Waiting In New Orleans

It is hard not to think about my friends Stacy Jennings and Karen Jack when I’m in New Orleans; Stacy because this is her town and Karen because her son Tyler is in school here.

Stacy burst into my life just as unexpectedly as the Saints marched to Super Bowl victory! We’d met but it was a distant knowledge of one another and then through Face Book and blogs and messages to one another this abiding friendship grew deep and fast. We gather together when we can for deep and longing conversations.

Tyler was a baby when we met but his mother Karen and I go way back to the early days of Union Mission. She came on board as the Director of the Magdalene Project eventually taking over financial operations. We became close friends then she moved to Michigan and we touched base from time to time. Then Face Book brought us back together again and we keep up.

I stare out at this magnificent city this morning from the 17th floor of the Loews Hotel where the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is hosting the annual meeting of the Community Health Leaders. I was fortunate enough to win in 2000 and received national recognition and a $100,000 cash award. I gave the money to Union Mission and we ended up buying the property around the Starfish Café with it.

The thing about Community Health Leaders is that we are this fraternity of peers who are out there trying to make the world a better place. It is like a home coming when we gather and of course no one here follows any of the rules.

As soon as the meeting began, Sharon Rohrbach, Judy Bentley and I sat in a corner to talk about the things that we’re doing. Sharon’s getting ready to be on Oprah … again! She was advising me on my career moves. Judy wants me to come to St. Louis to work on a project with her.

Last night this year’s winners were recognized. They are amazing people who are in the trenches of taking health care to people who would never get it otherwise. Dr. Jim Withers opted to skip the ceremony so that he could join a group of New Orleans medical students to go out of the streets and treat homeless people living under bridges or in parks. That’s the kind of group this is.

And Lord knows as I made my way around the city yesterday, New Orleans has its fair share of homeless people! It is hard not to love this city though. The food, jazz, Bourbon Street, voodoo and art tickle the senses constantly.

I’ve made many trips to New Orleans over the years. Most of them had particular missions to them. This time it is different. I’m here with no particular purpose other than I happen to be a Community Health Leader. There will be the opportunity to learn things that the Foundation has orchestrated and many opportunities to network with the other Leaders. I’m waiting on things to come to me even when I’m here. There is no particular agenda except to see what happens.

But then there is Conner. He and I often get in trouble when we’re together. I just got off the phone with him and we’re taking the city tonight. We’re heading back to St. Martin soon together so we need to get in shape for whatever we end up doing there. What better place to do so than New Orleans!