Update #6

This week was busy, but not horribly busy. I've been getting things done, and feeling like what I'm doing is  relevant for what this summer is about. Here's a couple things I was up to:

CPR training--On Thursday, we drove to Bushkill, Pennsylvania, and went to Mont Lawn Camp for CPR training. I had a great time meeting so many different awesome people. The training was intensive and good--it built up my confidence, but I hope I never have to use the skills. It was great to be in the nature and I hadn't realized how great it was to be out there again.

Training plans--We had a volunteer meeting on Wednesday, and he two people show up to listen. Mark and I did some extensive planning for what our training entailed on Friday, and it's looking good.

After-school--Spending more time with those kids. Good and frustrating at the same time. I'm getting more patient with some of them because I have been thinking about different ways to approach teaching them.

Day Off--I got a day off this week. On Monday, I went for a run, and cleaned. It was nice.

Cafeteria work--My relationships with the kids are growing. Like with after-school I'm learning different ways to relate to the kids, and get to know them better. They are great and different, and I love talking to them about their lives and what they are interested in.

Flyers--Christa and I taped flyers to our shirts and lots of people were interested. I ran up and down the hill with two kindergarteners a couple times while eating a cherry icee. Several people picked up flyers with serious interest. The second day that I was at the school after school, a Muslim mother approached me and asked me to give her some registration forms. (so excited--she's bringing four kids into the program!!)

And then there were other things that I was up to Worship Practice and Worship team, on Sunday.
Food pantry-- which was outside today because of the graduation at Flushing Christian School.
Seeker's picnic---later on Saturday, we went to the picnic for all the Christian high school Seekers groups, and handed out flyers for those that might be interested in volunteering for the program. Our volunteer training starts tonight! Pray that there are enough volunteers--the amount of kids that we have signed up for the program is rising and rising--we have close to twenty, ang might have even more because people are still interested.

The Shack--Lily lent me this book to read, and I've been working through it. I'm almost done, and it's been really challenging in some areas. One phrase that Papa said that struck me was, "Do you see God when you think about your future?" And I realized that sometimes I do, in the aspect of where I want Him to lead me, but sometimes, when I look at bleak things, like money, or ever getting through college and finally having a degree, I don't let Him in. So I've been working to let him in, and now I have peace about those things.

Prayer requests and Praises
--volunteers for the program. We have kids, not we need people to help us!
--rest--we are starting to reshuffle our sleeping schedules, and getting up to pray at 6:30 in the morning.
--Praise that my school financial stuff doesn't seem so bleak!
--Praise that the Schools are finally ending and this program is kicking off.

Week Update #2

This is an interesting moment to take in, as I write my update, and listen to the Muslim boys in the basement say their evening prayers. God works there too, and I pray that there is something that will let these wonderful people that God is also a gentle God, is a Father God, and sent His Son Jesus to take away sin. 

The past few days have flown by and have been full of different things that I've done so much that I feel like it's been weeks. And yet I have now been in Queens already and only a week. 

This past Saturday, I spend time working at a Food Pantry. I put carrots and potatoes in bags, and then handed then to some of the people that came to the Pantry. There were people from all sorts of ethnicities. African, Latino, Indian, Chinese, and Korean. Some were homeless, some looked like they were okay. Some looked like they needed this boost. I met several people that time. Pastor Conrad let me in, and he was very kind. There were a bunch of older ladies that were sweet, and very supportive. 

Mark took me to Main St. in Flushing, by the Queens library. There were people from StreetLife who were handing out tracts and talking to people. There was a man who was mad that they were in front of the library and called the cops, who thought that it was completely fine that they were there. Main Street looked like Beijing with all of the signs in Chinese and Korean all over the place. 

I went to the worship practice, and that was really fun, and good. I forgot how nice it was to be on a worship team, and how much I missed singing contemporary songs. It was also a pretty intense moment of worship, and I could feel God moving through all of us. 

Sunday morning arrived, and the service was longer than I'm used to. . that being said, it was still good, but I was losing my attention span towards the end, but God was still working there. 

