FAQs as of 07/07/2008

WHERE WILL WE STAY? 

 There are several options.  It is up to you.

1.  There are great hotels in town, across price ranges. 

 Best Western or Hampton Inn around 3000 St Charles Ave

 are closest to church.  Several of our groups have taken

 this option.

2. We have a new, permanent house that has significantly 

improved our housing.  (We used to house teams in a 

rented cabin, in our church office, and in our pastor's 

home). The new

"Redeemer House" houses up to 12 missionaries.  

It has several off the street parking spaces behind a lockable gate. 

There are two women, Mary and Cambria, 

living there as "RAs" beginning mid-July '07.

The Address is: 3203 NAPOLEON, CORNER OF 

ROMAN, NORTH OF CLAIBOURNE IN THE 

BROADMOOR NEIGHBORHOOD.

3. When teams exceed 12, the rest of the team can stay in three 

rooms with beds at the church office in Uptown.

WHAT WILL IT COST US?  

We do not charge the teams any formal fees.  We do

however incur significant costs to hosting teams: rent for 

Redeemer House,  the church office we rent to house 

extra missionaries, utilities, tools, trailer, t-shirts, 

insurance on the house we purchased, some building materials, 

project managers’ salaries, bedding, laundry, toiletries, 

weekly mission team party, etc. 

The average sized mission team costs us about $1400. 

As a newer mission church that is not yet self-supporting 

even for our normal operating expenses, we greatly 

appreciate any financial help the visiting teams can offer 

us to defray these extra expenses.   (We ALSO welcome 

gifts to support our regular church work of outreach and 

worship in this spiritually challenged city).   Please 

consider a minimum gift of $90 per missionary per week. 

But even if you can’t afford to help us with our expenses, 

come anyway!

Count on some other expenses for the visit: meals (you 

can save money by cooking meals in the well-equipped 

kitchens.  Nearby grocery stores are open.  But the 

restaurants here are unmatched), rental van (with hitch if 

you can find one), work gloves and masks, rain poncho, 

etc.  But, overall, it is a very inexpensive mission trip!

(NOTE: IF possible, plan on buying your supplies in

New Orleans rather than bringing them with you.  The 

economy here is extremely needy and can use the help, 

and this enables you to travel lighter).

WHAT SHOULD WE BRING?

SAFETY IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY!  So bring work 

gloves, dust mask ($20 respirators from Lowes or Home 

Depot, with disposable filters rated for the worst debris), 

work boots (preferably steel toed), safety goggles, and 

any other items you need to avoid injury.

Please make sure tetnus shots are updated.  You may

also want to bring your Bible, spending money for

souvenirs, toiletries, and a camera.   A light-weight, plastic 

pancho-style rain jacket is helpful in case of bad weather.

SHOULD I BRING VALUABLES LIKE A CAMERA OR 

LAPTOP?

The Redeemer House is locked, but be careful!

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Less skilled teams can gut homes, clear debris or paint.  

Others can dry-wall, do carpentry, or other work, 

depending in the skill set of the group.  Generally 

dry-walling is something that one or two experienced 

people can teach others in the group as they work.  

Over time we will need more and more skilled workers.  

It is important for each group to have leaders, as we do 

not have staff to maintain on-site supervision.  If you 

can bring someone capable of actual project management for 

your team that is very helpful also.

ARE THERE STILL HOMES TO WORK ON?

80% of the city of New Orleans was flooded in Aug

2005.  172,000 of 215,000 homes were damaged.  This

amounts to several times more than the entire rest of the

 Gulf Region combined. Habitat for Humanity 

(the finest organization of its kind) has built a less than 

172,000 homes nationwide in its first 25 years, so you 

can see our task is huge.  Another way of looking at it – 

there are 520 licensed contractors in New Orleans, so at 

even ten homes per contractor it would still take them 35 

years to rebuild!

CAN NON-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES COME?

YES!  The majority of teams have come from

Presbyterian churches, but we have hosted groups from 

8 other denominations thus far.  This is a project where 

we can celebrate the unity of the Church.

DO WE NEED TO BRING TOOLS?

We have lots of basic tools, stored in an enclosed trailer 

we own.  If you will be doing specialty work, you may need 

to bring those tools.

DO WE NEED TO PACK BEDDING?

Beds (mattresses, bunk beds, or air mattresses) and 

pillows are provided, but it helps if you can bring your own

towels, sleeping bags, and sheets.  If you use the extras 

we provide, please wash them before you leave.

HOW ABOUT TRANSPORTATION?

