Things have definitely improved since the last time I wrote. We had a great two weeks of an event we called Blight Busters, which was a labor-intensive neighborhood clean up. We had some 200 volunteers in over spring break and we spent that time getting everyone (staff included) out into the neighborhood. We cleaned up empty lots by picking up trash, removing debris and cutting grass. It was amazing to see how many neighbors came out to see what we were doing and were truly appreciative of what was being done.

That time also gave Pastor John an opportunity to meet the guy who is now in charge of the drug activity in the neighborhood. While the encounter started off a little iffy, it ended with Pastor John explaining why we didn't want that going on in our neighborhood and giving him a chance to find out that the two men had a shared interest in at least one thing, the show 24. It's amazing how when we take the time to get out and serve God will open doors to use us.

Just this past Sunday we also had a wonderful Easter celebration. We used a building down the street from us so we weren't so packed into the church building, but we love the growth and it is a blessing to have outgrown the space that we have. We are still praying about a potential move to a facility vacated by the Catholic church following Katrina. Please pray that God would open and close doors accordingly.

Following church a whole bunch of people gathered for a crawfish boil, which may not be your traditional Easter dinner, but we had a lot of fun. It was a great time of food and fellowship on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

First you have to put the crawfish in a container and fill it with water and salt to get them to, umm, clean themselves out.

This batch had several really big ones and Ruby got brave enough to touch one of the tails.

I never realized that, for the most part, the crawfish aren't red until you cook them. I'm personally not a huge fan, but it was fun to see the whole process.

And I couldn't resist adding this photo. This is baby Cecilia and she was being adorable so I took advantage of the opportunity.

Other than these two big events, things have been pretty quiet here lately. One of the big things that I am working on now is support raising. I have recently fallen behind in my funding due mostly to lack on one-time gifts with no increase in my number of monthly partners. It was been disheartening to have to spend so much time focusing on how to raise the money, but I know that God will be faithful to provide.

I am actively seeking those who would like to become monthly supporters. Even $15 or $20 a month would make a difference and would help ease the stress of consistently being in the hole. It's never been easy for me to ask for money and God has taught me so much about the generosity of others and relying on Him through this whole process. Thank you so much to all those who have partnered with me and those who continue to do so. God is doing great things here in New Orleans!