changed. He was basically an angel, he helped me mend broken relationships. After I finally forgave everyone in my past I had the most amazing night of worship ever! Little did I know it would get way better. I was an intercessor on the second day to the last day and I had the most amazing experience of my life. Dawnelle, the event coordinator came into our intercessor group and began praying over me. She helped me let go of all the crap that I have been holding onto for a very long time. Ever since then I have been extremely happy. I have experienced God in so much and hope that I can keep my fire going because of all the mission trips I have been on this was by far my favorite. Because since I got here I can feel God's presence in every decision I make and in every word I say. This whole mission trip was the most amazing time of my life! I wouldn't even think of changing one thing because for the first time in my life everything is perfect, God is in my life and I am never going to let Him leave my life and I will remember this trip forever! God Bless!

Allie Heraty
I can honestly say I've gotten so much out of this mission trip. I've experienced a love and relationship with God that I thought was never possible to develop. Everywhere I went I felt loved. I learned a great deal not only from my team - but the people of New Orleans.
I went into this mission thinking nothing will change. I can't believe how wrong I was. Now I find myself accepting and listening to God in my heart everywhere I go. The love that was given to me was indescribable. Everyone greeted me with open arms ready to make me their friend. Every home I went to in New Orleans I miss. I grew so much respect for everyone I met. Deep down in my heart I know they aren't my friends-they're my family!
During missions I learned so much. God is everywhere ready to embrace you when you need him. He'll lead you to where you belong; just have faith in Him. After all, where the Lord guides, the Lord provides! God Bless!

Emily Lenzini
New Orleans will forever have a spot in my heart. This was my very first mission trip and I went into the trip with a very open mind. However, I felt like there was something missing in my life, like ther had to be more to it than just hanging around the house everyday. I was ready for a change and this trip did exactly that. It was like this piece of my life was put into place. It had always been there but it was waiting for me to grab hold and put it back together and that is what happened.
We kicked off the week with a Steubenville Conference where I experienced Adoration like I had never before. It wasn't until I got to the conference and they addressed certain things that I realized how much baggage I had been carrying around. I realized it had been keeping me from my relationship with God. At Steubie, I was able to get rid of that baggage. It was like I was starting the week off fresh!
On one of the first days of the mission after Steubie, I went to vacation Bible school at a local neighborhood that was kind of rough. It ended up that we didn't do much vacation Bible schooling, it was more playing basketball, drawing with chalk and blowing bubbles. Even though we weren't directly quoting Scriptures we were spreading God's love by spending time with kids that probably don't get enough of it at home. By modeling behavior that reflects Christ these kids were influencing us. I guess, looking back at it now I realized that at the time, it didn't seem like we were doing much when in reality we really were. It was amazing to see these children again at the end of the week after we had groups of our kids going out there everyday. One of the boys at the beginning of the week just didn't listen to us and was kind of rude. By the end of the week he was saying thank you and listening to us.
With each day on the mission I could feel myself growing closer to God. For the first time in my life I felt like I could turn to God for anything and it was the most amazing thing ever. I went into this trip knowing God but being distant with Him. Now coming home from the trip I feel like my relationship is stronger than ever and I want to spread my new found love with my family and friends! I know that God sent me on that trip for a reason and I am so grateful for it. I'm not the person I was before and I Praise God for that everyday. God bless!

Jake Ludwig
Love, strength, joy and hope. These are a few of the things that we experienced on our journey with Christ. This will be my 3rd year on missions, but this year, I decided to extend my usual 10 day period to participate on both New Orleans teams for 2008. Each of these groups of people were amazing, with life changing witnesses of the power and grace of God. Their perseverance and endurance have been beyond measure; and their amazing fellowship has formed mighty bonds with their old and new found friends, and even more than that, their new found family in Christ.
With this being my 3rd and 4th mission trip to New Orleans, I thought I had seen it all. But God showed me otherwise. Through the sorrow and the hopelessness of the people of New Orleans, a light was brightly shining over the horizon. Despite the hardships, the loss and the loneliness a light was still there and through this, Hope was not only restored within many of the hearts of New Orleans, but by it's amazing example, in my heart as well. It's a hope and a love and a comfort that is everlasting, unchanging and too outstanding to comprehend. It's something bigger than ourselves and it is something that will stay with us forever. This something is GOD. And this something, I will continue to love, with all my heart. Thank you.

Andrew Boehm
The past year I slowly fell away from God. I made bad choices and was messing up my life. It wasn’t till recently that while lifting weights and listening to “Five Iron Frenzy” that I heard a message from a song that I’ve listened to so many times. At the same time my best friend Kelli was praying for me, I managed to get people at work to cover my shift on July 4th and Phil got me a plane ticket. Within 48 hours I went from not thinking about missions to being on a plane heading to New Orleans! I was welcomed with open arms and I knew God and all my friends forgave me after abandoning them for a very long time. All of the activities on this mission trip were the same, but God touched me from eating raw oyster or cleaning out Ava and Trace’s house. I’ve always have been told that our God is a forgiving God but until last week I had no idea how forgiving He really is!

Denise Ramis- adult
This trip was my fourth mission trip to New Orleans and it was nothing short of amazing. The Holy Spirit worked powerfully through our team members and my faith was renewed and deepened. I saw God in how our members interacted with each other and how they cared for each other as well as the people of New Orleans. New relationships were formed and old friendships were renewed. This team was an extremely cohesive group with no age barriers. I know that I received much more than I gave. I am so grateful for this time with our Lord as well as some very special sisters and brothers in Christ.