Please rent vehicles, such as 15-passenger vans, capable 

of hauling building materials and tools.  We also have a 

small, enclosed tool trailer, which you can tow if your 

vehicle has a hitch.   

HOW MANY HOUSES HAVE YOU WORKED ON?

Through June 2008 the number exceeds 200.  Some of 

these we have practically rebuilt completely, but most 

have involved just gutting and/or drywalling.  In the future 

we hope to work on less homes, but to do more for each home.

DO WE NEED INSURANCE?

Yes, please secure this.  And we have waiver forms for you

 and the homeowners to sign as well.

WILL WE GET TO MEET PEOPLE AT THE CHURCH?

Most groups come Sat. to Sat. and thus worship with us 

Sunday.  Often we have a potluck, or members will go to

lunch with the teams after worship.  We also host a party

for the teams, parishoners, and homeowners most every 

Fri. night. 

SPIRTUAL ASPECTS?

Plan on bringing Bibles.  You should appoint a person or 

persons to lead in short devotions each morning before 

you leave for work, but that is up to you.   

HOW DO YOU SELECT WHICH HOMES TO REPAIR?

We started off by helping members hit hard by the

storms.  From there we worked on friends of members. 

Now we find homes mostly through word of mouth, or 

referrals from other organizations. We maintain a waiting 

list, and give priority to those worst hurt, and those 

closest to our neighborhood.

WHERE ARE THESE HOMES?

We generally confine our work to New Orleans city

limits. We give priority to homes in our Uptown

neighborhood, but many that we’ve helped have been in 

Broadmoor, Lakeview or Gentilly neighborhoods.

CAN WE DO THINGS BESIDES CONSTRUCTION?

Of course!  We have hosted all kinds of creative help: a 

photographer who replaced lost family portraits, a pest 

exterminator, a VBS team, admins to help us organize 

relief work. Etc.   Come and bring any talents you have!

WHAT IS A TYPICAL SCHEDULE?

Sat.: arrive, get settled, sight-see

Sun: Worship with us, sightsee, make sure the tools

are secured and the sites located.

Mon-Fri: start with a devotion; work 8am-4pm

Fri. 7pm: Party with the church.

Sat: Return home

WHO PROVIDES THE BUILDING MATERIALS?

We provide tools.  You provide free labor.  

Homeowners provide materials.  In some cases 

(maybe 10% of them) our church or mission teams have 

purchased materials for particularly hard-hit families.

ARE YOUTH WELCOMED?

Certainly.  Teens need adult supervision though

(usually at least 1 adult for every 3 youth).   Those under 

age 13 probably will not do well.

ARE SENIORS WELCOMED?

One of the most skilled and energetic teams we have

ever had were largely seniors from FL!  But some older 

folks who may not be able to endure the heavy labor and 

the heat come and man the kitchen, or help clean the 

team’s housing site during the day, while they are working.

HOW LARGE CAN OUR GROUP BE?

Ideally, 20 missionaries works best for our accommodations.  That would be 12 

@ our Redeemer house and 8 @ our office.  We have had a few  

more at our office but that's up to the discretion the team if they 

want to squeeze.

WHAT WILL WE EAT?

Teams often cook breakfast at the housing site where they 

are staying, and pack a bagged lunch.  You will want to 

catch a few meals at New Orleans wonderful restaurants.  

Grocery stores for kitchen cooking are open (shopping 

there makes your drive here less burdened and also helps 

our broken economy): go to Tchoupitoulas and Napoleon.

Likewise the 5937 magazine Street location has a Whole 

Foods and plenty of eateries all around.

The 3203 Napoleon St. Redeemer House has several fast food 

restaurants and a 24-hour Walgreens within 3 blocks.  Authentic 

New Orleans cuisine is found by going south on Napoleon 

toward the River and turning onto Magazine Street.

HOW DO WE SET A DATE?

We maintain a calendar.  We are unable to accommodate 

more than two teams at once, and need three month’s 

notice or more, so please contact us as soon as possible.

WILL WE HAVE ‘HANDS ON’ SUPERVISION AT THE 

WORK SITES?

VERY IMPORTANT: We are a very small church with very 

limited resources, so we need teams to be somewhat 

self-sufficient.  We generally get you started Mondays 

and then only supervise as needed.  Supervision comes from:

*Our Disaster Response Coordinator, Ken.  

*And two summer volunteer interns, Joe Dunaway and Carey Keane,

who will assist the teams on a part-time basis. 

DO THE HOME OWNERS HELP WITH THE PROJECTS?

