got tacos?

eat tacos, support education

Join us this Saturday at 7:00 at Torchy’s Tacos in South Austin for a fun a night of music, prizes, and great food. Most importantly, a percentage of the proceeds will benefit American YouthWorks!

See below for details or follow this link
http://torchystacos.com/events/party_moontower.html

Party at the Moontower celebrates the '70sLast day before summer - Saturday June 20 at 7pmSouth Austin Trailer Park & Eatery, byob1311 S. 1st StreetBenefits American Youth Works
Party at the Moontower celebrates the '70s at the South Austin Trailer Park in the glow of an historic moontower at Monroe St (about two blocks away). The Trailer Park parking lot will be open to classic cars and motorcycles among the Torchy's Tacos trailer, Shuggies Burgers & Shakes trailer, La Dee Dah Gifts trailer, and Treat desserts trailer. There will be '70s music, videos, and hazing. Prizes will be given for best '70s outfits, best ride (car, bike...), mustache, cut-offs, and Wooderson look alike. The trailer park is a byob venue. Sales from Shuggies Burgers & Shakes will benefit American YouthWorks in the spirit of the future success of at-promise youth.

American YouthWorks (AYW) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit Green Jobs Training and Education Center located in Austin, Texas, committed to offering high school dropouts and undereducated youth and adults alternatives to welfare and crime. AYW operates a comprehensive program providing education, jobs training, and social services to transform the lives of youth and adults. AYW creates a holistic opportunity for individuals to acquire the life skills needed to succeed in the new, green economy.

American YouthWorks emerged in 1976 as the first program in Austin to recognize the needs of individuals neglected by our educational system. In 1981, AYW established Austin's first program to serve high school dropouts and was the first to offer undereducated youth and adults alternatives to welfare and crime. In the fall of 1996, AYW began one of the first Open Enrollment Charter High Schools in Texas. Over the years, AYW learned from our “customers” to directly address the multiple barriers to the future success of at-promise youth. We realized that the attainment of a diploma or GED alone does not ensure their continued academic and employment success.

an ode to estes, banks, haralson & co.

so, while i wait for a ridiculously long grant to print on and even more ridiculously slow printer, i have chosen to express my gratitude to the people who made my move happen this weekend.

the move was originally planned for friday evening. jeffrey would pick up my car and exchange it for the haralson's truck. jeffrey, andy and i would then load my furniture and other belongings into the truck and CRV and take them to Lori's.

and then my cousin died. the memorial service was planned for friday evening. this was the only time we would have the truck, and even so, jeffrey had to work saturday morning.

so, despite my frantic packing (or lack thereof), and despite me not even being in austin on friday evening (though the extent of my theoretical help is debatable), jeffrey picked up the truck and he and andy, all by themselves, carried my furniture down two flights and up one flight of stairs, loaded it in the truck, and drove it to Lori's, in 3 trips.

so i left town friday with a chaotic apartment filled with furniture. i returned late friday night to a less chaotic apartment with no furniture, and a sleeping bag awaiting my worn out body.

and this, i tell you, is only one reason why i have the best friends in the world.

in an attempt to post more often

i was reminded today that i never posted a very important link about haiti.

http://haitiancreations.com

if any of you have seen me with a patchwork handbag, this is where i got it. these purses are made by haitian women as an alternative to prostitution or other unprofitable work. it provides them with a living wage for them and their families. and it's just a stinkin' cool purse. great as gifts, too.

so, go buy one. now. thank you.

oops...

so, it's been a while. too long. i didn't even finish blogging about haiti.

oops.

i will. someday. i promise. i just can't right now because i'm not technically even supposed to be on blogger.

but i was reading another blog (which, i guess, i technically was not supposed to be doing that, either) and was reminded of several things.

1) i love blogs. both reading them and writing them.
2) blogs take me all over the US and the world. they make me think outside of myself. they remind me that there are things bigger than me, more important than me. they remind me of all of the people i love even if i haven't seen or even spoken to them in years...or ever.
3) i always have too many blogs to read. i am always behind. and i always love catching up. or at least attempting to.
4) i really need to post an update.

so, really, really quickly...since haiti...

- i am now the adult education program manager at work. promotion in title. more work. no more pay. that, my friends, is the world of education.
- i have come to love my friends even more than i thought imaginable. i have the best friends in the world. no, you cannot argue with me.
- i will be moving into a house in just about 3 weeks, to live with a lady from my community group. though i am not excited to leave my much loved apartment, i am excited for the new opportunities that are to come.
- my young life girls have left for the summer. this makes me sad.
- this weekend i will attend weddings 2 and 3 of wedding season. one of them is for a dear friend i've known almost since the day i moved to austin. i am more excited for her than she knows.
- the lack of recent blogging is because life has been crazy busy. but a good busy. i wouldn't change a bit of it. not a single day. not a single adventure. not a single moment. not a single person.
- i am completely overwhelmed with the life God has given me.

...to be continued...

'there' 'they're' & 'their'

i am an English teacher.

i work at a school.

and we have a principal who repeatedly misuses 'there' in professional emails.

i can't send him an email about it, because it would come across in a very rude way. so i am going to get it out here.

they're - a contraction for 'they are.' ex. They are learning English.

their - possessive form for they. ex. Their principal needs to learn grammar.

there - location. ex. The class is over there.

thank you.

haiti tshirts

The moment you've all been waiting for...the Haiti T-shirt sale is HERE!

So here's the deal. We're raising money for the trip we just took, and other mission projects at the Austin Stone Community Church. If you want one and live in Austin, please try to see me about it in person, as I need the money before I can take your order. If you're not in Austin, you can mail me a check. This is only because I have to front the money before I can order - i.e. I buy the shirts and then you buy it from me. Info about the shirts and a picture are below.

• Shirts are navy and printed on Anvil shirts and super soft.
• can do XX and XXX but they are $2 extra
• smallest we can do is Youth Med
• get your orders to me by April 10th, hopefully shirts will be here in 3-4 weeks .... So we’re looking at 4-6 weeks before shirts are here
• Cost is $20 for each shirt and $5 for shipping if they’re out of town.
  
• $ is going towards trip we just took and for other missions projects at ASCC.

Need more info? Just let me know! And please sent this on to anyone else who might want a tshirt!

THANKS!

haiti day 3: the heaviness sets in

the following excerpt is taken from The Rainy Season: Haiti Since Duvalier by Amy Wilentz.