Sam Pauletti
There are so many words I could use to describe how I felt when I first arrived back to New Orleans. I was extremely excited and nervous at the same time. I knew God had some major plans for all of us this week and I couldn’t wait to find out how we were going to be blessings to the people of New Orleans. We were all welcomed with open arms and hearts by team 8, which calmed every nerve I had about the trip. It was obvious that the Holy Spirit had been working and would continue to work while we were there. We started the week off with a Steubenville conference – which was absolutely incredible, except it was honestly not the best conference I’ve been to so when we left the conference to begin our ministries, I felt a little unsatisfied. All those feelings vanished that Tuesday after I did free prayer. As two of my closest friends and I walked around the French Quarter wanting to minister to each and every person we saw, we were stopped by a few people who seemed genuinely interested and excited to get prayer. After we prayed with them we hung around to answer a few questions they had for us. Everything seemed to be going ok and the next thing I knew I had just been groped by a strange man. While something like that seems traumatic and greatly unexpected, it turned out to be the greatest eye-opener ever. We came back from Free Prayer and the most amazing things was that I had no anger towards God, my friends, or even the man who did it. All I could feel was thankful that it wasn’t anything worse and that I was back with the people I love. I knew that I could easily move on because I had so much strength from God that it could easily be defeated. From that point forward I felt more open than ever and felt like I was cleansed from every pain I’ve ever felt in my life. Through God’s strength and love, pain that would normally take months or even years to heal would be healed in days—hours. The impatience and irritation I felt at the beginning of the trip was replaced with forgiveness and healing. As I write this testimony, telling my story, I can’t help but feel overjoyed and glad that I could share everything from this week with the people that I love –old and new. This has been the most life changing experience of my life and I can’t wait to be a witness to every person I meet back home. Thank you all for your support and God Bless!

Bryan Smyth - worship leader
This mission trip was different. I was the worship leader and it was my first time in this role. The kids on our team made it easy to do however, I wasn’t very excited about being the worship leader; I was extremely nervous. However, as the days went on the role grew on me. I missed, however, being able to pray over my teammates and minister to them in that regard. I eventually learned more about how I minister to them through the worship and how I can better serve that way. This trip was about confidence in God. I really needed more confidence in Him and He showed me that and now I can say that I have more. I really doubted my abilities to lead worship well, but God showed up anyways as I was confident He would. I learned to rely on God in new and bigger ways. I have been asking Him for more for a long time. I have been dreaming of more responsibilities and greater opportunity from God spiritually for as long as I can remember. God has always provided but I still felt called to something greater. I had this specific image in my head and now that opportunity is here. Two weeks ago I was really unsure if I could do this. I can’t. But God has never let me down and now with this greater reliance and confidence in God, I know that I can. However, it won’t be easy. I am excited to now face what is coming my way with my God as my strength. I will make it I swear. Woah-oh. Living on a prayer.

Mat Wellington
This year has been amazing. My faith has changed so much. I spent a lot of time at Belle Reve, the new house for patients with Aids. My new friends there have really changed my perspective on life. At Feed the Multitudes I was helping with the security, pushing cars out of the mud and directing traffic. The man in charge seemed really stern and kind of like a jerk. But after helping for the day, he gave me and Andrew a PowerAde and seemed really appreciative, that was when I realized how easily I can forgive. I also helped with the waterslides and I really got pretty close to some of the kids and that is when I realized how I learned so much about myself. Not to mention I feel like I accomplished and helped so many people. I realized that I have been disobeying God so much and I really don’t know where I am with Him. I feel like I’ve grown but at the same time I feel so much farther away.

Kevin Bottalla
I went on the New Orleans number nine mission. It was my second mission. This year I saw the Holy Spirit appear sooner. Last year, it took until the second night of Steubenville to see the Holy Spirit acting in full, but this year it was the night we arrived. The Spirit’s presence this year was the strongest I’ve ever seen. I also saw spiritual gifts like I’d never seen like the gift of prophecy. I was thinking this would be my last year of mission before I came, but after this trip I’m planning on coming back.

Mike Brasie
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. During my two weeks I couldn’t find out what this meant until a couple of days before we left. When the two teams came down, whether it was your first or fifth, we all thirsted for justice. The question didn’t become who, what or where, but why? Why is nothing changing? Why is the government abandoning its people. Why? Starting off small was the easiest strategy. Mr. Toi is an 18 year old boy who lives with his brother in a house that is in bad shape. Since it doesn’t have electricity, they sleep in a barber shop at night. Anyways I went there the first day and told was all we were going to do is paint. But I began to be hungry for righteousness and didn’t feel painting was all we can do. Fast forward to the last day at Mr. Toi’s house and it was unbelievable. Besides painting, there was a new front door, screens and clean kitchen/bathroom. After we left I felt we served justice and gave him dignity. Besides the ministries, I’ve never been so close with God. I feel I can now talk about God to whomever and not feel ashamed. Then the question came up: How do I die to myself when I got too much to live for? Simple, to serve other people with the same love that God looks at every single one of us with. To serve my fellow sisters and treat them with respect, show them how important they are to me and the world. It’s time my fellow men and I stand up and protect them and not use them. I feel at peace and I’m a changed man.

