Pre-trip Interview - 4

Tim Witte, our trip spiritual leader, has this to share about why he is going back to New Orleans for clean-up efforts:

"When I returned from the first Gulf Coast Mission trip in April of 2006, I experienced many exhilarating feelings. Each time someone would ask me about the trip was an opportunity for me to witness for Jesus and at the same time, I was able to relive the mission trip in my mind.

" In January of 2007, I prayed to God about where He wanted me in His service. His answer was return to New Orleans. The Lord knew that I needed to give back to the Concordia Mission Program for all my positive experiences before, during, and after the 2006 trip. By becoming involved in Gulf Coast Mission-2, I could help prepare its’ new members, rebuild more homes, and give hope to more people in New Orleans for a better future. I cannot describe the looks on their faces or the appreciation in their hearts that a stranger would travel across the country to show they care about them.

"If the Lord is tugging at your heart, even a little bit, to become involved in a mission project, I encourage you to pray to Him concerning your involvement. Concordia has many different mission opportunities that can fit your present life and you too, can have these “mountain top” experiences."

Pre-Trip Interview 3

The team of 13 people going to New Orleans this spring of 2007 for disaster clean-up relief come from all different backgrounds and life experiences - engineers, sales people, quite a few teachers and so on. Ages range from 15 to, dare I say it, in their 50's. Some are gainfully employed while others are not. God uses all of us at different times in our lives to reach out to those that are in the "darkness." The challenge is to be open and willing to give God's loving touch to those in need and become living vessels for the Spirit's work.

The following interview of "Why I am going" comes from our elementary school principal, Bob Boyd.

"As I have served 28 years as a Christian school teacher and principal it has always been a fine line between what I do because I am the principal, a servant of the church and school, and what I do because I am a Christian and a citizen. This trip to New Orleans allows me to help people and to share the Gospel in a role that reflects who I am apart from my profession. I am simply a Christian man and member of Concordia Lutheran Church who believes God can use me to help people who have been suffering and who may need to hear of God’s grace and love as expressed in His son, Jesus Christ. An added bonus is that my fifteen year old son, Ethan, will accompany us and we will be able to work side by side. And he actually wants to do it! Cool!"

In His children's service,

Robert C. Boyd

Pre-trip interviews 2

Our second and third short essay on "Why I am going?" comes from Duane Thieme, who participated in the 2006 Gulf Coast mission trip, and Joe Milledge, who was a part of our team to Ethiopia this past October.

Duane writes: "God has blessed me in many ways. I feel that going down to the Gulf Coast and helping other families rebuild their lives by constructing or re-constructing their homes is a way I can say "Thank you, Lord!" for what He has given me and my family. God is using me/the Team as His conduit to show the families that He has not forsaken them and that He does answer prayers. I am just returning to God the time and talents He has bestowed on me."

Joe writes: "Approximately six months ago I was called by God to go on a mission to Ethiopia. This was a time when I was trying to find my purpose in life or a more spiritual meaning to my life. Of all places, traveling to Africa and ministering to the mentally handicapped, people who suffer from HIV/AIDS, and children growing up as orphans. I was so taken to find that some of these people had such a strong faith in God. This was an eye opening experience that provided me with a feeling of being free, high and lifted up. I found that I wanted to strengthen my faith in God. These people matter to God as well as people in the Gulf Coast. I enjoy helping those in need and know that it is pleasing to God. As I continue my spiritual growth. I believe that helping those in need; will help me to stay focused in my faith. God’s Blessing to All."

Gulf Coast 2007 Mission

Concordia Lutheran Church & School in Fort Wayne, IN is again preparing a team of 13 to head down south to New Orleans on March 31st returning April 7th, 2007 to continue relief efforts following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina in partnership with Lutheran Disaster Relief. The team has been going through training in cross-cultural ministry and Becoming a Contagious Christian along with team building, Bible study and prayer.

When asked why they are going, team member Bruce Flohr had the following to share.

"Why am I going? To serve God by serving others. It's something I've been wanting to do ever since a few of my friends went on mission trips and told me about their life-changing experiences. I feel God is telling me to do this too. It's just an extension of my personal philosophy/beliefs on service - to make our world a better place. As Rick Warren says at the beginning of A Purpose Driven Life, 'It's not about me.' Also, I have been feeling too insulated lately and not compassionate enough. I need to step off the end of the dock/pier...and what better way than in Christian fellowship."

Please include this team in your daily prayers for safety, wisdom and an extra measure of God's strength as they go out to do this work. Also pray that God prepares the hearts of those that we meet that do not know Him to be open to the witness of this team sent in His name. We pray for divine appointments to further the work of His Kingdom.

To God alone be the glory!

Ellen Mann
Logistical Team Leader - Gulf Coast 2