"Voodoo is the culture of my country," he says... "Voodoo is the only real religion, which respects all life. Voodoo is the religion of religions, it came before all other religions. It is the root of belief, all belief. The whole world is the work of voodoo, which will survive all religions. Voodoo is the cultural name of Haiti. Voodoo is Haiti."

day 3 began by going to church at Port Au Prince Fellowship. John McHoul presented a challenging message about forsaking safety and seeking the Lord's will for your life. it seemed a little ironic that he'd be preaching such a message to a congregation full of americans who had already left the comforts of the US to give their lives for the poorest country in the western hemisphere. as our group discussed the sermon later that day, we felt it was directed towards us, not the regular attenders. yet as we spoke with some of those people who had already given several years to haiti, had adopted handicapped children, had sold house and home in the US with no plans to return...they also said it was directed towards them. "what more can i do?" is the question they were now asking themselves. it's incredible to see that the Word of God is truly living and active - always and everywhere.

after eating haitian pizza for lunch, we spent the afternoon playing with children at Wings of Hope childrens home, next to the Baptist mission up above Petion-ville.

Wings of Hope is a home for disabled children - whether physically or mentally. because of the culture of voodoo in haiti, these childrens' disabilities are seen to be manifestations of evil spirits. as a result, their parents don't want them. they are left abandoned. in places like haiti, there's no one to take them in. everyone agrees - they are manifestations of evil spirits. no one wants to invite an evil spirit into their home. no one wants to love and care for an evil spirit.

so these children are left for dead.

and then there are those who somehow find their way to Wings of Hope. a place where they are fed, bathed, educated, loved. though some of these children are adopted, most of them never leave haiti. yet they are given skills they can use to make a life for themselves, and most importantly, the Hope of Christ.

many of the children from Wings of Hope have even returned to work, love, educate those who remain - to share the great hope they received.

this was probably one of the most difficult things i've ever seen, maybe second to a similar orphanage i visited in the DR.

i am generally uncomfortable around disabilities. i don't know why this is. it has nothing to do with thinking they are lesser people. it has nothing to do with a lack of patience or compassion. i simply don't know what to do. i'm not saying this is ok, i'm just saying it's the way i am. the Lord definitely didn't give me a special gift for working with or loving this population.

yet something now happens inside of me when i see a precious, innocent child in such a condition. handicapped. abused. neglected. abandoned. hopeless. it almost makes me sick to my stomach. if it weren't for the mini-playground which brought such beautiful smiles and laughter, i'm not sure i could have endured the time we spent there. to know that there are so many children starving for love and so few people willing to give it does not settle well in my heart.

i have itunes running as i type this post and the song that just started playing is Chris Tomlin's I Will Rise. it seems pretty appropriate for these children. they do have hope. they do have victory. and one day, those who have put their hope in Him, with no more sorrow and no more pain...will rise.

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

hispanola: day two

The Island of Hispanola = The Republic of Haiti (the Western 1/3) + The Dominican Republic (the Eastern 2/3)

one piece of land. two drastically different countries.

haiti. a small piece of africa in the middle of the caribbean. but it's not africa as you know africa. it's africa mixed with france. mixed with slavery. mixed with rebellion. an uprising. the only successful uprising in the western hemisphere. maybe in the whole world.

and then came freedom.

but with great freedom comes great responsibility. and without responsibility comes dread, devestation, death.

day two in haiti started with a trip to an orphange called 3 Angels. highlight: swim time.


these kids don't get much affection. we know this because they came flocking to us the minute we walked through the doors. kids who get enough affection, who don't have attachment issues, stick to those to whom they are attached, and are wary of strangers. these children all too quickly attached themselves to us, and wouldn't let go.

from there we ate our packed lunch (ham sandwiches, consisting of 1 piece of lunch meat and two pieces of bread) at the livesay's house and then went to visit a compassion project. because it was saturday, we had the opportunity to see their special programs. sewing, music, pottery, and letter writing to sponsors.

i worked not far from a compassion project when i was in the DR, but i never got to see it in action. just the few hours we spent at this port au prince project was enough to see that the white man's money is not being waisted.

haiti day one

haiti day one: travel

i left my apartment at 3:30, stopped by the ATM to get cash, and was at the aiport by 4:15ish. jamie, aaron and fedna beat me there.

oh, and it was ridiculously cold for the middle of march.

we went from austin to houston to miami to port au prince.

we arrived in port au prince at about 3:00 friday afternoon.

i have heard many times that the devastation of haiti is so great that you can feel the heaviness as soon as you step off of the plane. i didn't feel this weight that quickly. i felt the intense sun. i felt a heavy carry on bag. i felt the anticipation of the upcoming week. maybe i was ignoring it. maybe it was saving itself for later, to spare me a few days of strength & hope that would be greatly needed by the end of the week. but the weight did come, ever so subtly.

we were picked up by troy livesay and carried off to the port au prince hilton - otherwise known as the Methodist Guest House. in addition to very weak, but free wifi, we got cold - yet running, or sometimes jogging - showers. we could have even gone swimming, had we energy enough at the end of each day (which we unfortunately did not).

we got settled in and had a wonderful meal of rice & beans, carrots & yucca, and caribbean juice. it felt like home.

i'm back

from hispañola. more stories to come, hopefully soon.

the magic in letters

please click on the title to see the original post.

The Magic in Letters

As heard on NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday, February 15, 2009. I believe in the alphabet, because it has the power to change life. I realized the power concealed in the alphabet on the very first day I joined the adult literacy class. For the first time, I was introduced to letters that stood for my name. In discovering the Nepali alphabet, I discovered I was Cha-me-li and not Cha-mi-li, as everyone used to call me. It felt like magic. A little loop of “e” for “i” changed my name! If three letters could change my name, how much would I be able to transform my life if I understood all the letters? I spent that whole evening writing and rewriting my name. After that, I carried the spelling book with me while I went to collect firewood, weed the maize field, just everywhere, until I learned to write. Before learning how to write, my life was like the nearby Indrasarovar Lake, always stagnant. I had the pain of child marriage, my husband did not support me, abject poverty was my way of life, and I didn't have any skill or courage to do anything. But I saw that the number of people learning to read and write was growing—and their lives were improving. I then realized it was neither wealth nor beauty that I lacked, but letters. As my new knowledge of words boosted my confidence and courage, I made a resolution: Yes, my life has been like this, but I and my sisters and brothers should be given education, as much as we would like. The immediate obstacle to this was the Tasar River. The village school was on the other side of the river and children would be cut off from going to school during monsoon season. I wanted to erect a bridge over the river. In the beginning the villagers did not help. Some even mocked the idea, saying it was only for me and called the idea, "Chameli Bridge." But finally we got support, materials were collected, volunteer laborers were available, and the bridge was finally constructed. Now I cannot express my satisfaction seeing children running to school over that bridge. It is a bridge of iron, a bridge of letters, a bridge of community. Nothing is achieved without the cooperation of all. I am now heading five women’s micro-saving groups. Ten or 20 rupees that used to be spent buying petty cosmetic items have been collected into a fund of 300,000 rupees. We are planning to open a small cooperative in the village soon. We also want to run permanent literacy classes for women and open a library. All this is the result of my knowing the alphabet, even though I learned it late. Letters have immense power. They have magic. The greatest thing in the world is the alphabet. That is my belief. Chameli Waiba lives in Makwanpur, a village in rural Nepal. She was a child bride at 15, and didn’t learn to read until she was 21. Waiba works for social causes, environmental conservation, road construction, child development, and micro-finance. Independently produced for NPR by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick. Special thanks to Madhu Acharya of Antenna Foundation Nepal.

