Go New Orleans GO New Orleans: FAQ

GO New Orleans 11

 

GO ahead and ask.

 

Quick Facts

 

The Important Stuff

(You should know this)

Where are we headed?
The Big Easy, the birthplace of jazz music, home to Mardi Gras, the center of Creole country, a.k.a. New Orleans.

Why are we going?
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated a community that was already struggling. At that time, Crossroads sent $150,000 and a truckload of donated supplies to the Gulf Region. In August 2008, Crossroads followed that by sending 300 people to build homes and friendships, and to love on kids at Vacation Bible School. Saying the experience was incredible is like saying Graeter’s mint chip is just OK. Even now, almost six years later, so much work remains for us to do. So we’re going back. God calls us to help those in need, so we will do everything we can to be a blessing.

When are we going?
Trip 1 will leave Cincinnati on Saturday, July 9 and return on Sunday, July 17. Trip 2 will leave on Saturday, July 16 and return Sunday, July 24. If you’re trying to do vacation-day math, that’s five workdays (10 if you choose to go for two weeks.) We chose July to maximize the opportunity for families to go together. We went during the summer last year, too, so we know it’s wicked hot and so humid that you’ll think it’s raining. But it’s awesome.

Who can go?
400 people—two trips of 200 each. You can sign up for one week or two. Anyone 18 or over can go, or 16 and over with a parent/guardian. Everyone is welcome: people who attend Crossroads, people who’ve never heard of Crossroads, friends and family from out of town, anyone who wants to serve other people. No matter what you believe about God, you’re welcome on this trip.

What type of work will we be doing?
We will build homes under the instruction of Habitat for Humanity in the Upper Ninth Ward, one of the areas hardest hit by Katrina, and likely other areas of the city. Habitat is lending the infrastructure, leaders, material coordination, and logistics. You don’t have to be Ty Pennington to add value. Tasks range from simple things like hammering nails to more complicated jobs like using a floor-print to assemble walls. We will work hard for seven to eight hours a day in the New Orleans heat, so you need to be prepared and capable. If you have concerns, please talk to one of the trip leaders. We’ll also host a Vacation Bible School (VBS) with our partner, Franklin Avenue Baptist Church (located in the Upper Ninth Ward). We will play games, sing songs, create stuff and teach kids about Jesus. You don’t need to be a teacher or have Martha Stewart’s craft skills. You just gotta love kids. We will ask you to state your preference for Habitat work or VBS when you sign up.

How much does it cost?
$850 for one week or $1700 for both weeks. An $85 deposit (for one week) or $170 deposit (for both weeks) is due with your online sign-up form by March 1. The remainder is due on July 2.

What if I don’t have that much money?
Join the club. We have a handshake. Close to 90% of people who have been to South Africa, for example, did not have the funds sitting in their bank account when they decided to go. And nearly everyone raised the funds. Don’t let money stop you. Raising money is actually a very cool part of this experience. We’ll talk a lot more about the finance stuff later–and help you generate fundraising ideas. We have an awesome web system that helps with this process, and a little faith goes a long way. Have some and see what happens.

How do I sign up?
Fill out an application no later than March 1. We’ll ask you all kinds of questions like: if you’re part of a group, who you’d like as your roommate; what you want to work on; if you stink; and so on. You can pay your deposit online when you fill out the form, or you can mail a check to Crossroads. Sign-ups are not complete until the deposit is received in the Crossroads office. We will notify everyone who signed up by March 2 to confirm their trip participation.

 

The Other Stuff

(More info to convince you that we know what we’re doing)

What else will we do?
You’re a planner, aren’t you? On Sunday, fresh from our 17-hour bus ride, we’ll attend a service at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church. During the rest of the week, we’ll build relationships with folks in New Orleans, and have some time to experience some of the city’s culture, like its renowned jazz music. There will be other stuff, too. But we have to leave a few surprises….

Will I have to preach or pray in front of people?
Not unless you want to. This trip is for everyone, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey. You will not be required to do anything you are not comfortable doing back home.

How do we get there?
We’ll travel on several commercial jets, each with the latest in movies and music, comfy sleep socks… Oh wait, that was GO Mamelodi. For us, it’s about a 17-hour bus trip, with an occasional stop along the way to chow down on gas station Cheetos and to use a real restroom. But these are nice buses. Really. And they can play movies. That said, it’s a long drive. So please take a shower and refrain from Skyline immediately prior to boarding.

Can I fly down instead of taking the bus?
Nope. Sorry. This is a group experience—and part of that experience is 17 hours on the bus. Think of it as a great time to meet new friends, watch people sleep and rest before a week of hard labor.

Where will we stay?
At the Embassy Suites New Orleans. You’ll have access to the things you’d expect: showers, beds, hairdryers, bad TV, Internet access…even a pool. Yes, you will have a roommate. And no, you can’t shack up in a co-ed room unless you’re married.

What about my mad skills?
We’re interested in any special skills you have—whether in medicine, construction, teaching, painting or singing in the shower. (But maybe keep the last one to yourself.) We’ll ask you about your skills on the application.

What does the trip cost cover?
Pretty much everything—the hotel, most meals, some activities, the bus ride there and back, plus a donation to Habitat and Franklin Avenue Baptist, our partners in New Orleans. You’ll be on your own for a couple of dinners, so you’ll need cash for that. And if you want to buy beads, a King Cake, or a po’ boy, that’s up to you, too.

What happens if more than 400 people sign up? How do you decide who gets to GO?
If we have more people sign up than spaces available, we will draw names at random in a lottery. (We may even get one of those air-blowing ping-pong-ball lottery-thingies...just to up the drama.) Everyone is considered equally, as long as you sign up by 3/1 (deposit included). We won’t split up families or groups unless you indicate that’s OK on the sign-up form.

What if I can’t do the work?
While we have jobs for all skill sets, ages and 5k times, please know that the construction work can be exhausting. We will be working seven to eight hours a day, it’s gonna be hot (did we mention that?), and you’ll be getting up early every day. If you have concerns about your physical situation, please talk to us. We want everyone to go, but if you ignore your physical limitations up front, you could end up being miserable. If you want to contribute and love kids, consider joining the Vacation Bible School team.

What is the trip preparation like?
We will have a series of meetings (approximately one per month) leading up to the trip, when you will learn more about New Orleans and what we are doing, meet others who are going on the trip, and just have a good time. We also have a website full of trip resources.

Anything else you really want to tell me?
Thanks for asking. If you have a strong desire to take a vacation to New Orleans, we encourage you to do that. It’s a great place. That being said, this is not that trip. Deciding to go with us means that you want to be a part of our mission to change the world. In pursuit of that group goal, however, you may not get to do everything you want to do in the way you are accustomed to doing things. It’s a posture of submitting to something bigger than yourself. But if you do it, we promise an incredible experience! Let’s go see what happens.

 

Want to GO? Click here to sign up online.