Emily Schnell
Going on this trip to New Orleans has changed my outlook on life forever. While being in New Orleans I have made friendships that I know will last. I do not know how I am going to sleep without my roommates. I do not know how I am going to go to bed without worship every night. I don’t know how I will ever look at these people the same because they mean the world to me. They helped me find God. My absolute favorite story from New Orleans all started on our 1st day of ministries. I did free prayer. During free prayer you walk the streets of the French Quarter holding a huge sign saying “free prayer”. While walking down Rampart (a street comparable to Algonquin Rd) we were on the left side of the street. From across a 4 lane road, a big man whistled at us. Thinking that he was just being ignorant we took a couple more steps, when we hear another whistle. So we walked over to this big intimidating man in front of a bright yellow corner store with a sign reading 'tattoo'. The man whose name was Skip (who was the owner of the tattoo shop) asked “Is it really free prayer?” We all replied enthusiastically “yes it is”. He said ”alright come on in.” We were a little timid at first but we all walked in. We walked into a room with walls painted bright orange with tattoo designs all over them. When we walked in. Skip yelled for his co-workers to come to the front room. So two more people walked in, including a man in the middle of getting his tattoo. We all stood in a circle and joined hands. Then Skip asked “aren’t you going to kneel down?” So we all knelt down and said a prayer. Aloud everyone prayed a prayer for each other. As we left the tattoo shop Skip yelled “God bless you and what you are doing” We ran across Rampart so excited we just prayed in a tattoo shop! While sharing our story that night at processing (when we all share what happened that day) I told the story. Telling everyone that story so many times somehow made it into “my story”. I was so excited to have this one as my story because it is a thing that happened in my life that I will never forget. I won’t forget the Center, the city, the smells, the food, the hospitality but mostly I won’t forget the people. The people I met in New Orleans and the people I used to see occasionally in Mass on Sunday. We are tied together now through the city of New Orleans. I will never forget my teammates from New Orleans team #9. They have changed my life forever I love you guys!

Kristen Linner
5th summer in New Orleans 8th Mission team and none are ever the same. This year our team was able to see some of the restoration of New Orleans. We saw the way God provided for the people—changing houses from disasters to homes. We saw the way God gave hope in the faces of our friends here every time a small improvement was made. On the streets of New Orleans, God led us to pray with many people who praise God for our mission team. New Orleans is rising. Its people are moving back, stores are re-opening and life has returned. God is so faithful!
The people of New Orleans’ gratefulness is humbling. They appreciate every little thing – and do not take God’s blessings for granted. What a lesson for us! Within our teams I witnessed relationships between people grow strong and more importantly, witnessed the Lord lavishing gifts on us and allowing us to draw nearer to Him. I thank the Lord for our young team who are loving and open to what God wanted. New Orleans has inspired me, again, but not just the city; our group down here inspired me as well. Their prayers and hugs and smiles will always bind us together in Christ.

Jason Liuzzi
To describe my mission in New Orleans, it simply must be summed up in one word, “bubbles”. (Bubbles was a daily theme for Jason in sharing his ongoing painting frustration with bubbles forming as he painted a ceiling). For me, New Orleans was my home away from home. I plan on living there eventually, but this time, being my second time, it seems if nothing in the city had changed since I last left. Some parts of the city look the same! Things are tough there. A report on the levees recently estimated that it would only take a Category two hurricane to flood the city again. Hurricane Katrina was a category three. The levees are leaking and it’s not even raining. ! But there are small signs of new life – a gas station here, plans for a youth center there.
It’s the spirit of New Orleans that keeps me coming back. The people there have such faith in God. I wish that I had such faith and trust in God. But with the mission this year, I know I’m getting closer. Thanks and God bless.

Phillip Peterson
As always, I didn’t plan on going on missions this summer. About a week before leaving I finally was able to get the time off work, and before I knew it I was on a plane flying to New Orleans. This year was of course not like any other and was much needed. I would have to say that I saw God the most through Miss Ava, one of the residents of New Orleans that we’ve worked with for the last two years. She has cancer right now.
That really hit home for me, since my mom also has cancer. Being able to see how much Miss Ava shines and lives for God, even during these times, has inspired me to continue to minister to my mom and live and cherish this time that I have.
Another amazing moment that I experienced while down there was during praise and worship. I was unable to see the wall I was building that was preventing me from hearing God’s voice. After having a very in depth conversation with a friend I was able to see this wall and during praise and worship. I closed my eyes and very powerfully asked god to break down my wall. Before I could even finish I felt so excited that I felt the room explode with the Holy Spirit!
I cannot thank God enough for changing my life once again! If you feel God calling you to go on missions even just a little, get yourself over to the church and sign up. God is calling you…. He is there!

Testimonies from New Orleans Team 8

2008-07-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

Joey Majko
This mission has totally changed in my life. It has given me a better understanding of God. This mission helped me let go and trust God. Also, it was made me more open and outgoing. Another thing this mission has done for me is help me discover that God truly is a loving and forgiving God. I have also learned about the Catholic Church and Scripture. Most of all, what this mission has done for me is helped me open my heart to Jesus and to be His witness.

John Ryan
This mission was different for me than my last two. I feel like I’ve truly connected with God and my fellow teammates. I went on this trip knowing all of my good friends were going on the next one so I was a little frightful of going on this trip knowing I would have to make new friends. This proved to be a very easy task because the stronger our individual faiths grew, the more we all gelled as a team. The more open to the Spirit we were, the more we bonded too. During the trip, I did 3 different ministry sites, which included Mr. Earl’s house, Project Lazarus, and Free Prayer. Mr. Earl’s was a shock to me when
I first entered because the living quality was below any standards that we could imagine. The greatest
part though, was how any little thing we did meant some much to him because it was simply better than before. Another ministry I travelled to was Project Lazarus, which is a housing center from people with the HIV virus. It was awesome to go and just hang out with the people there and bring them joy that way because they’re basically cooped up in the houses all day so they love when we come over. Free prayer was also very powerful. We prayed with many people on the streets of the French Quarter and even though many were homeless or broken, their faiths were stronger than many of the people that have so much. It’s incredible. I have learned that a mission is as much about helping people and doing good deeds as it is about growing in your faith. When your open to Christ, it can be life changing and wonderful. I know it has been for me.

