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so. it's been a crazy week, but a fantastic one. here is what went down.
5.22-5.24: we left friday for the retreat. had some bonding time friday night. saturday, team building, mccormick's creek scavenger hunt, prayer labyrinth (sooo cool), worship time with Psalms, more bonding. sunday. church as Mano de Amistad, the spanish speaking church in englewood. barely understood a word, but the goal of the summer is to learn spanish...and guitar. :]. had authentic mexican food, running, and a night downtown followed by Presidents and SCUM!
5.22-5.24: we left friday for the retreat. had some bonding time friday night. saturday, team building, mccormick's creek scavenger hunt, prayer labyrinth (sooo cool), worship time with Psalms, more bonding. sunday. church as Mano de Amistad, the spanish speaking church in englewood. barely understood a word, but the goal of the summer is to learn spanish...and guitar. :]. had authentic mexican food, running, and a night downtown followed by Presidents and SCUM!
{{the FAM.}}
Jenna, Marsha, Andrew Me and Jill
**and. we got ALL the VBS crafts done for the summer. usually it takes them a few nights to get them all done...but we worked it out. and they are done. all in about 4 hours. :]
5.26: the interns went on a homeless simulation (definately no urban weekend...haha) and jill and i were able to help out at an organization called Joy's House in broadripple just cleaning. they are an adult daycare for adults with disabilities and the elderly and they just added...still are building...more space onto their facility. it was also great to hear what the other interns learned about the city and their experience and different ministries in the area...
the brothel: so. i think i mentioned this in another post, but within the big church parking lot, there is a warehouse with a police outpost. also. across the street is a brothel...actually there are two in the area...but the specific one i am talking about has been around for at least 3 years, if not more. with the police right across the street. now. as i heard about this, i came to find that the police know, and they might take action, but only when the neighbors get fed up and call them. otherwise. they use the brothel as a place to catch people dealing drugs. they don't think prostitution is a big deal...or a crime worth dealing with. so. i was furious. about ready to dial the national trafficking hotline and have them bust up the place. i had a good talk with the pastor about it and it is just a sad situtation.
then i thought. if the brothel is raided. where will the women go? do any of them have skills to get a normal job? do any have a place to live? how long have some of the girls been there...they probably know nothing else. and they would also probably be back on the street again, just in a different location. so. what would raiding the brothel actually do?? as i thought. it actually seemed like the brothel would be a better place for the girls because at least they won't be sleeping on the streets...but there is not one ministry/agency in Indianapolis that specifically caters to helping prostitutes......i think i really need to start one.
5.27: so this lady had a big trip with her kids for school and ended up having left over chips. alot. so she carried them with her on her way to work downtown, which was a pretty far walk. well she ended up giving the chips to homeless people on the street. and she kept on doing it until she became the chip lady. now. 10 years later. she makes enough lunches to feed about 60-100 people a day. she has a space in her building downtown, has volunteers help pack lunches and take their own lunch breaks to help prepare and pass out lunches, and has a transitional housing program for the homeless. crazyness. we helped prepare lunches today. what an awesome ministry. we sang a song in OneVoice called "2 little fish"...'with 2 little fish, and 5 loaves of bread, 5,000 hungry souls my Jesus fed...Jesus can work it out, Jesus can work it, work it...' amazing what He can do with 2 fish and 5 loaves. :]
**we also did VBS lesson planning tonight. so fun. good skits. i will be working with some very creative and fun people. im excited :].
5.28: WORK PROJECT! dug a trench...(papa C. i was literally working in the trenches!), scrapped some paint. good times.
**we did VBS puppets tonight. i will admit, i was not too fond of the puppets, but after watching the interns put on puppet shows. i find them quite enjoyable. we got DQ for snack :]
5.29: went to rebuilding the wall, my MINISTRY!!, and talked to chris. wow. such great stuff to say. talked about realizing how unique we all are. loving your brother, treating your neighbor like you want to be treated...that doesn't mean giving away last years tennis shoes to someone and then buying a new pair for yourself. would you want last years shoes? alot about community development. FEAR. whah! this stuff was so good...about not being afraid of what people say and how fear always holds us back. (it had been a LONG week by this point...and not that i fell asleep as he said this stuff, i just had a lot in my brain from the week, so i'm still trying to put it all together.)
i love rebuilding the wall. the issues they stand for (justice!), the things they are involved in, the way they live out their faith and their passion for community development.
**had dinner with the host families. my family is so great. such CUTE KIDDOS. 4 of them. just like home.
5.30: got a haircut. it's ridiculously short. like 1-1 1/2 inches long. bah. i feel like a boy. hung out downtown and got some south bend chocolate company icecream. like heaven.
5:31: church. mexican food. soccer. pizza, PRES/SCUM, and mulan at mi casa.
long, good, challenging week. i just LOVE community development and just hearing about all that is going on. more on this later, since this is way long...
something that is challenging. realizing that God is working in the midst of all the brokeness. satan is trying to tear me down, but i need to keep focusing on Jesus.
**ps. joseph was half-alive this afternoon, floating on his side when i returned home. it gave me a bit of a fright...i actually was freaking out a bit. i think he just missed me. i changed his water and he seemed good when i left. pray that he does not die. because i would be sooo sad. :[
all for now. more to come.
peace.
[teach me your ways, O Lord, and i will walk in your turth. give me an undivided heart, that i may fear your name. i will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart. i will glorify your name forever. for great is Your love towards me, You have delivered me from the depths of the grave]
God, you are mighty to save, you are mighty to save...
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