happy easter

he is risen indeed my friends. not that my posting on easter signals the resurrection of this blog. hah!

tomorrow i am going to new orleans with 7 kids and 3 other leaders. all female, so that will be interesting. we will be working with the st. bernard project. it's a rebuilding organization, helping people get back into their homes after hurricane katrina. it's almost been 2 1/2 years since the hurricane. people are still living in FEMA trailers, or elsewhere. besides the physical damage - 100% of the area was rendered uninhabitable, it was under 20 feet of water - this community, the st. bernard parish, was like "an oversized cheers bar" according to the founder. everyone knew each other. moving far away meant moving 20 minutes away to slidell. you knew your neighbors, often since childhood, and depended on them. katrina was a big double whammy. it will be good to be there, eat a lot of fried food, and get to know people's stories. and try to eat my weight in beignets, the french -style doughnut. i believe it is french for "fried doughy goodness." but don't quote me on that. anyway, prayers for the week - ranging from safety to keeping my arteries clear - would be very appreciated.

anyway, on my end, spring could not have arrived any sooner. curse me all you want, northern folk. this is why i keep returning to california. i'm wearing flip flops right now. my spirits have risen, even as freakin' daylight savings time give me sunshine but robs me of sleep. the past month or so has revealed depth of community and caring that had not been obvious to me before. the value of simple meal around a table in a warm home has just increased in even more value to me. it makes me curious to stay here longer and see what comes of these relationships. well, we'll see.