community

the following is an excerpt from the book We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families by Philip Gourevitch. It is in reference to a story told by a woman about the Rwandan cultural responsibility to respond to those who cry out in a crisis situation. If I am in crisis, I want someone to help me. Therefore, if someone else is in crisis, I will help them. "I cry, you cry. You cry, I cry."

So there is responsibility. I cry, you cry. You cry, I cry. We all come running, and the one who stays quiet, the one that stays home, must explain. Is he in league with the criminals? Is he a coward? And what would he expect when he cries? This is simple. This is normal. This is community.

It struck me as an enviable agreement. If you cry out, where you live, can you expect to be heard? If you hear a cry of alarm, do you add your voice and come running? Are rapes often averted, and rapists captured, in this way in your place? I was deeply impressed.

Should this not be the norm among our Christian community?

Rom 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

i am thankful to have a community where i believe this to be the norm. i have, in fact, seen it to be the norm. someone loses a job - we all search for a new one. someone gets engaged or married - we have a party. someone has an injury without insurance - we all give what we can.

this is, however, unfortunately uncommon in the united states. if this is not a picture of your community, i dare say you should look for a new one. or create it yourself.

it's a noun, not an adjective

if you use bad grammar, beware. you will not like this post, but i just have to get something off my chest.

it's The Dominican REPUBLIC. not "The Dominican."

why?

because "dominican" is an ADJECTIVE. do you call it The United? NO. It's The United STATES. because without the "states", there's nothing to unite. and without the "republic," there's nothing that's Dominican.

so call it what you will. The Dominican Republic. The DR. La Republica Dominicana. La RD. just please, please, PLEASE...don't call it The Dominican.

thank you.

real hope for haiti

http://haitirescuecenter.wordpress.com/

hope

so i was reading these verses today and thinking about the DR, and Haiti, and about how in 10 days the US will have a black president, yet tonight many of my haitian friends will not eat dinner.

and i was thinking that a post about such a topic would really pull at someone's heart strings with picture of a sad little child with a bloated tummy and that might cause them to pray and give money.

i am, however, not the manipulative type to do such a thing. but i did search my files just to see what i have if i were to do so. the picture above is the best i could do.

her name is Yoslena, but they call her Belleza - Beautiful. and that is what she is.

it is often hard to reconcile the poverty and desolation and injustice all around these precious children with a God we are told is good and loving. but as i look at their smiles and remember their laughter, David's words in Psalm 9 remind me that there is a Hope that is bigger than i can see. and that is truly beautiful.

Psalm 9
9 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

a list

1. learn to lead climb
2. drive up the west coast. stop in san francisco, portland and seattle. find outdoor adventure.
3. go to africa.

write them on the tablet of your heart

how easily i forget.

every day. i wake up each morning. my first thought is of coffee and how i really wish i had washed the pot the night before. i eventually make it to my chair, a rich, sweet, addictive cup of coffee in one hand, and the even richer, even sweeter, yet sometimes, somehow...less addictive Bible in the other.

i read the words.

i write them on paper.

i pray.

by the time i get to the 183/mopac fly over i've usually forgotten the words about patience and humility. by lunch time i've forgotten the words about wisdom and by the time the release bell rings i've forgotten the words about discretion. as i head home i forget the words about my wealth and go to sleep having forgotten the words about the Lord's loving discipline.

the next morning i wake up.

i drink. i read. i forget.

were i ever to forget to drink, i'd be very aware by 10:00am and go in search of caffeinated freedom from weariness.

yet if i were ever to forget to read, i fear i would not be aware even by 10:00pm. i would not go in search of biblical freedom from weariness.

and so i press on, fueled at times by caffeine for a cause (and feeling pretty darn good about myself for it), and running on the spiritual fumes of both the old AND new testaments (and feeling pretty darn good about myself for it) which have not settled in my heart due to the coffeemate blocking the way. and suddenly i look just like the the world - impatient, prideful, selfish, unruly. addicted to me.

the problem is not the coffee. it is, in fact, a quite tasty and stimulating drink. the problem is not the Bible. it is, in fact, the most glorious book on planet earth. the problem is the forgetting. the problem is my heart. the problem is forgetting to write these words on the tablet of my heart.

Proverbs 3

1 My son [or daughter], do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments...

3...write them on the tablet of your heart...

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.

11 My son [or daughter], do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of reproof,
12 for the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens;
20 by His knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son [or daughter], do not lose sight of these - keep sound wisdom and discretion...

26...for the Lord will be your confidence...

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

2008 Was Great

it was my first full calendar year back in the country. that means that this year i can't write about the contrasts of third world living versus the luxuries of the US. oh, but wait, i did visit the DR. and how good that was for sure.

yet in the midst of this "economic crisis" (which, honestly, hasn't affected me much at all, except at Valero and HEB), i feel like it's a bit of the minimalist way of living forcing itself on culture around me. problem is, people here are complaining about it, rather than realizing what a blessing it could be.

and i find myself also in the middle of the tension between wanting more and needing less, of taking more and giving less, and striving to give more and take less. and though my vocation will never allow me to have a lot in the eyes of american culture, i have way more than i could ever ask. and while this year wasn't full of those explicit reminders of the material wealth i do possess, it was full of vivid blessing from the Lord that i didn't even know i was lacking. i've been struck this past year by how much better the Lord knows our needs than we know it ourselves. so many things to which he led me i thought - or hoped - were for one purpose, only to discover they were for something much better.

when stress drained, peace filled.
when people drained, community filled.
when knowledge drained, relationship filled.
when plans drained, the Lord's sovereignty filled.
when decisions drained, the Holy Spirit's guidance filled.
when surgery drained, sacrifice filled.
when pride drained, humility filled.
when sin drained, Grace filled.

