Music in the Midst of Disaster

Over the weekend, Karessa and I spent some time at the shelter for Hurricane Katrina victims at the old Kelly AFB here in San Antonio. It was amazing to see the city come together and embrace these thousands of people. We plan to spend as much time as possible helping but there are a couple of stories that already have made an impression on my heart.
On Friday morning, we were at the donation center sorting clothes when a truck full of bed linens came. I noticed the man had a Holiday Inn name tag so I asked him how it was possible that the hotel was able to donate so many linens. He said they just so happened to get all new linens for their hotel so they just happen to have an entire hotel's worth of linens to give away! How amazing is it that God was preparing our city to give before we ever knew it would be necessary?!
On Friday night, Karessa and I headed over to the actual shelter where the evacuees are staying to see about setting up times to bring our high schoolers to hang out with the teens in the shelter. As we walked in, I couldn't help but notice a man standing outside playing his soprano saxophone. It seemed quite obvious that he was an evacuee, seeing as he was not wearing matching clothes (most likely donated). I was so moved by the fact that in all that was going on his life, he still wanted to play his music. I've never been to New Orleans but I know that it is full of musicians who often play in the streets as people go by. I'd like to speculate that this man is one of these performers who saved his instrument in order to encourage those around him in the shelter with the gift of music God has given him. What an awesome thing to do!
On a side note...I would just like to say how excited I am to bring New Orleans' music to San Antonio!! We are about to be schooled in Jazz, I can just feel it!!!!!!!