Faith in others 30,000 anyone?

It's 4:24 am, an early Wednesday morning. For some reason i just can't sleep. It may be due to the anticipation/excitement/anxiety/craziness that is going to come along with the move to New Orleans. By now I, am pretty concerned about money issues. I know the lord is leading me to really, settle and live in New Orleans for an indefinate amount of time. I am thinking 2 years atleast. I feel as if i am an odd humanitarian, who is willing to place much risk into seeing great change. This is scary and exciting at the same time. People ask me why i am going there, and why the heck would i want to teach in the schools there and deal with those kids and the neighborhoods. What many would consider dangerous, risky, and rediculous living conditions, i consider beautiful. I see a place in such dispair, is a place to see great change. It is in the least of these that we can find life. I see an opportunity to be a part of peoples lives in an amazing and rediculous story that Christ wants to display.

Jesus, often invested in the least of all people, which is everyone in a certain way. He invested in the extremes of life, where the most potential for change could happen. He risked his life, so that we may have life to the full. Why don't we often place our lives on the line so that others may have life to the full?

I have come to grips with the move to NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana). I get the impression that its a pretty dang rough city, marked with lots of problems, corruption, and irresponsible people. There is no way that I can survive there on my own. I need the help of the Father, church, and the goodwill of others.

The dream I have is to be living, working, investing, and helping in an area where many may be scared to live. I desire to begin to understand who these people are, and what their lives are like. I desire to see children grow up in an environment that is loving and caring. I want to see the advancement of family development, and education as a whole. I have a holistic mindset on helping the people of New Orleans, leading to new life. Christ has placed a burden on my heart and given me a brain and a body to use. I feel as if i am a pastor whos not ordained or one who is recognized by much by U.S. Government standards. I do possess a heart of ambition, and servitude to seek the lost and heal the lame. I have been redeemed to live a life for the sake of others so that they may have hope and life to the full.

I am not quite sure what God has planned out there so far, except for me to invest my time out there for an indefinate amount of time. I have realized that i pretty much need to buy a house there with the income I may or may not have. The house i have realized has become oddly important. Not only is it good use of money, but theres just so much more that comes along with it. As everyone knows, if one person cleans their yard up in a neighborhood, and makes it beautiful, others in the neighborhood tend to take notice, and will start to clean up their yard too. So fixing up a forgotten house speaks multitudes. It is also wise in order for really securing a place in the neighborhood, it shows others committedness to an area. This also helps in building relationships with those immediately around you. It also allows for more opportunities for interaction with neighbors and can then begin to understand what life is like. A home would also be a place of refuge, not only for me, but also for others. I seek to have a "neighborhood house" a place where kids, and adults would feel is a safe haven. That is my dream, that places much at risk, and i dont really know where to begin except in to first define the location.

At what many would say "young age" of 23, I do not feel that i possess sufficient knowledge quite yet in order to be wise about the purchase of a house out in New Orleans. Thats where the many of you get to be apart of the story unfolding in New Orleans. I know there are people out there who know more, and possess more knowledge in this area than I do. I am asking for your help. Whether its financial, physical, or mental. I am not one to put myself into debt, and money is not my own, but it speaks volumes. I am cashing in, and I feel that the lord wants to let the church be a part of me ascertaining a home and to be apart of cashing in on the story to be told of a daimond in the rough, so here is my plea.

I am looking to raise $30,000-$40,000, so that i may have a home to live in. ~$20,000 for a lot/house 10~20,000 for the gutting and refinishing.

I dont know how this may work, but i trust in the Lord that he wants to do great things.

On the road again

Just as thought i would settle in..... As i came back from Indonesia, i knew that the Lord was telling me the next thing i would be doing would be for atleast a year or two if not more. I have been in search of where God would plant me. As of today i am officially about to move to New Orleans by the end of the month. I will be helping with Crossroads Missions, and possibly teaching in the public school system there in the fall and spring. Thats the update for now.