DR Update

I just got this message from those who are still living in the DR. please pray for the relations among Dominicans and Haitians, as well as for Rachel who works in Villa Ascencion. this village is just past Pancho Mateo, the larger village in which i taught while living there.

This email comes from Cara Jane Welch (Cara, I hope it's ok that I posted this so others can pray!).

This was on my friend Rachel's blog. (Rachel runs a fair trade co-op
in one of the villages near where we work. I'm sure I've mention La
Tienda before. It's Haitian women making jewelry, paper, candles, and
other beautiful things in order to support their families. For many
of the women, this has brought them out of prostitution.)

[Side note from Alexia: If you ever see the MAKARiOS table at the Stone and there is jewelry for sale, it's from this co-op.]

"Dec 2008

Some of you may have heard that we are experiencing severe trials in
our Haitian Village. A Mob of Dominicans went in Sunday night and ran
families out of their homes, threatened their lives and destroyed
small business. This was in reaction to the discovery of murdered
Dominican in the sugar cane fields on the road to the village.

Many families have abandoned their homes in fear of the mob and have
been scattered all over the place. Pastor Jonny (Dudu's Father) house
was broken into and all of his stuff was thrown outside and
destroyed. Pastor Jonny is the man who is taking care of Rosairi and
Jonathan while I am away. The whole family (including my kids) fled
the village and all 11 of them are currently hiding out in my
apartment in Montellano. There is a vendetta against him as he is a
community leader, and this mob wants all the Haitians gone for good.

I am endlessly thankful to hear that the entire family, including my
two, remain unharmed. The military went in to try and restore some
normalcy, they arrested the ringleader of the mob, but ended up
letting him go when a riot ensued. It is unsafe for Gringo's or
Haitians to travel to the village, and there are only a few families
who remain in what was once a robust population of Haitians and
Dominicans trying to work together and climb out of abject poverty.

Please pray for the Haitian community, as well as Jonny's family, as
well as my two kids at this time. Also I would covet your prayers as
I try to decide how to respond. "


What Rachel doesn't mention is that her art co-op is in this same
village and all of the women that she works with live there as well.
This has affected many of the people that we have ministry with, know,
and love. If it is dangerous for people to travel out to the village,
then this prevents Rachel form doing her work. The village that was
attacked was built by missionaries. Something around 200 Haitian
families were given homes and are encouraged by many means to better
their lives there. This attack is not only out of hatred for
Haitians, but also an attack on efforts to make things better for the
poor. While no one associated with Makarios was directly affected,
the families of our students live out their, and many of my friends
work for other organizations in the village. There is a Kids Alive
school in the village where people from my Dominican church, Gringo,
Dominican, and Haitian alike work.

It is clear that Satan has used these people for his evil purposes.
This is a direct spiritual attack. Pray for safety. Pray that the
government would respond so that people would feel safe to return to
their homes. Pray for direction. When I return to the DR on January
3rd I plan to help Rachel in what ever way I can.... so pray for that.

trade as one

if you're looking for unique gifts for christmas, go here:

http://tradeasone.com/

haiti

for those of you who actually read my blog, here's something newsworthy.

i'm thinking about spending spring break in haiti. a couple from my church who is adopting two children are leading a team to work with Real Hope for Haiti. my first and only trip to haiti lasted only about 2hrs, as i was simply (or not so simply) passing off little orphan Ian to his new family. even that one little glimpse of the other side of hispanola made it very clear the stark difference bewteen haiti and the dr. i never had the opportunity to go back to see more of the country from where many of my students came.

and while i definitely stuck out in the dr, i felt more obvious in haiti; more white, somehow. and since i only speak about 5 words of haitian kreyol, and only 3 words of french, it will be very much out of my comfort zone. the dr, while it is very far from my own culture and language, can be comfortable because there i can manage. i can speak the language. i know how the money works. i can avoid being ripped off...too much. in haiti i know nothing. the little bit i DO know is tied to the dr - haitian culture...in the dr, haitian kreyol...mixed with spanish... it will be a good test of my crosscultural skills, or lack thereof.

it might also provide an opportunity to stay behind the group a few days and visit wonderful people such as robin, jakob & isaak, jim & teresa white, and evelina. that would be a sweet reunion, no doubt.

so, you can pray about my decision and, if i do go, the finances to get there.

thursday

thursday was not only thanksgiving and 1 week after my 28th birthday.

it was also the birth day of Miss Kaytlin Elizabeth Hall, daughter of Jeanae and Jeremy Hall.

Since I don't have any nieces or nephews of my own, I'm going to adopt her as mine :) pictures will come after i actually get to meet her in person.

andrew murray on humility

Is it any wonder that the Christian life is so often weak and fruitless, when the very root of Christian life is neglected or unknown? Is it any wonder that the joy of salvation is so little felt, when that by which Christ brings it is so seldom sought? Until a humility that rests in nothing less than the end and death of self, and which gives up all the honor of men as Jesus did to seek the honor that comes from God alone (which absolutely makes and counts itself nothing) that God may be all, that the Lord alone may be exalted - until such a humility is what we seek in Christ above our chief joy, and welcome at any price, there is very little hope of a faith that will conquer the world.

I cannot too greatly impress upon my readers the need of realizing the lack there is today of humility within Christian circles. There is so little of the meek and lowly Lamb of God in those who are called by His name. Let us consider how our lack of love, indifference to the needs and feelings of others, even sharp comments and hasty judgements that are often excused as being honest and straightforward, are thwarting the effects of the influence of the Holy Spirit on others. Manifestations of temper and touchiness and irritation, feelings of bitterness and estrangement, have their root in nothing but pride. Pride creeps in almost anywhere, and the assemblies of the saints are not the exceptions. Let's ask ourselves what would be the effect if all of us were guided by the humility of Jesus, that the cry of our whole heart, night and day, would be, "Oh, for the humility of Jesus in myself and all around me!" Let us honestly fix our heart on our lack of humility - that which has been revealed in the likeness of Christs's life, in the whole character of His redemption - and realize how little we know of Christ and His salvation.

eternal salvation

i am thankful for eternal salvation.