Cathy VanDorpe - adult
Have you ever heard or read the phrase, “I saw the face of Jesus in this person?” Well, that is what I experienced in New Orleans. I actually saw the face of Christ in a person named Ben.

I had the opportunity and privilege to work and help with the “Feed the Homeless” ministry group from the Center of Jesus the Lord Church. This is the same Church our mission teams stay at in New Orleans. A group of five teens and myself helped prep, pack, deliver, and serve a meal to 175 homeless men and women near the French Quarter.

It was an amazing sight to see a caravan of volunteers bringing tables, food, and supplies to the people. I was so impressed with the hot meal and the efficiency of the weekly ministry. I was even more humbled by the men and women who came through the line. Every person (mainly men) that came through the food lines were nice, polite and grateful for their meal. Many even said “God Bless You” as they passed through. While I was serving the food, I noticed that some volunteers set up a “Sock Exchange” area which contained two stations with a chair, hose, soap, and powder. The volunteers offer to wash the feet of any homeless person who wants their feet washed. In addition, they give each person a brand new pair of socks. They take the old socks, wash them and then donate them to the shelters.

I couldn’t wait to finish serving food so I could help. All I thought about was how “Jesus washed the feet of the disciples’ and I knew I was to be like Him. I walked up to the volunteers and asked if I could help and they said, “sure.” I put on my gloves and waited on the side to help the next person. As I was waiting, I noticed a gentlemen standing off to the side watching what was happening. One of the volunteers asked him if he wanted his feet washed. He said “NO” His friend called out and said “Ben” have your feet washed,” He said “no”. I helped to wash the next person in line and it felt great. Again, all that was going through my mind was Jesus and the disciples. I told myself that if Jesus could do this, so can I.

When I was done, I looked up and saw “Ben” still standing and waiting and I knew he wanted his feet washed. That’s when I saw Christ in his face, and I was determined to wash his feet. With a little coaxing and smiles, we talked him into washing his feet. I kept telling him it would be okay, and it would make his feet feel good. While I was washing Ben’s feet, I felt like I was washing Christ’s feet. It was and unbelievable spiritual experience for me.

Ben was so grateful for this service. When he left, he hugged and kissed me good-bye and said, “God Bless.”

Tammy Marrah - adult
I went on my first New Orleans mission trip to aid in the hurricane relief efforts. I helped gut and clean homes last summer. I went on both New Orleans missions-working on rebuilding homes and painting walls. This summer I returned to New Orleans with every intention of continuing the hurricane relief work, but this year I wasn’t called to tear down drywall or assemble furniture. This year I witnessed the repairing of hearts.

Tuesday night we drove to Bay St. Louis in Mississippi. It was there that I sat on the beach talking with and amazing young man. At 14, he carried his sick mother from his house through the flood waters of Katrina to the convention center only to find that there was no room for them there and no room on the buses to evacuate. Without any other options, he carried his mother home again. Eventually, they were able to evacuate, but during that time his mother passed away. Now at 17, less than 3 years after Katrina, he sat next to me on the beach offering his story as the explanation for why he couldn’t bring himself to go into the ocean. It was too familiar, and too painful. But by sharing his story about Katrina, and about his mother, and how he came to know Christ personally, he found the strength to get up and walk into the water. And all I could do was sit and listen and watch in awe at the courage and faith of a young man named Monny and continue to pray for the children of New Orleans.

Jason Morich
I was on New Orleans Team 8. I’ve always gone to church on Sundays. I knew about God, but I never knew God. This trip changed everything. I began to have a personal relationship with Jesus. I went to New Orleans thinking that I was going to help rebuild the city, but then I realized that the trip was about
something much more important than that: my relationship with Jesus. During the 2nd worship session, I rested in the Spirit for the first time. Later, at worship with Bob, I received the gift of praying in tongues. I finally felt as if I knew Jesus. I felt like he was my friend. During the prayer ministry at Steubenville on the Bayou conference, I felt the Holy Spirit stronger than I ever had before. I rested in the Spirit several times and I was shaking for most of the time. I will always remember the power of God that I felt on this trip.

Kevin Tudor - adult
Well, this was my 4th mission, 2nd to New Orleans and it started off really well. Hit the ground running! The team melded together very quickly. This was my first year as an adult on a mission. It was really cool seeing the adult view point. But I still hung with the teens, but also step up as an adult. I got to experience a new gift of the Holy Spirit which was the gift of prophecy. It was so cool that God chose me to affect so many people. This trip rocks!! Amen!!

Renee Westhoven
This year I had a great mission trip. I enjoyed every person, and I got to know each one and their faith. I went to the Lazarus house and talked with everybody. The people at Lazarus house have AIDS and are HIV positive. I donated $135.00 - all from my birthday. Another thing that I did was Feed the Hungry. It was a lot like fish fry, but God was flowing into this a lot more! Another ministry that I did was Free Prayer. We walked around and people wanted us to pray for them. The last ministry that I did was went to Miss Ava’s house. We put putty in the floor and I thought it was a lot of fun! I know right away that I have to donate my birthday money next year to her.
Each night we were at worship, the Holy Spirit really moved in everybody. We started out all silly and crazy and then we settle down. Everybody was praying in tongues, resting in the Holy Spirit, and sometimes crying.
This year I had a great mission trip. I can’t wait until next year to see all the changes.

