Hello y'all,
     I'm sorry I've been radio silent. I've planned on blogging every single night this week, and every night I've been too emotional to write anything. As luck would have it that made it so that I had to blog on the night of prayer partners. I've been crying for almost an hour now.  This has been an extremely emotional and meaningful trip. We came into it knowing that we would be doing much different work, expanding our horizons, and that hasn't exactly pleased some people. I think that every single person has a valid opinion, whether I agreed with them or not, and it was so inspiring to hear all of their extremely thoughtful insights. I personally have found this trip to be full of growth and challenges. I had never worked with developmentally disabled people before, and I had a wonderful and challenging experience. Though when pulling weeds in a community garden I had a hard time seeing my impact on those hurt by Katrina, I leave this trip with a new understanding of what community means and why it's so important. I think for a lot of us it was a shock to realize that swinging a hammer is not all we can do for New Orleans. This week I cleared out a house once owned by Mamie DeJean,including all of her clothes and photos, worked in the CRISP permaculture community garden, the Edible Schoolyard garden, the Magnolia Center, and the Second Harvest food bank. I've built some wonderful friendships (don't let me forget Debbie, Kathy, and Robin, my new friends at the Magnolia Center), done some extremely rewarding mission work, and I think I've learned even more about myself. Those are the reasons I go on the mission trip, and I will be driving home satisfied and extremely melancholy.  This church has given me four fabulous years of love, friendship, and new experiences and I know I will never ever forget it. I have loved co-chairing the last two mission trips, and I thank you all so much for the chance to do so. I think that this year has been my favorite mission trip, and I can tell you with the utmost certainty that I love every single person on this trip. Even Lydia. These are wonderful people who are going to do wonderful things, and I am so glad to know all of them. I can't wait to hear about their mission trip next year, and I wish so much I could go with them. This has been a year of a lot of extreme changes, and this is one of the most painful. Goodbye New Orleans, thank you for letting me see even more about you, and good bye youth group. You have been a wonderful constant in my life and I will miss this all so very much. Thanks,
Julia Schafer
P.s: Lily and Daddy: We all say hi, and we miss you both very much. Me especially. I can't wait to come home and see you all. Love you lots.