July 4, 2016

Today was the huge Feed the Multitudes event! For Wes, cooking for this occasion is a highlight for his year. Our team members are encouraged to choose the volunteer station that they feel led by God to work in. After the powerful worship rally last night, a lot of hearts were moved. Two team members (Kent and Surina) were both unexpectedly led to go work with the feet washing/shoe distribution area. Destini felt pulled to work two different areas (the kids station and the spa station). Jen felt it best to utilize her medical expertise in the First Aid tent. Mark felt the call for a parking director. Bob's background with law work made his choice obvious: security crew. Those are just a few of what our team members signed up for. However, on the actual day of the event, a couple plans veered onto God's true course.

Elijah and Connor went around with free prayer signs, Brooks felt an urge to go towards a man whom he ended up spending the majority of the afternoon talking to, and Jen, who actually came to find the First Aid tent fully staffed already, was the main photographer for this event with the "missions camera". If there was any time to expect divine appointments during this missions trip, it would likely happen at this event.. and happen they did! As aforementioned, Brooks was used through God to speak with the homeless man for much of the time spent at the event, Wendy was powerfully moved through the Spirit's strong presence in the worship tent, and Ashley was able to hand out some of her Love As Jesus bracelets to women she painted nails for. In the shoe tent, supplies had been running low and it was happening too soon -- if the shoes ran out early on in the day, several people would be left without the blessing of the service. The station group prayed and, not long after,  a woman from JC Penny's walked in with donations of the exact number and exact sizes of shoes needed. Talk about a total "praise God!" moment!

We spent the evening preparing tacos and leftover (from Feed the Multitudes) jambalaya then deciding to go on an adventure. Bob, Trachelle, Mark, Kent, Surina, Destini, and Ashley set off to downtown New Orleans to watch the fireworks over the riverwalk while others who needed to stay back and physically/spiritually recover from the day did so. While the select few who went to the downtown for fireworks, they ended up praying over a couple of women in the park and passing on some wristbands to them.

Tomorrow is our last day in NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) and prayers for proper spiritual reflection on this mission as well as prayers for packing/cleaning up would be, as always, greatly appreciated!