ER
redominately Catholic, French a “bedroom city” of New Orleans, so we
uss
southern Louisiana has been share much of the same personality in
h
o
uisiana
p described as “South of the South” this area.
m
o L
y t
due to the Mediterranean-African roots With all that being said, you now have
sA
and plantation past of the region. The an idea of the challenge we face in finding
By
rural part of South Louisiana is domi- our place in this cultural menagerie
issionar
nated by the Acadians, or Cajuns, who and connecting with the people here.
came from what is now Nova Scotia.
Sam and Sue Husser
We began meeting for Bible study with
BMAA M Louisiana is a state steeped in a a very small group of interested souls
variety of traditions, but is also pulled approximately one and a half years ago.
toward the cultural economic main- Because of our location, interstate-wise,
stream, just as surely as it is still part we chose the name The Crossing,
pioneer, frontier, plantation, farmstead, a Baptist fellowship.
fisherman’s camp, and New Orleans We have a heart to reach the lost,
neighborhood. unchurched, and displaced. The
The unique foods (gumbo, jamba- Crossing is open to any and all who need
laya, creole, étouffée), music (Cajun Jesus. One of our theme verses is found
and zydeco), material culture (Creole in I Corinthians 9:22-23, “To the weak
cottages, shotgun houses, pirogues), became I as weak, that I might gain the
ritual/festive practices (Catholicism,
Nick and Amanda
weak; I am made all things to all men,
home altars, Mardi Gras), and languages
Church are serving
that I might by all means save some.
(Cajun, French, Spanish, Dalmatian,
as associate church
And this I do for the gospel’s sake.”
and Indian), reflect a diversity of
planters with the
Our membership total is 103, with 38
cultures unified in one region. The Hussers in Slidell. of those being professions of faith.
mingling of all these cultures is called Our August attendance average on
“Creolization” and is most concentrated just south of Sundays was 120.
where we are located, in New Orleans, both a Southern Even with all the diversity of culture here, we have
city and Gulf Coast/Caribbean port. learned “people will go where there is excitement
The sights, sounds, and smells of New Orleans’ type (especially Cajuns), and they will stay where they are
neighborhoods, as well as the annual Mardi Gras, loved.” Please pray that the message of God’s love will
speak more to a likeness to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and continue to be the force bridging the gap between
Lima, Peru, than Atlanta and Nashville. Slidell is called tradition and their eternity. n
A new church plant near New Orleans is a cross-cultural
experience in the Creole State, “South of the South”
bmaamissions.org n theGLEANER 23
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