Day 8-- In New Orleans

Happy Birthday, Hannah! Wednesday morning after Bible Study, Hannah was surprised with a Birthday Beignet! We then visited a few souvenir shops before having a fun cooking lesson and lunch at the New Orleans School of Cooking. We enjoyed making and eating Crab & Corn Bisque, Jambalaya, Pralines, and Bananas Foster. We then went to the Poydras Home, a very nice retirement facility, where we enjoyed time to meet the residents before performing a concert for them. The youth then had about an hour and a half break before going to perform a concert at St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Daily Journals

Wednesday night we held a concert at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. As we do at every concert, we go and talk to the audience. I looked around, saw about 20 people, and started talking. We had about 20 minutes to talk, so I made my way around the room until I saw an elderly (there you go Glenn) couple. The woman was in a wheelchair and the man was right beside her helping her get situated. I thought to myself, “Oh no, is she going to be deaf?” If you have ever experienced it, talking to deaf people is a really hard task. But when I looked into her eyes, I saw youth and spirit like she was 25 years old again. Her husband’s eyes were the same way. So I introduced myself, talked about the choir a little and her husband pointed to the program and started talking about “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. So, I started explaining New Voice to them and it was like that song triggered a thousand memories. So they started talking, ninety-to-nothing. You could tell they had been together for a while, and that they were made for each other. They both picked at each other and made jokes and even sometimes completed each other’s sentences. So during the concert, New Voice was called down to sing their songs. And while we were singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, I sneaked a peak at the couple. I saw them holding hands and singing along with us and the woman gave me a really big smile as the man gave me a thumbs up with his free hand. I almost started laughing right then. After the concert, I went back to the couple and they started giving us so much praise. It felt like I was at home because they reminded me so much of my Grandma Sue and Grandpa Terry. I think that concert was the best we ever had, just because of that couple.
-Aaron T.