Grace Notes

This morning started early as we cleaned out our rooms, packed our bags and loaded the busses before heading to our final mass event, the closing.

The mass event was a joyous celebration and culmination of the last four days of Gathering, singing the songs we’d learned, praising God and holding tightly to the fellowship and friendship that had developed.

Jeffrey Meinz delivered a rousing message, challenging us to be ready to tell the story as Phillip witnessed to the Ethiopian. He demonstrated just how easy it could be, including a three minute recital of the Gospel message.

On the way to morning coffee au lait

The day started bright and early for our most adventurous youth as we braved the almost deserted streets of the city for an early morning trip to Cafe Du Monde to get caffe au lait and beignets. As we left the restaurant, the streets were already beginning to fill with youth groups from all over the country.

Our group reunited at the morning meeting  where we discussed the plan of the day before heading downstairs to meet with the large group for a tour of the city by bus.

As we boarded the bus, fond memories of the trip south came cascading

back, but this time the trip was much shorter. Our tour guide Inez shared the history and colorful stories of the area, people and architecture

of the city. We stopped and toured through a cemetery where Inez revealed the mystery of the above ground burial customs.  Think recycling….  We saw the house used to film Gone with the Wind, and we ‘saw’ many

Above ground tomb in New Orleans

missing buildings that were notable prior to Katrina.  (Note: The most common words one hears in New Orleans are “Before Katrina…”).

After the bus tour, the youth whiled away the final hours before the Gathering opening with time-honored pastimes of shopping, wandering, and swimming.

Late in the afternoon in sweltering heat, we walked the mile to the Superdome for the Gathering opening service.  People with green backpacks were everywhere!  We crammed onto the entry area of the stadium as a band energized the growing crowd. Our biggest challenge was staying together as people pressed toward the gates.  At last the doors opened and we had our first view of the Gathering: the vast arena, lights, smoke, giant flashing screens, REALLY loud music, and 25,000 Christian youth filing into their seats.

NYG2010 Opening

From the beginning, the mass event had us singing, stomping, shouting, and clapping.  We watched an amazing sand painter rapidly create Biblical scenes and just as rapidly morph them into the next.  We listened to Gregory T. Manning tell us of being born blind, just like a certain man in the Bible, and how Jesus healed his spiritual blindness.  The Gathering Worship Team acted out the first episode of “The Network”, a serial drama that will unfold during the event.

We explored the question of the day:  What are some of the truths the world would like you to believe?  And we began to explore the Gathering theme, ‘We Believe’ and examine just what it is that we believe.

Imagine 25,000 youth and chaperones holding hands and singing and praying together.

The Superdome sent forth an incredible outpouring of believers at the end of the event, as a river of youth moved elbow to elbow down Poydras Street.  It took us 50 minutes to walk the mile back because of the crushing crowd and the often narrow sidewalks. People still sang and shouted praise, and observers could not possibly miss the excitement in the  crowd.

Back at the hotel, we enjoyed a dance until midnight and played cards until Lights Out. Not surprisingly, we fell asleep as soon as…zzzzzzzzz

While the youth slept in, a team of chaperones rose early and sped into the city on a quick scouting mission. As they left the hotel, a large bank of dark gray clouds could be seen on the southwest horizon; the team was soon to learn that this is a pretty reliable indicator of heavy rains. The team also learned that starting your day soaking wet is probably not the best way to start the day. Traditionally, one becomes soaking wet slowly, over the course of the day from the inside out, not suddenly from a torrential down pour.

Our group started our daily activity with a morning meeting to discuss ground rules, eat breakfast and talk about the plan for the day.  We split up, some visiting the National World War II Museum and some visiting the shops along the River Walk and the French Quarter. Lunches were eaten in small groups and one group was delighted to have the company of the Chuck and Cheri G who are also visiting New Orleans.

The Rochester group all came together again to tour the New Orleans waterfront on the Natchez, one of the few remaining  steam powered paddle boats on the Mississippi River.

Two chaperones split from the group after the boat docked and hastened to the convention center to squeak into line before the doors closed on the Early Registration period to register our group and collect backpacks, guides, Bibles and tee shirts. (The rest of the group wishes they could have seen the two guys walking back from the convention center carrying twenty backpacks!)  The remainder of the group returned to the French Quarter to sight-see, shop and find the restaurant where we would have our big meal as a youth group. At the restaurant, everyone enjoyed the view from our balcony tables, many enjoyed tasting sauteed frog legs and fried alligator tail, some enjoyed a nice plate of chicken fingers.

After the evening meal, we had a leisurely stroll back to the hotel through crowded streets, our progress occasionally impeded by street performers entertaining the crowds.

A brief evening meeting and free time in the hotel rounded out the day. Rousing card games, arcade games and going to bed early were some of the activities enjoyed by GYM members. We highly anticipate the beginning of the Gathering on Saturday evening.

We left Rochester at 7:00 pm with high energy and expectations after the Sending service. Our first bus driver, Jack, took us to La Crosse, then handed over the wheel to Roger. Heavy traffic and road construction slowed our progress to a crawl through sections of Wisconsin, but at least we had some rain and lightning to watch as we crept along the interstate. Those who were unimpressed by the weather watched The Princess Bride. The bus chatter perked up after we finished swarming a rest area near Madison, WI, but quieted down during the movie Up and dwindled as many dropped into cramped, fitful sleep.

A quick stop for “drivers only” (only half the youth get off the bus) around 4:30 am and another short ride took us to Sikeston, MO, where we stopped for breakfast, fuel and a new driver, Loren. As many youth watched three movies, the Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi countryside rolled past the bus windows. In addition to idly watching, many napped, read and looked forward with growing anticipation to the swamp tour, but mostly to getting off the bus.

Crawford, an American alligator

We stepped off the bus in La Place, LA for our swamp tour and immediately started melting from the 98 degress, 98 percent humidity. After feeding ourselves with sack lunches, we set forth on two boats to feed the alligators, which enjoyed marshmallows and raw chicken necks. The alligators would launch themselves from the water to snatch treats from sticks held by (unusually) timid Lutheran teenagers. However, two of our number joined our guide on shore to wrestle an alligator, or at least grab it by the tail. Christina of Family of Christ Lutheran Church and Leah of Grace Lutheran Church showed no fear as they strained to keep the ‘gators from scrambling back into the bayou.

Alligator Wrestling

The rest of us had the chance to hold Elvis, a pint sized alligator on the boat. The biggest threat from Elvis came from his tiny nervous bladder. Leah Trompthegator scoffed at such silliness.

Elvis

We arrived (quite fragrantly) at our hotel in downtown New Orleans at 8:45 pm and were checked into our rooms by 9:30. Many took a quick refreshing swim, we all gathered for a group meeting and hit the beds for a long anticipated snooze. We thank God for safe travels and good fellowship. We thank all the parents and friends who saw us off and for continued prayers and support.