Hebrews 9:12:

...he [Jesus] entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption... (emphasis mine).

it's been a while

and for good reason. i've been busy. i was reminded this morning at church that i haven't posted in a while. it's been over a month. a very busy month.

why have i been so busy? well, to begin with, the end of august and beginning of september are always busy with the beginning of school. and as soon as school slowed down to a stead pace, life picked up. vision series groups began at church, and college young life small groups began. that takes up at least 2 evenings out of my week, in addition to trying to fit in an hour or two somewhere to work on my neverending thesis.

about a month ago i went to my cousin's wedding in paris, tx. it was good to see family again since i normally only see them on holidays.

i had the opportunity to go back to the holy land a few weeks ago and watch the aggies play. unfortunately, our football team isn't the best thing about A&M right now. and we were defeated again this week - by tech, no less :-\ all the while the teasips around me continue to gloat. it's a little sickening, really... on a positive note, i was able to see my college roommate and good friend Jeanae, who is VERY pregnant, and due around thanksgiving. i can't wait to see that precious little girl face to face.

so all in all, life is good. reall good. but really busy. which leaves me less time for blogging. so for all of you who actually do keep up with my blog, know that i haven't fallen off the face of the earth, or into a coma. i am here. and i am living. and i'll catch ya later.

what can i say?

so at our prayer meeting tonight, we sang this song. and i think it's the beginning of the answer to the question about suffering.

what can i say?
what can i do?
but offer this heart, O God,
completely to You.

So I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned,
in awe of the One who gave it all.
I'll stand, my soul, Lord, to you surrendered,
all I am is Yours.

we all sing this so easily, loudly, excitedly and with hands raised high - when we're in the midst of others who are doing the same. but do we really understand what it means to offer our heart, to surrender everything, to completely give ourselves to the Lord?

it's different for all of us. but i wonder if it begins with things that are actually rather simple, but will, at times, feel like suffering. because if we really do give everything, it's going to hurt. it's called sacrifice for a reason.

do we need to surrender our control?
our schedule?
"free"time?
appetite?
dining out?
freedoms?
social life?
sleep?
pride?
money?
time?
energy (physical and mental)?
rights?
privileges?
comforts?
big houses?
identity?
nice clothes?

the list could go on and on.

the point is

it's going to cost us our LIVES. nothing is saved but our souls.

...to know the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings...

this verse (Philippians 3:10) was brought to my attention twice this past week. once, early one morning, as i was "reaping" through my bible with the plan set out by my church. the second time was tuesday evening at our prayer night.

it's easy for me to skip over verses like this because i've read them so many times before. when you grow up in the baptist church, that kind of thing happens.

our church is heading into a series about being a church for the city. not just a church in the city, but a church FOR the city. and that means that most likely, or rather, mostly definitely, our livestyles will change. and it means that we might, or rather, we will, suffer.

so our pastor asked us to pray this prayer of Paul's. that we might count it all loss for His sake, that we might see the power of His resurrection in this city. but then we came to this part. the part about sharing in his suffering. and rather than asking us to pray that, he asked us to spend time praying that we would be able to pray that.

what i realized that night is that i don't really know what it means to share in His sufferings. i can't even begin to fathom what it would me for me to truly suffer for the sake of his glory in this city. sure, i can read all about how Paul and all of the other disciples and early Christians were humiliated and martyred for the sake of Christ. but what does that mean for my life, today, living in 21st century America? i honestly don't know, and probably don't want to. because if i did, i might run the other direction.

so my prayer is that, rather than having a clear and specific picture of what it means to share in His sufferings, we might have a heart that says yes to whatever may come. a heart that honors him above all things so that when the suffering does come, we can truly accept it...

"...that by all means [we] might save some...[to] share with them in its blessings."
1 Corinithians 9:22-23

austin's top 14

1. First, it's pronounced AWS-TUN. It doesn't matter how they say it in other places.

2. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Austin has it's own set of traffic rules. There's no book about them. All you can do is get in your car and hope you survive to learn them.

3. All directions start with "Go down Mopac...'cause you don't want to get on 35."

4. Burnet, Braker, and Lamar have no beginning and no end.

5. It's impossible to go around a block and wind up on the same street that you started on. The Chamber of Commerce calls this a "scenic drive"

6. The 8:00 am rush hour is from 6:30am to 9:30am. The 5:00pm rush hour is from 3:30pm to 7:15pm. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.

7. If you actually stop at a yellow light, then you cannot be from Austin. You may only apply your brakes when the end of a yellow light and the beginning of the red light create a "burnt-orange" hue

8. If you like being an individual, don't even think of working for Dell. You'll be branded like cattle and made to walk all over town with your "Dell tag" around your neck or clipped on to your belt loop. 98% of the people within a 200 mile radius work for Dell. When someone says "Michael Dell", Dell employees are trained to face Round Rock, hit their knees, put their face to the ground, weep, and rock back and forth.

9. Just remember that Mopac IS Loop 1; Capital of Texas Hwy IS 360; and 183 IS Research, Anderson, Ed Bluestein, and Old Bastrop Hwy. 2222 IS Northland or Allendale or Koenig. Don't try to figure it out. Just accept it. If You question the intelligence behind this naming convention, people will Simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you.

10. If moisture is determined to be rain, not sweat, all traffic must immediately cease. Ditto for daylight savings time, a girl applying eye-shadow across the street, or a flat tire 3 lanes over. Do not attempt to access any road after an apocalyptic event like snow or South X Southwest.

11. Construction on I-35 is a way of life, and a permanent form of entertainment. Get used to it!

12. Keep in mind that the sloppily dressed, tattooed "hippie" in sandals with multiple piercing is probably the latest IPO millionaire around here.

13. Stay away from the Congress Bridge at sundown if you do not like the thought of being in an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

14. And, yes, we all know that's a man in a teddy and a tiara on Congress Ave. It's Leslie, he did run for Mayor and he probably makes more money than you do.

MAK to MEX

I received the following email from Sharla, the founder of MAKARiOS.

The Makarios staff has an amazing opportunity to go as a team to Mexico City in October in association with the Passion Conference. We would love for you to partner with us to make it happen. The Austin Stone is behind us and suggested that I email you, since you know our staff and have seen our ministry in the DR.

Here's the deal. The people at Passion asked if we would help facilitate the "Do Something Now" campaign for their Mexico City event on October 3-4. Some of the Passion staff and worship leaders were also interested in bringing their kids to this event and wanted them to be able to serve in the local community while there. They asked if we could lead that aspect of their trip. As we looked into these opportunities, the Lord led us to a church in a poor neighborhood that is reaching out to an even poorer village. We love what they are doing and are unified in approach to ministry and outreach.