Erin Theros
The summer mission program at SEAS is so amazing, and going on the New Orleans Team 8 trip changed me so much. Two days before we left for New Orleans, I cut my foot on a door and got 4 stitches in it. I was already scared for the trip, but this made it worse. Although this happened, I was determined to have a good trip. What I got was a roller coaster filled with great times as well as troubling times. The first few days were scary. I was in a new city with a bunch of people I didn’t know, seeing things I couldn’t explain. I often cried out of fear of losing control of my life, and frustration that I wasn’t at the same level with God as everyone else. At the same time, I found so much love and comfort from my teammates and so much joy in helping others in ministries. Slowly, but surely, I began to open up more and lose the fears, even though I still wanted control. Then Team 9 joined us, and I felt so much better. My foot was a smaller obstacle than I thought and was healing well and I had made strong friendships with people. With team 9, the 75 of us had an amazing night of worship and it helped to see more people believing and loving God. Then, when we went to Steubenville on the Bayou and there were 3,100 people worshiping, I felt even better. It wasn’t until the last night of the trip that I really opened up. I had gone to Reconciliation before we worshiped and realized that since God had the love to forgive all my sins I should at the very least open up to him. I felt that I owed it to him to put all of my heart into the worship and I did. It felt great! I went up and publicly said that I would be God’s witness, and most fears and worries went completely away. I felt so much joy and love, and although I still have some problems, I feel so close to God and so loved. My life will be forever changed thanks to all the wonderful people I shared it with and God.

Colleen Favuzzo
This was my 4th mission trip; third mission in New Orleans. This trip was unlike any prior experience I’ve had. On every other mission,God and the Holy Spirit have ministered to me and changed my heart and consequently my life a little more each time. On this trip God used his wonderful Holy Spirit to minister through me instead. I used the gifts that God has given me to help all of the other people in the group, and even some outside of the group. First, the Lord has blessed me with a talent of singing well and I really like to use it to get praise and worship going for everyone else, and be a good example by praising with everything I’ve got. Second, in recent years I’ve been blessed with the gift of speaking in tongues: the Holy Spirit’s most perfect prayer through you. I used this beautiful gift to pray over and minister to everyone in our group and even a wonderful woman in New Orleans named Ava who was diagnosed with cancer and now has been healed by the power of the Holy Spirit working through people in our group and the people of Center of Jesus the Lord where we stay. PRAISE GOD! Next, this year I was blessed with the Holy Spirits gift of prophecy! This amazing gift helped me to minister to the whole group, but also to individuals as I prayed with/over them. That gift has brought me to a whole other level in my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for these gifts and for the smaller gifts of compassion, tolerance, patience, and faith that the Lord God has given me the past few years on my mission experiences. We help so many and make such a lasting impression and effect on the people we go to minister to. But what most people don’t realize is how lucky we are as missionaries! We get to receive all of the precious blessings and gifts of the Holy Spirit and be surrounded by such a loving community as we help people. We receive so much more than we give because by opening ourselves up for God to use us for the glory of his Kingdom, God gives us soooo much in return: more than we could ever give anyone ourselves because we are only human and how lucky are we that get the Heavenly Father’s gifts!

Katie Byron
Oh man! Well, this was my fourth mission trip and my third to New Orleans. But I have to say that this trip was very different than the others and I had a very different experience this year. On my last two trips I didn’t completely open up to the Holy Spirit. I had let God partially into my life, but I never completely surrendered to God and let the Holy Spirit in. But this trip started out way different! Our group bonded immediately and opened their hearts to God. The first night I got rid of all the “baggage” I brought along and started the process of surrendering to God. As the week went on I help as many different ministries. I helped shop at Sam’s Club with Tammy, our wonderful chef, for the food for our team for the week. I also helped with the feed the hungry ministry on Sunday. It was a very powerful experience! I helped serve the drinks and everyone was so grateful just for a glass of tea or water which was very eye opening for me. These people have nothing and are so grateful for the littlest things. The next day I went to Miss Ava’s house and worked on finishing the wood floors. After a hard morning of work we had an amazing lunch with her and her friend Sandy and got to listen to their stories about the hurricane and see a new perspective on it. At Sandy’s house there wasn’t a lot of flooding, but there was a lot of wind damage from the hurricane and trees fell into people’s houses. It was interesting to hear this perspective on the hurricane and all the devastation it caused. The next two days I joined the powerful ministry of Intercessory prayer, which was a great thing for my because I was having a hard time keep up my prayer life and these two days of prayer really got me in tune with God and back into the groove of praying everyday! This week I felt that I should start taking the next step in my faith and this as really hard for me, because I wasn’t getting a clear message of what I should be doing. I wanted to get this message right now and have answers immediately, but after talking with others on the trip, I realized that everything is in God’s timing and maybe my next step won’t happen for a long time, but if I am open to God’s love and just surrender to Him, then in God’s time, God’s plan for me will be clearer. All in all, this trip was a life changing experience and I think I can speak for the whole group! We all bonded so well and because of that we could be open and honest with each other and with God. PTL!PTL!PTL!PTL!PTL!!!!

Adam Tudor
Ok so this trip was pretty important. I went to other trips but for this trip I got so much more out of this one than other because I think was the trip that I stepped up and showed how close I got to God .This trip is when I gave it all up to God. Live never felt better! When I was in New Orleans I ministered to people with AIDS, prayed for people out at the worksites in intercessory prayer, walked around New Orleans with a giant free prayer sign asking people if they wanted to pray with us. The experiences that I had were amazing and will always be with me… oh and the food was good too!

