A Very Full Day by Raffi (a pilgrim)
Our fourth day in New Orleans was probably our most eventful yet. Following our arrival at St Philip’s Episcopal Church in Algiers, we were put to work painting the interior of the Fellowship Hall. Part of the team spent the day disinfecting and pressure-washing and playing with all of the playground equipment. It was jaw-dropping to see the contrast of the walls before and after we started working.
After stopping to indulge in New Orleans style Sno-balls of innumerable flavors, we took part in St Philip’s Saturday evening Eucharist where people expressed their gratitude for what we did. It was great to see their smiling faces when they first saw he freshly painted walls.
After a delicious dinner and some play time near the Mississipi River, we made our way to the McDonoughville Cemetery- one of New Orleans’ “cities of he dead.” There we brought up the question of what it means to leave a legacy. Several of the youth and adults shared their stories and what this means to them in heir lives.
For the final surprise of the evening we found ourselves taking a ferry boat home after a very full day of fun and hard work.