Hope

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2)

Last week was tough, listening to stories, meeting people, seeing the devastation and the horror of the storm and the flood. I have gone through stages of blaming, anger, and searching for explanations without much success. There is no way of finding a person to blame for Katrina, no way of making a one group of ethnic, age or economic status that the victims fit into. All kinds of people were touched, the only thing that they have in common is being hurt. Unable to deal with my thoughts in English I wrote few posts in Icelandic trying to cope with my emotions and the grief I felt.

It changed a bit yesterday when we met the women from Louisiana Spirit. Suddenly I saw some hope in the midst of this all. The women go from house to house (or from a FEMA-trailer to a FEMA-trailer) talking to people, getting stories, offering help in finding help and filling out forms for whatever. It was great to hear about social service, going out offering and helping, instead of responding only after the 2nd or 3rd appeal. After their introduction we had a day of, playing pool and drinking daiquiris, eating blackened alligator and listening to jazz. Going around in the French Quarter, were everything seems to be alive and kicking, was another beam of hope for this city unlike any other here in the States.

The third beam of hope was today in Bethlehem. After a service in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in New Orleans we were invited to a Church Potluck. The people in the church brought out chairs and tables, served us soup, meat, vegetables, massed potatoes, pecan-pie, and sodas, and everyone seemed to get enough, and there was plenty left. While I sat there being offered one dish after the other my thoughts went from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, thinking about the church that ate together and had the goodwill of all the people. I felt I was part of that church, and it filled my with joy being asked to take out the trash, being able to be a small part of the generous church, that goes out to give. It was wonderful to be a part of the common church that worships, lives and serves together knowing that everyone is welcome to God’s table.

(Being able to show of some soccer skills wasn’t bad either.)