Pastor Mark Hopper

By Pastor Mark Hopper

The Ninth Ward in New Orleans is filled with contrasts.  The upper and lower Ninth Ward were one of the areas of the City that were the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina ten years ago.

Recently a team from our church spent a week helping with the ongoing rebuilding effort in New Orleans.  As we drove and walked through some of these neighborhoods, I noticed several things.

On some streets you might see empty lots where houses once stood.  The foundations and concrete steps might be the only things that remain.  There were also broken down homes that had been destroyed by the flood waters and abandoned by their owners.   Roofs had collapsed, windows were gone and vines weeds had taken over these homes.

But among the empty lots and abandoned homes, new houses are being constructed and older homes are being rebuilt. New life is emerging from the destruction and desolation of Hurricane Katrina.

I enjoyed meeting some of the people living in the Ninth Ward.  Each one had their personal story of how they survived the hurricane.  Some were remarkable.  Others were amazing.

These were friendly people who expressed their appreciation for the nationwide response to help rebuild their neighborhoods.  It was a privilege to have a small part in this ongoing effort.

The Bible is filled with amazing accounts of people who found new life and a second chance through the grace and love of God.  Even today, many people who have have experienced heartaches and hurricanes in their own lives have found help and hope in the pages of the Bible.

If you are going through a stormy season in your life, let me encourage you to dust off your Bible and read through the Psalms in the Old Testament and the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament.  These and many other books in the Bible are filled with words of hope and new life.

Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Ave. Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit http://www.efreedb.org.