The shutters are actually closed on the house, so you cannot see the windows. The house is formerly a double shot gun home that was renovated many years ago into a single. It was recently (as in the last few months) renovated again to look like a brand new home on the inside and out.
I wanted y'all to see the new house we are in the process of purchasing. We were suppose to close tomorrow (Nov. 15), but the Orleans Parish computers crashed last week. This crash made it impossible for the titles of over 30 homes in the parish to be cleared for closing. They are in the process of getting things cleared up and we have been given a tentative date of Nov. 19th (this coming Friday) for the closing. We are praying that this date is a keeper. I would really like to go to my family's for Thanksgiving. If the house does not close until next week, I might not get to go Tifton.
This house has been such a blessing from the start. It is completely renovated. It is in a wonderful section of mid-city. We are within walking distance of some fabulous restaurants and the street car. We are street car ride away from city park and even the aquarium if it is a pretty day.
The aspect of this house that excites us the most is that it is right in the heart of the area we feel God has led us to plant a church. This mid-city area has about 40,000 residents and no evangelical church. This community, or faubourg (pronounced foe berge) if you are from New Orleans, has residents who have lived there all their lives or most of their adult lives. They accept you as one of them only if you live in their community. This fact is true for most of the fough bourges. The population is culturally diverse. There are African Americans, Hispanics, White Americans, and other ethnicities living in the area. Economically, the people are either lower middle class or higher upper class. There are very few in between. As in most of New Orleans, most of the community comes from a Catholic heritage.
We are so very excited about the number of diversities in this area. We have felt very strongly that God is leading us to plant a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-econimic church. If you are not familiar with church planting, these churches are the hardest to plant because of the number of differences. However, Page and I feel very strongly that these types of churches are the most Biblical. We want to see God's will here on earth as it is in Heaven. In Heaven we are going to be worshiping with every nation, tribe, and tongue. We would love to see a little of that here in New Orleans.
We are praying specifically that God would use this little house on Telemachus (pronounced Tell u makus) to be a light in this community. We are praying that God would show us how we can minister to our neighbors and open up our home as a place of hope, comfort, and healing. Please pray with us that God would go before us into this community and that the hearts of our neighbors would be prepared to hear the gospel. I would also appreciate your prayers as we plan to move before Page gets home. My goal is to be in the house the week after Thanksgiving. Of course, this is the second time I have laid out plans and I do realize that God's plans are much better than mine. I will try to wait patiently.
We are definitely in the last few days of this very long year. I think we are down to 32 days (this is if the Army does not change anything) and counting. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!! God has been and is so faithful. Thank you for your continued thoughts, support, and prayers.
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