| | wow - i feel like my whole semester has just been totally unproductive.
and school-wise so was this spring break - my goal was 1/2 hour to an
hour of homework per night - and i did nothing.
but this bronx trip was just about the most awesome week ever. at first
i was a little disappointed b/c i kept comparing it to the past couple
of years - but it turned out to be one of the best experiences i've
had. not just b/c the team was really fun - huggy and goofy and
easygoing - but we really had a good unity and i feel like being more
relaxed helped us get closer to the church and neighborhood as well.
there were so many people that really seemed to be making sincere
connections - it was really exciting. and we got to help tutor this
year which i really loved though i wish i could've done it more
consistently rather than just one day. we didn't see a show, but we saw
rasheed williams in bubba gump's celebrating his adorable little
daughter's 2nd birthday! and we helped w/ these community surveys the
church is compiling so we got to hear from residents what they think of
the neighborhood and what they think is needed. i only wish we'd been
allowed to go into the apartments and sit down w/ the families b/c that
was some of my favorite time there. and of course there was the
dance-off on friday which was crazy!! kudos to nyam and jay and bj for representing duke - and doing a very fine job of it - i just have to get some video of it =D
it's kinda hard to explain why i love the bronx so much - the people
feel more real, i feel more focused, and i definitely feel God moving
there. even when it's draining and difficult, i feel so much more alive
there it can be really difficult to come back. sooo - i want to go back
over the summer. i was talking w/ pastor tom, and i really don't want
to be selfish in my experience - i want to help the church rather than
be another person they have to train and escort and keep track of and
put more resources into. so i'd probably spend 3-4 days of the week
helping in the office to free people up to go visiting and prayer
walking and helping the summer teams. i'd definitely be helping with
kidz explosion which is ENORMOUS during the summers, and pastor tom
thinks it'd be really good for me to get involved with the women's
group on friday nights to connect with lidia, salome, and the others.
that ministry is definitely growing and one of the more intimate
ministries which makes me even more excited.
i might also get to go to detroit with them! they're going for 2 weeks
towards the end of june, and running 3 ministries. in east detroit,
they'll set up inflatable stuff and have outdoor youth rallies and that
sort of thing. in west detroit, they'll be doing a lot of prayer
walking and relational stuff - that's the really hardcore area of
detroit. pastor tom described it like a warzone - basically the south
bronx 12 years ago - aka, pretty scary. and in south detroit, there's a
pretty big middle-eastern community (sorry if that's not pc - i don't
know what is or isn't anymore), and they're working w/ a big iraqi
church w/ a lebanese pastor who used to be a leader of hamas!! i don't
know how else to say this but I AM SO EXTREMELY EXCITED!!!!!
i've just got to raise a little money to buy food while i'm there -
i'll be staying w/ the lovely cathy again =) if it all comes
together...... i don't know why it wouldn't but i'm afraid to talk
about it in too certain terms. so yes - come to the bronx this summer if u don't have plans yet!
and be praying for me too if u can - i can't wait to be back - i can't
wait to tackle vonetta again and talk to pastor tom (one of the most
godly men i've ever met) and get to know lidia and angel and tommy (his
amazing wife and daughter and son) and hang out w/ all the teens and
kids and everybody and eat at honduran restaurants and perhaps work w/
cephas in his cleaning business (how awesome would that be??) and see
detroit and finally feel whole again..... i love all of our team!
i love the bronx! come visit me this summer if u're in the area!!!
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| | Posted 3/20/2006 8:41 PM - 9 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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