Kristin Theros
Being my third mission trip, I didn’t ever think I’d be getting so much out of this as I did. I thought I’d be babysitting newbies and dragging through days without much excitement. I was dead wrong! Never in my craziest dreams would I’d never have thought the worship would be as spirit-filled and intense as it was. I’d never have thought this group, this mix and match group of teen and adults, would get as close as we did. I also would never have thought I would break out and lead as I did. On this trip, I finally believed in myself and my abilities to lead things. I learned that with God behind me, I could do anything. I spent most of the week in intercessory prayer, praying for the team members all day in the chapel as they went out to free prayer, Project Lazarus, and the other work sites. I also lead morning prayer two times. I found the courage and strength to do this because of God. I know His Spirit helped lead me to prayer ministry. From the trip, I gained a better understanding of prayer, a ton of great friends, and the confidence to take leadership positions in any other ministries I many later encounter. This was definately the best trip yes. PTL!

Maggie Walsh
I have been on 5 mission trips with this being my first trip to New Orleans. the minute we left for the airport i thought i made the wrong decision. Well i was wrong. this turned out to be the best mission trip yet. the people i met really inspired me to trust God. Every morning we had prayer time alone. We prayed about where God was telling us to go for the day. For the majority of the week my discernment was going to Project Lazurus. Project Lazarus is a housing facility for people who either have HIV or AIDS. Our mission there was to sit, talk and most of all listen to the residents.We were there to listen to their stories and just be a friend to them. My favorite memory from Project Lazarus was when we helped a resident Brittany celebrate her 19th birthday. the expression we saw on Brittany's face was priceless. We brought flowers and balloons for the celebration. During the party i decided to go give Brittany a big hug. With a smile on her face she looked right at me and said I really appreciate you all coming to my party. Seeing a girl the same age as me smile so big over something as simple as a hug made my day. That is when i realized Brittany is living her life for God. My faith was put to the test during the week because of all the heartache I saw. Seeing the pain these residents live with everday, and seeing them never losing faith in God, made me realize they are not reaching out for sympathy but for love. They showed me what what it means to love God unconditionally. This trip strengthened my realtionship with God. Last year on the Denver mission i was able to share my experience with my Dad. This year my experience was shared with the people standing in front of me. I consider them my brothers and sisters in christ. Next year I hope to share my experience with my sister Sheilas. Every year my faith continues to grow. I thank you for all the prayers and support you have given us.

Matt Biederwolf (Beowolf)
Well, this was my first mission trip and I went on New Orleans #8. Yep, I was a newbie when I started but not anymore! I just had a feeling that I needed to go because it was where I belonged. And man, I was completely right! Coming into the trip I was excited and scared all because I was all new to this. I knew that I needed to be very open because of what I had been told. So I was open and I was filled up to the top with the Holy Spirit and God’s Love for us. My love for God and all his gifts skyrocketed and I had a sense of peace and joy like no other. I’d just like to say real quickly that our team bonded so well!!!! Guys and girls were expressing God’s love to each other all the time. Our team is just like a big family! Everyone was treated with respect and even the adults were in the mix. My favorite part was definately the worship because of the fact that I felt the Holy Spirit flow so well. I hope we can get a new set of newbies for next year! God Bless! PTL!

Rob King - adult
I had never been on a mission with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton parish before this year. I heard that mission trips were great, but now I see just how awesome they really are.
The mission trip in New Orleans changed my life. Three or four times. Every Day. For eight days in a row.
I would have been overwhelmingly blessed to experience just one of these outstanding events during the mission.
I opened my heart to God and saw dramatic results immediately. I was astonished at how much I gained by working with needy people, reflecting on my experiences, meeting the extraordinary team members, and experiencing deep and rich prayer.
But the benefits were not just for me. When I opened myself to the Holy Spirit and allowed God to work through me, I witnessed the healing of people who had been suffering from fear. I witnessed the re-awakening of faith and trust in hearts that had been closed to God’s presence. I witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit moving in the world.
This was my first mission trip, but it will not be my last. I cannot imagine my future without these life-giving, affirming trips. The whole Seton congregation should be proud of their missions and the teens who go on them. You are blessed with an extraordinary ministry, and I pray that you will continue to cultivate it so that it can bear abundant fruit in your families for years and years to come.

Mike Tudor - adult
Seven years ago my oldest son came to me and wanted to go on a mission trip. I thought to myself, “a mission trip, but we’re Catholic, we don’t do these!” Well he came back changed. Since then three of my sons have gone on mission trips. My third son started telling me a year ago that I needed to go. Well I postponed and postponed making a decision. At a fish fry Adam finally convinced me with an application. I sat down and completed it. What had I gotten myself into? What really is a mission trip? I still put up barriers; work came in especially good here. I didn’t even pack until midnight the night before I went. Well I did go and found it to be a very fulfilling experience. I thought I would just go to fix things. Boy was I wrong. It wasn’t about fixing physical things at all. It was about helping to fix people, myself included. The trip was really about helping people to feel God’s love. This took some real hard work and a good fall for me. After working on Mr. Earl’s (a New Orleans resident) house to near exhaustion I found that there are other perhaps more fulfilling thinks that could be done like a walk around part of the city offering free prayer. Between this and the worship I was about to start to find my relationship with Christ. This built until Friday night at the Steubenville conference where when Bishop Sam Jacobs asked for people to come up front to commit their lives to Christ, I was able to do just that. This week I renewed my commitment to Christ. I believe this has changed my outlook on lie, deepened my relationships, and make me a happier person.

