So you’ve probably figured out that our life revolves around “Kingdom work”, immersing ourselves in various cultures and lots and lots of coffee. So, when this trip to Baton Rouge arose, we jumped at it! This will probably be our first “faith” post so you can get a feel for what we do.
We hop on a plane to Houston at 5:30am, (I think we were up before Connor and Lil Pink (our chickens). The flights are smooth and short compared to our regular excursions to Europe and the Pacific Islands. I guess perks of growing up in Europe means everything is within 2 hours (and I always thought that was a long flight!!!) Moving on… we arrive in Baton Rouge and head to the hotel to freshen up and lo and behold they have messed up our rooms. I think this is becoming a trend when I (Haley) book the hotel rooms… We were definitely thankful for southern hospitality that day and thankful for the Hilton Garden Inn staff for making us so welcome.
The entire purpose for our trip was to gain knowledge, ideas, and inspiration from Life Tabernacle and their Bus Ministry, led by Pastor Tony Spell. When we say it is a total beast of an operation, that is an understatement! They have a fleet of 21 buses led by a team of people from all different backgrounds and ages. The youngest Bus Captain started when she was 14 years old! When we walk into their newly renovated complex that was destroyed by the flood of 2016, gigantic laminated maps of each bus route meet us at the door. They know every street, every home and every person they reach. It is an incredible experience to witness the almost visible burden that weighs on not just the staff but the entire church. It was a pivotal moment for our team to be able to glean from such passionate and committed people. We know 2019 will be our most impactful year yet! (this was the team from Bus 8)
The other half of our Baton Rouge trip consisted of nostalgia from our favorite storyteller and yes, coffee. Our dad has a knack for stealing you away for a few hours to show you the discoveries he’s made. Whether it is history, food or a cool hang out, he always wants to share it with his family. We drive down several streets; each one he recounts a story of his childhood. As we turn a corner we are met with a towering tree hung with an abundance of Spanish moss. We stop outside as he remembers the last time he drove away from this particular house, his father standing outside watching him leave for college. It was a neat moment to imagine a time before we were around and a part of his life. What was he like? Questions swirled around our heads as we drove on. Our favorite part took us even further down memory lane as we visited the two churches our Papa built with his bare hands. Visiting our heritage made it all the more real to us… Missions and church planting are in our DNA. More stories arise as we pass what looks to be a run down space or abandoned field. Locations where he learned to play basketball on the other side of the tracks, how he jumped that fence to run to the convenience store (the strange kids at 7-11…) in between classes or how that field was once a convention center where he met his future father in law.
In order to move forward, you have to look back at your history, what worked, what didn’t? This trip was definitely a solidifying moment in our identity of why we do what we do and an inspiration to carry on the legacy that our Dad has created.
Now, in between our nostalgia, we indulged in French Truck Coffee, fine southern cooking and of course, Raising Canes. If you don’t know what Raising Canes is, you need a trip to the south! If you don’t like chicken that’s okay, just get their special sauce and you’ll thank me later. When you come to Louisiana you have to try at least one Cajun dish such as one of the many reptilian dishes, like alligator, or crawfish, gumbo, or my favorite, étouffée… or you can try their desserts such as Rum Cake or King Cake. But! I must warn you before you eat the King Cake, there is a tiny plastic baby that hides inside… don’t eat it! I (Haley) was slightly shocked at the sight of this tiny, naked, plastic baby hiding in my food but as they explained the tradition, I was less weirded out… kind of.
If you’re around the Baton Rouge area, take a trip over to French Truck Coffee where their bright aesthetic matches their lively yet patronizing staff. Being from California we didn’t exactly fit in and had several strangers ask us where we were from. Our dad was even mistaken for a famous architect (Gellar Gilbert, where you at?!) Compared to home, where the coffee culture is so vast, there is no distinct look to say whether you are a “coffee person” or not. So, being in BR, our frilly yet Boho style was mistaken for uninformed wannabes and we may not have received the best customer service. (but we still recommend a visit because their espresso and sprinkle cookies are well worth a few sneers lol).
Overall, we had a great time in Baton Rouge filled with lots of love, laughter, coffee, inspiration, and lots and lots of good food!!