Many live out of state while their homes are

unhabitable.  Some are able to work alongside the

teams all week.  We ask that if they can not get time off 

from their employment, that they do send someone to 

greet the teams and show them what work needs to be 

done.

I HAVE BREATHING PROBLEMS, SHOULD I COME?

New Orleans is VERY hot and humid much of the year. 

The air quality is also not the best due to the debris in the 

city.  And the work sites can be very dusty and moldy.  

We would recommend that anyone with respiratory issues 

please consult their physicians before committing to a 

mission trip here.

DO I NEED ANY SHOTS?

YES! We require missionaries to update their tetnus

shots before coming.  Please consult your physician

about other possible needs (hepatitis, etc.)

WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT STAYING IN 

REDEEMER HOUSE?

*Please water the flowers

*Never leave the tool trailers at the work sites over night.  We

have been robbed that way.

*Feel free to take a Red "Krewe of Redeemer" t-shirt as a 

souvenir and to wear while you work -- one per person.  

Also a free copy of our new DVD 

"Signs Amid the Rubble" -- one per team.  (The music CD 

of the same name is different, and available for $15 each).

*Put the trash out Monday and Thursday nights.

*MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE TO 

OUR NEIGHBORS!! Keep the noise down.  Also we have 

plenty fo parking -- don't park 

in the neighbor's driveways or even in front of their homes.  

And be careful about not leaving trash in the yard.

* Please don't run more than two of the wall a/c units at 

once downstairs.  The electrical system can't handle more.

* Feel free to BBQ in the back.

IS CRIME A DANGER TO THE TEAMS?

You no doubt have heard ---New Orleans has the highest 

murder rate of any city in the country (around 80 per 

100,000 population).  The members of our church who 

live here every day and the flood victims you will be 

helping all cope with this issue every day.  But according 

to the crime map of 2006, the new Redeemer House at 

3203 Napoleon is not in an area where murders have 

occurred.  There is a large cluster beyond Louisiana Ave. 

(one-half mile east) however, so be careful.  Do not go 

for walks at night, or alone.

Yet zero of the victims were tourists or relief workers.  

Of 162 murders in 2006, 52 were deemed drug related, 

26 were retaliation, 6 domestic violence, 22 arguments, 

etc., but only 13 from robberies.  Of over 1200 

missionaries we have never had any violent incidents.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW?

1. THANK YOU!!!  You have no idea what a blessing this is 

for our church and our city.

2. The vast majority of the teams have been a great joy to 

our congregation, and all have blessed our city.  But many 

times teams do not fully realize that while this is a special 

one week event for them, this mission program is an every 

day event for our church and staff.  Please do not ask to use 

the showers or computer at the pastor’s home, the equipment 

(copy machine, fax, phone, computer) at the church office 

(which has frequently jammed or melted down as a result of 

the vastly greater wear and tear this would involve), etc.  

Also, many teams have not left our housing clean.  Please follow 

the guidelines and keep the places clean.  Understand the 

church does a lot more than just house mission teams.  We love 

to spend as much time with you as we can, but teams are 

here non-stop and we have a congregation to care for and a 

city to love and serve and reach.  Please try to be self-sufficient.

WHAT OTHER WAYS CAN WE HELP?

1.     Pray for New Orleans.  The government, the schools,

doctors, other churches, economy, police.  Pray for the 

health and growth of our small church in the extremely 

hard spiritual soil of New Orleans.  Culturally, New Orleans 

is much closer to France or Italy than America.  Its rates of

evangelical church attendance are by far the lowest in the 

South.

2.     Tell other churches about us, and encourage them to

 consider sending teams, and/or funds.

3.     Come back!

4.     Consider regular financial support for our church 

planting work, and/or one-time gifts for our rebuilding 

efforts.

5.     Move here!  Many others have and love it.  New 

Orleans needs many more to come.

WHAT ARE YOU BIGGEST NEEDS FOR THIS PROJECT?

We need to raise about $150K more to pay off expenses of

this new mission house we bought.  We also need 

short-term (3-6 month?)project managers.

HOW ARE REDEEMER HOUSE AND THE CHURCH 

OFFICE KEPT CLEAN?

Church volunteers help, but mostly we rely on the

teams cleaning up after themselves.  All sites have 

vacuums and cleaning supplies.

THANK YOU FOR COMING HELP OUR SPECIAL CITY!

Contact: Ken Kostrzewa, Disaster Response Coordinator, 

at 504-894-1204, 

or email at: 
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Redeemer Presbyterian Church

PO Box 750538

New Orleans, LA 70175