Chris Slawson - adult
The New Orleans mission trip was one of the best experiences that I have ever had. The group of teens and adults became like a family. The people at the retreat center and church where we stay were so happy to see us again and really appreciated our help. Some of our projects were: feeding the homeless, house repairs, helping those who live in poverty and prayer ministries. We did hard work in sometimes challenging conditions. For example, we helped Mr. Earl as his house. He had extremely poor living conditions. Through this work we make new friends and showed them God’s love. We ended our week with a huge youth conference. It was exciting and amazing to see how we increased our faith and trusted the Lord. Thank you for your financial and prayer support. It had made a huge difference in many people’s lives.

Dan Bartlett
This being my second trip I was excited to be back in New Orleans. We started out with a meeting in the Jesus room where we got our rooms and got settled. After that we had Brothers Chicken which is the best chicken in the world. We did tons of ministries. My favorite was Lazarus House, where we went to spend the day with people with AIDS. We listened to their stories and played games with them. The day that I went there a man by the name of Mr. Gerald and we just talked with him here for an hour and he just told us about his story, how he had owned a limo company, he drove a limo, and how he got AIDS. Then later we did tie dye and they loved it and I had a blast. In the end I can’t wait for missions next year.

Conner Crowe
All I can say about this New Orleans missions is PRAISE THE LORD! I can honestly say that this mission changed my life. Being a “newbie” I didn’t know what to expect, but after getting comfortable I started opening up to God. Just experiencing the Holy Spirit is the most peaceful, relaxing feeling a person could have. The one thing I remember the most is one of the ministries was free prayer. Just how strangers are willing to come up and just pray is amazing. Once in a while we would have a person give us an evil look, but it didn’t bother us. Worship was every night and we could feel the Holy Spirit moving through the room. Some veterans said that the point we were at in worship usually took a lot longer to get to, and we were there on the second and third night. The one thing I took out of this whole trip was that I met amazing people who were open, and that I am closer to God that I ever was before.

Mike Van Dorpe
I went to N’awlins as a part of Team 8. This was my 7th mission trip and hands down the best trip. The team got along very well. No one was excluded; we were one giant family. This ability to mesh together helped everyone open their hearts to God and to open up to the Holy Spirit. God was alive and kicking in us down in N’awlins.
There were so many incredible moments and experiences during worship and times of prayer that worlds can’t describe. The highlight of my trip started four months before we left. God told me that I was supposed to give a talk to the mission teams down in N’awlins. I was so excited to prepare this speech and to use Scripture to enforce the message. But I soon forgot about giving the speech, until Wednesday morning on the trip.
During morning prayer I was again told by God to give this speech to the group. That day I worked on the speech, and gave the talk the next night, when both mission teams were together.
I talked for a half hour on the topic of baggage – things that prevent us from getting to God. It was an incredible feeling to know that the words I spoke inspired and influenced my peers and the adults as well in their faith walk.
My hope now is that I can keep giving that talk and more to groups for years to come. It would be my honor to talk to any and everyone who wants to listen. Thanks for reading this and God bless.

Quotes from Monday

2008-07-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a little fun thing Wes started. Ask people for quotes from the day here's a few of them.

Alisa Serio "I've never been speechless before in my life."
Emily Schnell had the entire staff and customers of a tattoo parlor praying on their knees.
Steven Omiatek couldn't find the snowball stand.
Joel Parker "That was awesome" (Intercessor ministry)
Andrew Boehm "Whatever you guys are doing down there, keep it up!"
Kelli Lawless "At free prayer today three people came up to us to pray for us!"
Ryan Heraty "How does it feel not having as much snap as me?"
Mattew Welling "CAW!"
Andrew "The guy next to me in the tattoo parlor was speaking in tongues and was really religous, but they didn't look Holy."
Kristen Linner "Just before the car made a U-Turn I felt we needed to stay here because a car is going to stop" (it did)
Andrew "Mr. Earl was talking to us and telling us stories, they weren't even good stories. He just really needed to talk."
Adam Smyth "Charles said 'You need to get some love cream'"
Stephen "Listening to Mr Clayton's life story at Project Lazarus (a ministry for people with HIV/AIDS) made you think, this could really happen to anyone. There was so much bonding going on it felt like we were family."
Alyssa Serio "We sat in front of the tabernacle and stared at the picture of Jesus and that's all we could do. We stared at them for over an hour. We worshiped without music, we worshiped with our hearts in a way we've never worshiped before. We got gifts we never expected and it was beautiful."
Katy D "Is that when the pitbulls came out?"
Kevin "I didn't get him to sit, He just sat."

More to come tomorrow, I hope this was a fun glimpse into our days!

Reflections on Team 9's First Day of Ministry

2008-06-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

We had just an afternoon of ministries today, but WOW, full power and full speed ahead! Ministries included: Project Lazarus friendship outreach, Mr. Earl's home repairs, Miss Ava's friendship and home projects, Intercessor Prayer Ministry, Free Prayer walks in the French Quarter, and more!
Here are today's quotes:
"I've never been speechless before in my life!" Alisa Serio - Intercessor ministry
"We had the entire staff and customers of a Tattoo Shop on their knees and praying!" Emily Schnell - Free Prayer
I'll write more later. Time to worship!

