NEW ORLEANS

The Daytona team left early Friday morning for New Orleans to meet up with the team from there and teams that came from Canada, Texas and California. It was good to be together as a family on the streets. We arrived Friday afternoon and had some dinner at Pastor Don and Sebrina's. Then settled into the YWAM house and headed out for Jesus Miracle Power where Pastor Don preaches and teaches on Tuesday and Thursdays. This is a recovery, rehabilitation and discipleship house run by "Mama Janice." God is doing a work there. We had worship, Pastor Don spoke a powerful message, Lenny sang acapella of God through each book of the Bible, and then we hit the French quarter.

Right off the bat, at Cafe Du Monde, there was Rose, one of the street kids that hang out on the riverfront. We went to get food for her and about 12 of her "friends." We got sandwich fixins, fruit, chips, cookies and water. We walked it over there and stayed quite a while talking with them. i met Christine, she is 18. She is in New Orleans to see her daughter Julianna, for her 5th birthday. She jumped a train to get here. Julianna was born when Christine was only 13 and Julianna lives with the father and another woman. Christine is from Miami where she lives with her mom. Her dad is out of the picture. She has no real faith in anything and was not "ready" to accept Jesus.

Pastor Troy had engaged a young man named Kenny, and after some time, Kenny made his decision to come to Jesus. Amen. Praise God.
KENNY

We then headed to Jackson Square and on to Bourbon Street. It was crazy because it was so near Halloween. Like Mardi Gras but with more weird costumes. People were just as drunk and hard to talk to, but we talked. Christy Bohn and i talked to this guy Mike for some time. He is a teacher in the area and teaches kids about "God and the world." This guy was so lost, and so adamant about his views on things. Well read in a lot of stuff except the Bible. The Holy Spirit was definitely missing from his reading. We called Pastor Todd over after about 35 minutes and then Albert got the end of it. He walked away teary eyed, but unsaved. Sad.
MIKE (with pony tail)

On Saturday morning, a few of us hopped in the van with Pastor Troy and headed to the French Quarter. He was going to see Audrey, the young mother of 2 who had given up Tarot Card reading at the last Mardi Gras. She is struggling and we wanted to get her off the street and into a program. She is at the Salvation Army now and we can pray she does well there. So, we got down there and split up for about 30 minutes. When Wanda and i got back to the van, Pastor Troy said he had run into a Guy who was going to cook and give away some chicken legs in the Quarter but had been run off before he could finish. He had this cooking show and a big cooking trailer. So, Pastor Troy said we could take care of it, and we all ended up taking it to the Iberville Projects and had outreach there. It was so awesome how the hand of God moved us on Saturday. Being in the projects is one of my favorite places and the day could not have been any better.

When we got to Iberville, Wanda and i took off to tell folks about Jesus, and the chicken. We headed up the center and i had to go to the bathroom. We met some guys at the end of the block by the little store and told them about the chicken and asked if i could use their bathroom. Well, they took us to the store and the owner let us use the bathroom. In the back we met Frank Winfeild. He is retired, and almost 62. He works at the store as a favor to friend. He works behind the meat counter. Frank knows Jesus and it was a pleasure to talk with him.

(On Saturday, our plans were to go minister at the VooDoo festival, a music venue that really celebrates the dark art of VooDoo. But as you can see, God had other plans. Since i was not expecting this turn of events i did not have my camera with me. But Wanda had hers so when she sends me the pix i will post them. We ministered as a team all day Saturday. It was awesome.)

So, Wanda and i let the Spirit lead us and we ended in the back of the main block. we knocked on doors and then we came on a group of ladies and their kids on a stoop. Here we met Natasha Jones and her kids, Tyree Lee-10 and George-15 months; Her friend Shawanda and her son Dishon-7 months; and Shiva and her daughter Davy-8 months. We had a great time with these women, talking about their situations, their dreams and about Jesus. Natasha and Shawanda re-dedicated their lives to the Lord and Shiva gave her life to the Lord this day as we prayed with her. Praise God for using us for His purpose. i am truly humbled to be His servant here on earth. Amen. As we were talking, Natasha's brother Darnell Jones came by and she said he needed prayer. Well, Darnell had a sweet and gentle spirit about him, and also had a heroin habit of 15 years. He is 34. We prayed with him and he threw a needle away that he had hidden in his sock, and he received the Lord Jesus and i believe he was delivered from his heroin addiction by the Lord this day. Praise God. God is so good and was so present in this place. It was so joyful. We bought ice cream off the truck and the joy of the lord was all over Darnell. We brought him back to meet Pastor Troy and Pastor Don. He was glowing. Pastor Todd will be discipling him and we can pray for him.

These people know that accepting Jesus is no magical cure for their problems and that their circumstances will not magically be transformed overnight. They know they will still struggle with the sin nature, but as they follow Jesus in His word and pray, God will bless them and their lives will change from the inside out. We had lots of time to talk with them and God's glory was manifest through them. Amen.

We also met Charles, Larry and Louis on a stoop. We talked about how things were not getting better in the project and there needs to be more of a presence for God there. They do what they need to do to survive. Someone had prayed for Charles out by the chicken trailer, and Charles and Larry went inside. Inside a house where the windows were broken out. We talked to Louis for a time. Louis steals to make ends meet, at least we think that is how he does it. He says his son thinks he is Jesus. When we asked him to meet the real Jesus, he said he was not ready, it was not time. He said he needed to get the blood off his hands first. He would not receive Jesus knowing he was still going to live a life unacceptable to Him. We told him about Hell and how real it would be if he went there now. About what his son needs. He keeps his son busy and his son does not see the bad stuff. We talked a long time, but his heart did not change. He knows he needs to repent and accept Jesus, but not now. He walked us out and we prayed for him. We went back to the house to get ready for our night in the French Quarter......

i will finish this later...try and wrap it up. i want to tell you about two on fire for the Lord brothers i met, and about our last night on the street. Got to go for a bit...God bless.