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Restoration Sunday Events at Camp Restore - August 29, 2009
On the weekend of August 29, 2009, the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina [K4], RAI Ministries held several “Restoration Sunday” events at Camp Restore while many congregations around the country did the same. (Click here for more information about holding your own Restoration Sunday.)
Events included a Lutheran Hour Ministries Men’s NetWork gathering, jambalaya cookoff and worship service commemorating the anniversary and giving thanks for all the volunteer work that’s been completed thus far in restoring faith, home and community to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.
The K4 Men’s NetWork Restoration Retreat Crew! Photos courtesy Bill Mattheessen and Jan Freeman.
RAI Ministries Director Dave Buss welcomes everyone to the event.
Lutheran Hour Ministries’ own Dick Cohrs leads the group in studying the Word.
One of many heated games of table tennis.
One of the two main service projects for the weekend involved erecting a circus tent to provide shade outside the temporary classrooms at Craig Elementary School in New Orleans East. The school will be moving into a permanent location in the Treme neighborhood.
Driving in the stakes… a little bigger than your typical camping tent’s.
Beginning to rise…
All finished!
The other service project involved painting at a home on Paris Avenue being restored by Camp Restore volunteers. Nice work, guys!
And now the main event: Jambalaya cookoff at Camp Restore!
Dual-purpose canoe paddle (OK, not really).
The four teams work to finish up.
Ready for tasting and voting.
People from all over New Orleans and the Gulf Coast arrive for the cookoff and worship service.
Goooood cookin’!
The night of August 29th was capped off with a commemorative worship celebration of thanks for the past four years of recovery and remembering the continued work ahead. Pastor Matthew Harrison of LCMS World Relief and Human Care, one of the organizations that helped in the establishment of Camp Restore, Camp Biloxi and RAI Ministries, preached on the similarities between New Orleans’ recovery and Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.