New Orleans Team 9 Roster

2008-06-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

N’awlins June 26 – July 6
Mission Team #9
Total Team = 42
Bold = adult, V = previous Seton Mission Experience
Andrew Boehm - V
Kevin Bottalla - V
Mike Brasie (both) - V
Katie Browning - V
Kristen Bryar - V
Collin Cooper - V
Danielle Cornelius - V
Katie Devita - V
Emily Disselhorst - V
Alyssa Fanella - V
Carolyn Gorski - V
Dan Guentz
Allison Heraty
Ryan Heraty
Andrew Hoggatt - V
Kelli Lawless - V
Emily Lenzini
Kristin Linner - V
Jason Liuzzi - V
Jake Ludwig (both) - V
Susan Ludwig
Dylan Maule
Jared Mathews
Amanda Omiatek
Steven Omiatek
Tom Omiatek
Jennifer Pacini
Joel Parker - V
Sam Pauletti - V
Denise Ramis - V
Emily Schnell
James Schnell - V
Sue Schulz
Cathy Scott - V
Steve Scott
Kati Scronce
Alissa Serio - V
Wes Slawson (both) - V
Adam Smyth - V
Megan VanGoethem
Matt Wellington - V
Craig Westhoven (both) - V
WORSHIP LEADER = BRYAN SMYTH - Double - V

Steubenville Conference!

2008-06-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

Almost 3,000 Catholic teens from all over the country are here! Event organizers said that over 38,000 teens total will attend a Steubie conference somewhere in the US this year! Our group of 64 teens and adults started off the conference full tilt, praising God with all we had. Here's what the teens say they like the most so far: Worship Band = Servant Singers!, very personable Bishop Sam Jacobs, Eucharistic Adoration times = two so far, the guy's session speaker = Deacon Ralph Poyo, Small group prayer ministry time on Saturday night. On Saturday afternoon, a group of guys ran to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, that's right, ran! Many Steubie staff members and volunteer helpers are complimenting our teens on their: vibrant worship, deep love for each other, chivalrous actions of our boys helping the girls. Check out the pictures that will be online soon!

Team 9 Joins Us!

2008-06-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Team 8 gave an enthusiastic welcome to Team 9 as they entered the Center of Jesus the Lord on Thursday evening. After a New Orleans style shared meal, we had our first night of worship together. All are safe and sound this Friday morning as we prepare to pack up for the Steubenville Conference in Huoma, Louisana.

We may not have internet access again until very late Sunday night, but we'll try to post updates if possible.

Thank you for praying for all of us! It's having a powerful effect!

First Few Days

2008-06-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY. On Friday we arrived at the Center of Jesus the Lord, here in the French Quarter of New Orleans. We were warmly welcomed by staff and parish members at the Friday night Mass. Oh, yeah, we feasted on a local favorite, Brothers' Fried Chicken! We started strong with worship, led by Bryan Smyth. The Spirit showed up and it was an awesome first day. Our six newbies (first time missionaries) were very impressed with the beauty and accomodations here at the Center. They thought Wes was lying until they saw it for themselves. Everyone's healthy, except Erin, who has toe stitches, but we're taking turns carrying her around. Time for sleep.

SATURDAY. Prayer at the cross was at 7:45am. Lots of sleepy faces! But we took our postcard picture anyway. We should receive our postcards to send out by late this week. Lots of visiting today including a walking tour of the French Quarter that included eating beignets at Cafe du Monde! Also, we toured the Lower Ninth Ward, and met some of our favorite ministries including Project Lazarus and Hy & Libba McEnery's home. After dinner, we had worship time and again the Spirit was strong! Lots of powerful prayer ministry. The newbies, in accord with tradition, took a tour of the crypt, in the lower basement area. Then off to bed.

SUNDAY. Prayer at the cross was at 8am and everyone was on time! We went to Sunday Mass in a packed church. They specially recognized us and even had us come up for prayer. These people here treat us like treasured guests and even the newbies say that they feel so much at home! After lunch we went off to ministry sites. Today they included: Mr Earle's home repair, Project Lazarus, Toy's family home rehab,visit with Miss Ava, Free Prayer, Intercessors, Feeding the Hungry ministry and more. Teams were out until almost 8pm. Some people had crawfish for the first time. Everyone at some, even though we had to take the meat out of the shell for a few.

See our New Orleans Team 8 Pictures

2008-06-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE FOR DAILY PHOTO UPDATES!

2008 Seton New Orleans Mission Teams

2008-05-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Mission Teams blog for our ongoing mission outreach to New Orleans. We will post testimonies, prayer requests and links to the photo sites during our mission. Here is our New Orleans Mission Team 8 Roster:
N’awlins June 20 – 29
Mission Team #8
Total Team = 32
Bold = adult, V = previous Seton Mission Experience
Daniel Bartlett - V
Eva Bartlett - V
Laurie Bartlett - V
Justin Bartlett - V
Matt Biederwolf
Mike Brasie (double) - V
Hannah Brown - V
Katie Byron - V
Connor Crowe - V
Colleen Favuzzo - V
Rob King
Jake Ludwig (double) - V
Joey Majko
Tammy Marrah - V
Jason Morich
Solveig Mueller
Phil Peterson
Johnny Ryan - V
Chris Slawson - V
Wes Slawson (double) - V
Erin Theros - V
Kristen Theros - V
Adam Tudor - V
Kevin Tudor - V
Mike Tudor
Cathy Van Dorpe
Mike Van Dorpe - V
Maggie Walsh - V
Craig Westhoven (double) - V
Renee Westhoven - V
Tricia Westhoven - V
WORSHIP LEADER = BRYAN SMYTH - Double - V