Today started with an early knock on the door. It was a gentleman that live up the road. I haven't had phone service since I've been here and he had a message from the guy that owns the trailer. I was to meet him at a little bank in town and he and his friend were taking me to his friend's church in a little town called Franklin. Anthony, the trailer owner hadn't been to church in years and his friend was always trying to get him to go. He decided that today was a good day to go.
The church was in a poor part of town, surrounded by a beatup trailer park and run-down houses. We were a few minutes late and I could hear music coming through the little white church walls. We walked in and found a seat in the back row. There were about 25 people and every last one of them were very engaged in the praise and worship. There was a drumset in the corner and some amps, but they were singing to a CD. The music was being led by Pastor Sharon and she had an incredible voice. She sang with her whole body, hands lifted and waving, and eyes always looking up. Everyone was clapping, stomping and singing. The church's bishop was visiting so he delivered the message. He was a classic black preacher and gave a powerful message with lots of congregational call backs - Amen! Preach it brother! Tell us! and Halleluja!. The message was coincidentally (or maybe I just needed to hear it again) the same message I got at my own church before I left - God chooses very imperfect people to do great things - Moses, with all his "baggage" answered God's call and led a million people out of slavery! After church, I joined them for sandwiches, cake and lemonade in their fellowship hall. This was a warm group of people and all of them made me feel very welcome.
I met a fiddler that lives in Morgan City and set up to meet him in the afternoon to play some music. Unfortunately, it rained about 4 inches and I was afraid to try to drive in it. But before it started raining, I took my little pirogue (ok, kayak) around the edge of 4-mile bayou and got some photos of the smaller swamp scenes. I found a little spot that was full of frogs, lizards and dragonflies. The frogs were so thick, they were jumping on my legs. It was cool until I saw a little snake chasing one. After that, I didn't want any more frogs on my pants.
The rain killed my fiddle music venture, but it was a welcome change. It rained so hard on my tin roof that it rumbled inside. I fell asleep listening to it. I woke up in the evening and spent the rest of the time till dark sharing my guitar noise with the frogs and gators from my little wooden dock.
Tomorrow I check out and leave for my little tin shack in Breaux Bridge. It also has a dock on the bayou.
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