As a church, they tutor and teach Bible classes to about 50 kids in this village on the weekends. They would like to start a program for them every afternoon, but lack teacher training, materials, and school supplies. The Lord has given Makarios the vision to begin helping local churches in impoverished areas of the world set up educational programs as a means of reaching the community for Christ. God has made it clear that this is our first such project.

We are very excited to see what God has for us and are thrilled to be able to use what we've learned and the supplies that we've collected to minister in other parts of the world. We will volunteer with the Passion team at the event, lead the Passion family team in a service project, bring supplies that we have collected, and train the church volunteers in working with kids who are years behind in their schooling. We know we're not experts, but God has blessed us with an abundance of resources and we look forward to passing along the blessing and giving all the glory to Him for what He accomplishes through us, weak vessels that we are!

You can find the team members' names below. If you're willing to partner with us in prayer, please respond to this email and let me know. I'll keep you posted on prayer needs. If you're willing to partner with us financially, please send your gift to the address below with a note that it's for Mexico City. We need to raise about $7,500. We may still need school supplies, so if you're able to help with that, please let me know.

Thank you for being a part of Makarios in whatever way God calls you to be!

In Him,

Sharla, for the MAK team

single like jesus

so i like to listen to sermons while i exercise because it keeps me from focusing on the things that stress me out. i exercise anywhere from 4-6 days a week. most churches only have 1 or 2 sermons a week. so as you can see, i quickly run out of sermons.

so a few weeks ago i subscribed to another church series - mars hill church in seattle. i'm not really sure where i first heard of mars hill or its pastor, mark driscoll. i probably saw a quote somewhere or something like that. anyway, i began downloading the sermons, listening to them regularly, and quickly became a fan of the Truth I was hearing.

it just so happens that about 2 years ago, mars hill went through 1 Corinthians, just as is the Austin Stone currently. this past saturday i just happened to come to chapter 7 - something we have currently bypassed until spring '09. i look forward to what our pastors at the stone have to say on this subject. for now, i enjoy mark driscolls commentary.

anyone who is single knows how annoying it gets when people come to 1 Corinthians 7 where Paul talks about the benefits of being single. we get yelled at about how we should treasure all of the time and freedom we have. and we're almost guilted into christian busy work. but i finally heard a message that makes sense. you definitely need to listen to it yourself, but the highlight is this:

those of us who are single are not such in order to drown ourselves in christian busywork. we are single because there is something else the Lord has for us right now.

in other words: don't go looking for some way to use your time, energy and resources. recognize how God has already provided these ways, live in them fully, and be thankful for them.

the internet and my iphone

some may say i'm addicted. i think that's a little too strong.

i do, however, enjoy that both the internet and my iphone help me stay connected - through email, IM, blogs - i can stay connected with people no matter where they live or what their, or my, schedule is like.

i was reminded of this yesterday as i was waiting to meet up with someone at a nearby coffee shop. she happened to be running late, and as austin traffic would have it, i ended up with about 30 minutes on my hands with not much to do but sit and wait. i didn't have a book with me. there were no newspapers laying around. and the wait staff weren't the type to provide interesting conversation.

but i just so happened to have my iphone with me. so i pulled it out, searched for google reader, and looked up all the blogs written by people i love. from Austin to Pennsylvania, to the Dominican Republic and Australia - i spent 30 minutes reading about what was going on in the lives of all of these people all over the world. and it was beautiful. none of them sat right in front of me during that time, but it was almost like they did. seeing their pictures, reading their words, is as close as i can get to many of them right now.

and for that i am thankful for the internet and my iphone.

anxiety

it plagues us all. but i think we all, in some way, think we're the only one who deals with it. but we're not. inf act, it's been plaguing the human race for, well, quite a long time.

...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ...and the God of peace will be with you.
~The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians

money.

i don't like it. it only seems to cause problems. we never have enough. and when we get more, we have even less.

i've grown up hearing that if you're faithful to give your tithe, the Lord will bless you. i've heard stories of people making sacrifices to pay their tithe and then anonymous checks or envelopes of cash just showing up so they can pay their bills. awesome, and truthful, stories of God's provision.

my church just finished a three week Money Matters series. and something finally clicked. it never quite made sense to me that we should give in order to receive. doesn't that seem a little selfish? of course there is a lot more you could explain so that it isn't, but on the surface it is selfish. but then it was explained this way.

in the old testament, the people were commanded to give in order to be blessed. in the new testament, we give because we ARE BLESSED. God has given us a lot. and it's all his anyway. why wouldn't we want to give some of it back to him?

and now another one of those crazy stories (but not quite so crazy as others). i have a very large expense coming up. one that's pretty unavoidable. one that has been on the horizon for some time, i just didn't know quite how much it was going to cost. when i was given the total cost, i almost cried. it's almost 1/3 of my yearly salary.

but then the insurance jumps in and brought it down appx. 35%. and then the payment option. it's still quite a large chunk each month. more than i'd like to give up at one time. but here's the crazy thing. when i crunch the numbers - i take my monthly salary, subtract the monthly payment, minus rent, school loan, other bills - even my tithe - and i still have just enough to live on for a month. now it's not like i'll get to go to all the fun concerts with my friends for about the next year, but i will be able to eat (and if gas prices keep going down, i might just be able to go to work so i can keep getting this salary! ;-) but then again, the Lord never promised fun concerts. he DID promise my daily bread.

now i do feel the need to add that all of this is in addition to what i have in my savings for just such emergencies. i thought i was going to have to deplete my savings and go into debt. now i can give out of my abundance.

that's the idea, at least.

one year ago today

i was sitting on a plane. i woke up to a quiet MAK house, as most of the staff and interns had headed out on grand adventures of which i was unable to take part since my return trip had already been set for months. they were headed to haiti. i was headed to texas. all of us were headed to a country different than our current residence. all of us were headed to another adventure.

though living in texas isn't quite as, well, dominican, it is an adventure in itself. i really can't believe a whole year has passed. and i can't quite grasp all of the ways the Lord has provided for me since my return.

a great job using my degrees
great co-workers
once again being closer to family
a great roommate
wonderful friends
amazing church with an amazing community group

and the blessings not directly related to me, but which show the glory of God in this world:

new relationships
engagements/marriages
babies (birth or adoption)
new jobs
new homes
life

Can't Get Away
Rush of Fools

I am an arrow, I am a rocket
I am a river and nothing can stop it
Cause You are the target and You are the atmosphere
You are the ocean that keeps pulling me, You're pulling me here

And I, can't get away, can't get away
Can't get away, can't get away
I can't get away, can't get away...I keep running into You

