Megan and I recently went prayer walking in Central City with our church here in New Orleans. I listened to three men talk about when and how they got high. Kids were wondering everywhere. The level of poverty was catastrophic. "Thou shalt not kill" signs were in home windows. Homes were still destroyed from hurricane Katrina. People walked by carrying beer and liquor at 10:30 in the morning. It was a very dark place. There was no pride and no hope. You found yourself wondering, "what could I possibly do for these people." Amidst all of this, not one person or group of people refused prayer. We prayed with probably 50 people. They were so desperate for anything. They had lost everything. But more then that they lost hope. Erwin McManus wrote, "When you lack hope, you feel powerless to change anything and certain that nothing will change. When you have hope, you are able to see the beauty and potential of every circumstance." These people don't need money, or food or any material thing. What they need more than anything is hope.
Celebration Church
16 years ago