Trinity Baptist Church’s 16-member New Orleans (NOLA) mission team returned home after a week of serving local ministries, encouraging residents, and sharing God’s love throughout the city.
After careful planning for weeks prior to the trip, circumstances along the way challenged the team to adapt and overcome!
- The scheduled flight to New Orleans was rescheduled to Monday after a Nor’easter hit New Jersey, where the layover was supposed to be.
- The team’s contact at the nursing home got sick and was unavailable the day they arrived to help; the team pivoted and assisted in ways they had not planned.
- Streetcar evangelism ended up being city park evangelism when the streetcar schedule conflicted with the time available.
- Extra materials had to be purchased before the team could begin some tasks.
Still, the marvelous team adapted every step of the way, eagerly jumping in to help in any way they could to support the ministries there, encourage both staff and residents, and beautify places where shelter is given for people escaping dark and dehumanizing conditions.
Highlights from the New Orleans Mission Trip
Throughout the week, the team had opportunities to serve alongside several organizations and ministries in New Orleans.
- Grace at the Greenlight: Serving breakfast to 212 unhoused people and presenting their staff (who feed the homeless in their city 365 days a year) with a check from TBC for $4000.
- St. Jude’s Nursing Home: Visiting residents, leading them in singing their favorite hymns, joining them in playing a lively game of Bingo, and gifting them with beautiful hats and afghans crocheted and donated to TBC.
- Women at the Well: Rebuilding steps and power washing the walls of the building, a women’s shelter.
- Bethel Community Thrift Store: Working alongside women in recovery from addiction. It was an opportunity for holy conversations, where they shared their testimonies and struggles. Team members listened and prayed with individuals.
- Second Harvest Food Bank: Packing 520 boxes of food for seniors and people with food insecurity. The team packaged 16,640 pounds of food, working side-by-side on an assembly line while singing along to the classic upbeat tunes pumped out over the sound system.
- Eden Center: Cleaning bathrooms, power washing the porch and sidewalk, and building garden planters at a shelter for women rescued from human trafficking.
- Baptist Friendship House: Purchasing $500 in groceries (a gift from a TBC Sunday School class) to feed people in need.
Let Your Light Shine
The team’s theme for the week was based on Matthew 5:16:
“Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.”
Through their willingness to serve, adapt, listen, and pray, Trinity’s NOLA Mission Team helped shine the light of God’s love in a place hungry for the hope and healing only He can give.
The team is grateful for the prayers, encouragement, and support of the Trinity congregation that made this week of ministry possible.
