My Thoughts on NOLA and Lenny Kravitz

On June 19 I left Lewisville, TX to go to New Orleans, Louisiana to be the nurse for 120 kids and sponsors from my church, First Baptist Church of Lewisville. I love serving my church in this capacity. While we were there we were doing a concert on Friday night and Lenny Kravitz joined our concert for a brief moment. If I had had enough battery on my phone I would have Googled him to see who he was because I had no idea. I took a quick pic and posted it on my Facebook profile as I had done previously that week. I had heard the name before but that was it. There was a student who was really sick at the time and my thoughts were more on her than anything else.

Since I have been home I have had more texts, emails, messages, etc. about Lenny Kravitz. Our group is so thrilled that he came and sang with us but Lenny Kravitz is not the first thing I think about on our trip to New Orleans. NOLA was so much more than Lenny Kravitz.

Here is what NOLA meant to me:

Getting to know three different kids and their parents that I might not otherwise have gotten to know individually by taking them to the ER.

Sitting in the pouring rain without any shelter watching our kids play flag football with 20 kids from the Ninth Ward.

Seeing the joy our kids felt on Friday when they turned all of the sports equipment to two ministries in that same area so that they could continue ministering to kids in that area.

Knowing that there is a Flag Football Camp every Wednesday morning at 10 AM in the Ninth Ward.

Learning that we were in the highest crime area of NOLA.

Having a little girl named Ranja ask me for my ball cap so that her hair wouldn't get wet in the rain.

Cutting the handles off my tote bag to make a homemade belt for Terrance so he could play baseball without fear of his pants falling down.

Having long conversations with Dionte at flag football and him calling me Mama.

Watching our kids wash the feet of 200 kids for Samaritan's Feet and putting a brand new pair of socks and shoes on their feet.

Listening to our kids sing Man in the Mirror with Ishmael and Ishmael doing all of the Michael Jackson parts perfectly.

Having a woman at a hotel randomly stop a friend and I and ask us if we were the "yellow shirt" people and then her telling us how our kids ministered to her at the mall and on the Creole Queen.

Seeing how these kids have grown up and are well on their way to adulthood and realizing how much time has flown since I was their nurse when they were in the 3rd grade at church camp.

Walking the neighborhoods of the Ninth Ward and not being afraid.

Seeing houses that are not rebuilt after Katrina.

Watching our kids minister to our bus driver who continually criticized our efforts in NOLA.

Picking up the sweetest 3 year old girl to take her to get her shoes and having her hug my neck until we got to the place where we needed to be.

Hearing the story of one single mom who had 2 of 4 children swept away in the flood waters of Katrina and recovered them alive.

Hearing the story of that same mom who has so little cook red beans, rice, cornbread, and brownies and feed all of our kids and sponsors at that particular camp. The story of the Widow's Mite brought to life for our kids.

Telling the story of Jonah and the whale to different kids as they were having their snack.

Talking to different students about being a nurse because they want to go to nursing school.

Telling a girl who is 6'1" and has a full ride basketball scholarship to SMU how I really am not afraid of too many people in life.

Watching our kids go get kids in the neighborhoods and let them ride on their shoulders too and from camp.

Seeing our kids cry when Friday came and knowing they would probably never see these kids again.

Learning and realizing what the symbols mean on the houses.

Watching our music minister tell Lenny Kravitz's manager that he was going to finish the song the kids were playing before Lenny could join our choir and not caring that Lenny might not join us if he didn't succumb to what the manager wanted.

Hoping that Mike Smeaton gets the recognition he deserves for his musical talents because he has worked very hard to get where he is.

Watching our kids encourage each other and worshipping with others and together as a group.

Thanking God that we were able to minister to the people of NOLA and knowing that I will never be the same again.