The Almost, New Orleans and Rob Bell...

Tommie and I drove in this morning at 3 a.m. We put our sleepy puppy to bed and crashed, falling asleep in minutes. When I woke up this morning and began to burn the fog out of my groggy mind, I started to put together the pieces of thoughts I collected in the past two days.


The reason Tommie and I got home so late is that we left New Orleans, LA, at about 10 p.m. We had gone to see Kenny, Tommie's brother, play a show at the House of Blues. He did a fantastic job. The kid is a prodigy. He's 17 and on a national tour. Whoa.

I guess though, in order to collect the thoughts, I ought to start a little farther back than the incredible drumming we had the pleasure of seeing and hearing. I ought to start with our drive into the city of Slidell, LA, just outside of New Orleans. As we drove down the ever-lengthening, dreary I-10, we all of a sudden began to see signs of life. We also began to see signs of destruction and reminders of the horrors that befell New Orleans over a year ago. It's funny, I guess I had it in my mind that they would have had everything all cleaned up by now, all traces of Katrina erased and new, better things in place to whitewash the memories of the weary residents and the curious tourists. I was wrong though. Trees were down all over the place. Apartment complex after complex was in ruin with no sign of anyone doing anything to improve them. Neighborhoods were pockmarked with ruined houses belonging to residents who were either not returning or unable to repair their damaged homes. All this lay in stark contrast to the homes residents had taken the opportunity to not only rebuild, but improve. The same was true of the city itself. Ramshackle store fronts stood next to remodeled businesses thriving (or at least surviving) in the post-Katrina Crescent City.

I tell you this because it made me think, there's much that could be done for those people.

As we drove home, trying desperately to not let our sleepy minds take control of our tired eyes, we listened to a podcast of Rob Bell, a contributing pastor at Mars Hill in Grand Rapids. He was talking about serving people. He was talking about changing the world through service. Not the dreamy pie-in-the-sky utopian ideals spouted by those who haven't been in the real world, but truly "hearing the cry of the oppressed" as Jesus did and serving them as our Lord would.

What does it mean to "hear the cry of the oppressed?" It means to actually know someone who is poor, downtrodden, abused, in need--oppressed. It means to know them and to do your best to serve their need-Not just to medicate their need by giving handouts, but to care for them.

So, this trip has me thinking, New Orleans, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, all of these places and more are in need of something. Our neighbors, our families, our friends and the people we meet, someone is in need. We do not have to help ALL of these people. We must help who we can. We must help one. One first. Then one next. It is like Christ. It is our calling.

I would love to post millions of ways to help, but I don't know them all. Feel free to post a comment to this blog with a ministry you think people could support. In the mean time, I'd like to advocate an organization one of my friends believes deeply in, an organization I am going to look into and hopefully support: The Mocha Club.

Do what you can. Serve one.