National Youth Gathering-New Orleans-Day 5

Today started out early.  Some of the group got up and went to a Worship service at 7:30. Others chose to catch up on their sleep, which was hard to do considering we had to be up and out by 8 o’clock.

We started our one of many long walks of the day down to the Convention Center for the Interaction Center.  There we explored the half mile long area filled with booths and activities that ranged from pan-pipe making to knitting, to dodge-ball and zip lines to habitat for humanity and national/ global issue booths.  After losing ourselves for a few hours in the interaction center we met up and went to lunch. 

One group went to Café Reconcile, a restaurant that hires inner city youth to cook and serve.  Their mission is to help them to find jobs and get back on their feet.  Despite a lengthy walk and street car ride, going to Café Reconcile was definitely worth it because the wait staff were very welcoming and the food was great.  Another group went to eat lunch at Frank’s Italian Restaurant with a youth group from Chicago.  They walked along the river walk to reach their destination where they indulged in maffuletas and po’-boys. 

After lunch we all met up back at the convention center to take the Nebraska State Synod photo.  At the meeting we all chanted “Go Big Red!” to many times and listened Bishop David deFreese speak.  Because he did not have a working microphone all the people in the front repeated what he said, so the back section could hear him, it was quite the experience with the more than 1,100 Nebraskans there.  The photo was taken in many shots.  Since the Bishop was behind a tree in the San Antonio 2006 youth gathering Nebraska Synod picture, he thought he would get in every single shot for this gathering.  So between shots Bishop deFreese would switch seats, he said it would be similar to “Where’s Waldo.”

Supper was on our own, the guys stopped at McDonald’s for dinner and the girls had sandwiches on the way to the Dome.  At the Dome we listened to the house band, Lost and Found, and Skillet.  We also heard speakers Spencer West and Michel Chikwanine.  They both had powerful stories and messages about serving, perseverance and being yourself.

The night ended with devotions, ice cream, dancing and chilling out at the Roosevelt.  We then slept in peace so that we could get up early the next morning to serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Blog:  Becca, Morgan, Nicole , and Holly