I am a beggar, You are the table
I am so helpless, God You are so able
And when I get turned around You change my direction
You're so perfect, I'm so broken, here You come with arms wide open
Chasing after me down every road
You're always waiting there

Even when I close my eyes, I can't help but see
There's no place that I can hide, You're such a part of me
I can't get away cause I keep running into You
I can't get away...

i stole this from amy t

who stole it from kelly. but i haven't posted in over a month, and i need something. there will probably be something more interesting come friday or saturday.

i am: a work in progress
i dream: of what the world should be like
i think: too much
i know: God is faithful
i want: to be content
i have: the best community group
i wish: to understand how rich i really am
i hate: that i can't fix everything
i miss: my family and friends all over the state and the world
i fear: the dark
i feel: cold!
i hear: the radio and laughter in the next office
i smell: like my soap
i crave: coffee
i search: for genuine people
i wonder: what the future holds
i regret: very little
i love: la republica dominicana
i ache: for justice and mercy
i care: more than it appears
i always: check my email
i am not: perfect
i believe: Truth
i dance: when nobody's looking!
i sing: in the car
i cry: for others
i don’t always: floss every night
i fight: myself
i write: when I am inspired
i lose: my chapstick
i never: leave home without my phone
i listen: to wise counsel
i can usually be found: outside
i need: a massage
i am happy about: my weekend plans
i desire: to know God more fully
i hope: for things unseen

christian radio

sometimes it annoys me. and sometimes it doesn't.

Sanctus Real - Whatever You're Doing
From the album We Need Each Other

It's time for healing, time to move on,
it's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong;
it's time to find my way to where I belong

There's a wave that's crashing over me, and all I can do is surrender
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but somehow there's peace
And it's hard to surrender to what I can't see, but I'm giving in to something heavenly

Time for a milestone, time to begin again, re-evaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will or just climbing aimlessly over these hills?
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything, I surrender

Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out that I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life, something heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life
Something heavenly, something heavenly

Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

Label: Chordant (EMI)

the value of community

“What’s it like to be back?” I have heard that question a lot this week. I’ve been able to reunite with many familiar and loved faces that I knew so well during my time here. Camille, Jennie & Miguel and the new baby Diego, as well as those in Chichigua and Pancho Mateo – Evelyn, Kiko, Roslan, Gerda, Cristina, Katy & Fredy, Judy, and many others. My friends. Mi familia.

It is, of course, not my permanent home, nor are they my blood family. But there is something that binds us together. Something greater than geography and blood. Something that allows us to sit and talk and hug and laugh as if not a day has passed.
It is the spirit of community that I love about this place. And there are two communities that I love.

The first is the national community, whether that be Haitian or Dominican. It is the community that makes me a part of their family despite the color of my skin, despite my national origin, despite my native tongue, despite the months for which I have been “lost,” as Evelyn says. It is the community that, while they do have the same human struggles of us all, does not look at me in terms of status, does not value me for what I can do for them, but allows me into their homes and into their lives. It is the community that invites me to sit on their porch, to enter into their homes (along with 12 of my new friends), to drink their juice, and ask me to come back soon – and it’s not just a nice thing to say, but they mean it. It is the community that is community held together by one simple bond – humanity.

And then there is the Body of Christ with whom I share this experience. People I have known for several years, others just a few months, and others for just a few days. And though this community is much more homogenous than the first, we are still held together by one thing, one much stronger – no, the strongest bond – of our Lord Jesus Christ – and added to that is our love for this beautiful country and its beautiful people. It is a community in which we learn to live life – together. We eat together. We serve together. We rest together. We support and encourage each other and carry each others burdens when it becomes too heavy for them.

It is this practice of community that I hope we can all take back to Austin. To eat together. To serve together. To bear each others burdens. The independent American way has left so many of us lonely and weak. The community for which Jesus prayed will refresh and strengthen.

the Lord works without our help

sunday morning we went to church at Templo Biblico in Monte Llano. It was one of the best church services I've been to in that country. the church is studying through the book of Matthew, and this sunday just happened to be:

Mat 10:5	These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,
Mat 10:6	“but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

over the past several years, since MAKARiOS has been involved in the surrounding neighborhood and villages, the people of the church have begun to see the need to reach out to the "lost sheep" of their community. it has been decades since they have collectively done any type of outreach, but the Lord has been stirring in their hearts, showing then that it is His desire, and giving them a desire to join Him in this work. as MAKARiOS and the Austin Stone have been building relationships with this body of believers, they have been seeking guidance from the Lord and from us to learn how to reach their community. and it just so happened that the Sunday we were there was the sunday Amouri (the pastor at Templo Biblico) preached that, to be on mission means you must GO (i didn't count, but he must have said this at least 20 times during his sermon).

so we planned a basketball game - the guys from our team plus some of the pastors from Templo Biblico against the community of Tamarindo (the location of the MAK school). on tuesday afternoon we went with those from the church to invite the community to watch this free basketball game. on wednesday before the game the church rented a truck with loud speakers to drive around and announce the game to the community.

after an hour delay because Monte Llano had no lights, we finally got started. at half time, Ryan gave his testimony, which was translated to Spanish for the crowd. even though our team was creamed about 90something to 50something, we had a great time. there was a great turnout from the community and it was the beginning of this church's efforts to reach out and build relationships with non-believers in their own backyard.

soy dominicana

ok, so i'm not really dominican. but i do have some stories about this most recent trip to the DR.

we left early Friday morning, meeting at the austin airport at 4:00am (well, most of us!). it's a good thing Austin Java opened about 30 minutes before boarding time. from there we went to chicago, where we had about a 5 hour layover, then onto Miami, and finally got to Santiago Friday evening. the boones (anne and garrett) were there to meet us, along with cara and robin (who greeted me by saying, "welcome home" :)

saturday morning we visited Wisly and his family at the MAKARiOS farm and had a typical dominican meal of rice and beans with fried plantains. then it was on to Puerto Plata to get settled in at the MAK house. it's a good thing we only had 13 in our group, as one side of the MAK house was already filled with 19 people - a few full time staff, interns, and even a family who is serving for the summer.

stories to come

i am officially back in austin and back into work and life. i was hoping to be able to post stories about the trip while i was there, but as you can see from the few posts i was able to make, blogger wasn't working well with the internet there. so i will post stories throughout this week as i have time. in the meantime you can check out the austin stone blog to read stories from other team members about our time there this past week.

Austin stone blog

austinstone.blogspot.com

mi familia haitiana

today we went to chichigua. i got to see evelyn. i dontdon't know how long we talked, but camille had to come get me to say we were leaving. i also saw cristina, which was nyby far the most surprising reunion  since iI did not expect to see her until tuesdayTuesday and she did not even know iI was here. it was a great day of family reunions. not such a good day for blogger. iI apologize on its behalf.

I'm home

we made it to santiagoSantiago last night with no problems at all . my connection is not great so imI'm going to stop here. please feel free to email because iI will be able to read it ( as long as we have lights). thank you for your prayers!

I'm home

we made it to santiagoSantiago last night with no problems at all . my connection is not great so imI'm going to stop here. please feel free to email because iI will be able to read it ( as long as we have lights). thank you for your prayers!

ohmygoodness

I'm leaving for the DR in about 3.5 days. ohmygoodness.

checklist:

passport: check
sunscreen: check
bugspray: check
lots of tanks tops: check
chacos: check
e-ticket/itinerary: check
pack: check
send a million emails to the team: check..and to do...
find and print pages for my lesson: ummm...to do, TONIGHT
peanut butter: to buy...
journals: to buy...
go crazy: check

but its ok, cause this time next week, i'll be in the best country in the caribe.

chichigua

it makes me very sad to post this picture. this is chichigua. this is where i taught English and literacy for a whole year. i spent at least 3 hours every monday and wednesday in this place, able to look through the window of the church at one of the most amazing views of the beach in the DR.

and now, a wall goes up. why? because they're building a golf course. and of course rich, white golf players on vacation in the Caribbean don't want to see the poor haitian villagers behind them. but they don't even KNOW they don't want to see them, because they'll never even know that they're there.

so the next time you go on vacation, take some time to think about the people who LIVE in the country. i'm not saying you shouldn't take a vacation and enjoy yourself. but take some time to think. take some time to pray. take some time to consider giving to the country rather than taking from it.

for those who pray

I received this email from the Austin Stone Community Church. Please pray for this neighborhood. It is the poorest neighborhood in Austin. Over the years it has changed from being almost 100% African American, to 75% Hispanic, 25% African American (someone please correct me if those numbers are wrong).

Friend's of St. John's May 18^th-24^th

Hi Friends,

We have a lot to pray for this week as a family in the St. John's neighborhood has had a recent crisis:

Maria, a volunteer Promatora for Julie Weeks, has been displaced from her trailer home after it suffered extensive damage from a family emergency. Damages include broken windows, extensive roof damage, structural damage, interior damage, and pepper-spray damage after local law enforcements and the S.W.A.T team were called to the residence. Maria and her children are now at an alternative living facility since the home is unlivable. Additionally, Maria has lost her nanny job that's she's had for two years because of the events.

We are requesting help in the following areas:

• Help with construction/repair of the home. We are looking for people who have experience in this area and/or would be willing to donate supplies and labor. Repairs include structural, roof, and kitchen
• Work for Maria. She is looking for full or part time work as a nanny or childcare provider. Maria is a dynamic Christian woman with a generous heart, sincere faith and love for people, especially children.

*If you or anyone you know would be able to help or provide information in the above areas, please e-mail me, and i'll send it on.

Please pray for Maria and her family in the following ways:

• That Maria would continue to lay her burdens t the feet of Jesus at this time. Maria is a strong believer and has been grateful for Jesus even in the midst of all of this.
• That her children would not hold anger towards Maria or her husband. Pray that they would have father-like relationships placed in their path due to the current absence of their dad.
• That Maria would find work
• That their home would be able to be repaired and be a safe, livable environment again.
• That the body of Christ would continue to work together and seek wisdom of the Holy Spirit for the right steps to take. Maria is a member of Iglesia El Shaddai and we are working together with them to help her during this time.

Please share these requests with others or your small groups. Maria expressed to me that even in the midst of her current pain, she knows that God is with her and has been overwhelmed with gratitude at all the help she's received already.

seventeen days

i will be leaving for the dominican republic in 17 days. that's a little crazy. that means school is out in less than two weeks. it also means i've been back in the country almost a year. it means i need to start packing very, very soon.

it's really kind of hard to believe that i'm going back. i know it's only for a week, but to be able to see all of those precious faces again is beyond my imagination. and to see the finished schoolhouse with all of the kids in their uniforms - or just in clothes at all! - is going to be amazing.

we also have a pretty amazing group of people going on our trip. i think we are blessed to have a small group - 12 of us total - which means we'll be able to have more opportunities to hang out with the people and hear their stories, something that isn't possible with larger groups because you draw a crowd and then chaos breaks out.

on this trip we'll also be getting involved with the local church in Montellano, Templo Biblico, to work alongside their youth in ministering to those in need that are in their every day community.

i don't think i can put into words how excited i am to visit this amazing country.

if you would still like to give financially to our group, just email me and i can give you more info on how much is needed and where to send it. thanks!

life

sometimes i forget to live life. whether i'm too busy or not busy enough, i forget to enjoy each moment for what it's worth.

this weekend was a good weekend.
on friday night i sat on my couch and watched a good movie.
saturday morning i helped some friends move.
saturday afternoon i cleaned and organized and spent some time in the sunshine at the pool.
saturday evening i ate a wonderful cookie at austin java with a friend i don't see often.
sunday i slept in, had breakfast with my roommate and watched a movie.
i called my mom for mother's day.
i spent the day resting and reading.
sunday evening i went to church and got in bed by 9:00.

and i enjoyed every minute of it.

too often i get caught up in doing things, making plans in advance to ensure productivity, and working really hard to make sure i get to rest - so hard, in fact, that those plans don't actually end up very restful.

and now that i'm finished with the first draft of my thesis i'm finding myself with much more time to do things i want to do. i'm finding more time to watch movies. more time to go sit at a coffee shop and just talk. more time for things like baseball games and afternoons at the pool. i am very thankful for this time. and i'm excited to see what new things i get to do with it.

reality

reality is sometimes a hard thing to grasp. it seems like it should be easy cause, well, it's reality. but i think it's harder than we realize.

it's especially hard for those of us who know that reality could be different. we have to live in the reality of this broken world, yet we hope in the reality that we serve a BIG GOD who can do GREAT things. and we so often forget that simple Truth, that God is bigger than us and the world we live in.

and so we don't pray big. we don't pray specifically. we don't pray persistently. we don't pray passionately. and then we don't see God do big things, because we haven't asked him to.

1Sa 1:15	But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.
1Sa 1:16	“Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”

Act 4:29	“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants[fn5] to continue to speak your word with all boldness,
Act 4:30	“while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Act 4:31	And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

So let's pour out our hearts to a God who has the power to make a great reality.