All week I have been working at the After School Program--using my Spanish and getting better while I work with Denisa (pronounced DayNaysa) to help her comprehend English through my Spanish. It gets better everytime, but is also slightly frustrating when she misses a day. And of course, when I'm tired and can't help some of the kids. 

We have done some very intense planning for our Summer Day Camp. Christa and a very miniscule amount of my assistance made a flyer, and we have had a couple meetings about what we are going to do and have looked at our resources. It looks like we are going to have a trip to Camp Deerpark every week, and on the other days, have a free program in the morning, and a paid program in the afternoons. We are making it highly affordable and it's going to be awesome! (if of course, we get good staff and have enough energy, so pray for that!)

Yesterday when I walked over to Christa's house, I turned onto her street and walked toward a woman and a man who were discussing the large branches that were on the ground beside the car of a commuter and the woman looked at me and looked at me again and said, "You are the spitting image of my niece!" I introduced myself, and then had a bit of a conversation with her. She was very kind. Her name was also Grace, and her home was the place where people seemed to drop off animals that they didn't want... Like a cat lady... (Marie, my sister will get a kick out of this). But the sweet and awesome part is that this woman, when I told her about the program we were planning, said that she wanted some of the flyers to hand out to the working moms that she knew. So that was totally God working there. 

Today I have felt sick. My neck is sore, as is my throat and I didn't really have the energy to work with kids. We went over to PS 22 (Public School 22) and discussed and decided that Daniel, Christa, and I were going to go over to the school during lunch time and associate with the kids. Of course, I saw Ali, who is one of the boys who lives in the basement, and went and sat at his table for a little while. He's really kind, and a good kid. He introduced me to all of the people at the table, and that was fun. I could have stayed there with them for the entire time. It was SO loud in there. 

We continued to talk to Lili, the lady who was enthusiastic about us coming, and she was telling us that she was really encouraged for us to be there. And I felt like God was calling me, especially to be there, and that I could help, and I would love to do that. Though I was feeling all day, during the time I was there, there was some new found energy that God had given me. I just felt called to be there for those kids. The only thing is, the guidance--the example that they really need I can't give to them, because I'm not a man. 

They need male example, someone to be a father figure or a big brother with God in his heart leading him. And not just during lunch time--all day. And only God can bring that. Only God can bring Jesus into these schools. 

Prayer requests:

--That this cold thing will heal before my birthday, which is on Sunday.

--For my wonderful sweet neighbors. 

--For energetic AWESOME high schoolers to staff the day camp

--For the kids in the public schools of New York City, that they would have good examples.

--For energy and encouragement for the staff at the After School Program 

God is Good!

Flushed In

No pun intended with the title, but it's pretty much how I feel--to the point where, they threw me in a "flushing device", flushed it, and now I'm mixed into whatever was different from me, and we are all comfortable with each other... Sorry for the sickening analogy.
I arrived in Queens on Thursday afternoon and was literally "flushed in" to the cycle of things. The worship team, meeting people, explaining why I am vegan (a different reason every time), telling people I'm from Ohio, but different parts of Ohio, how I'm a senior by credits, but only one year out of high school...ahh my complicated life.
I feel really welcomed into the Flushing environment, connecting with two girls, Christa and Hannah right away within these first few days. I am certainly welcomed into the house that I'm staying in-- a woman named Patricia houses missionaries for free, and when contacted by someone from the church, said she would house me for no charge, and that she is going out of town for some of the summer.
I spent the first night at Christa's house, where her mother, when finding out that I was vegan, supplied me with a lifetime of peanut butter, two cartons of soy milk, and a box with cans of beans, vegetables, and half a loaf of whole wheat bread.
I went to the Discipleship meeting for the worship team on the first day I was in Flushing, and dug deep into the word with the Worship team, for two and a half hours. Then yesterday evening, I went to the Young Adult Bible Study, and delved more into the word. The interesting thing is that I haven't gotten to do my devotions. But God takes me as I am, vulnerable in these new situations, learning in intense ways, what he wants me to learn, which is really great, and important. These bibles studies are a great shaper for what this summer is going to be like--God filled, and God driven. I'm pumped.
Christa showed me around Kissena Park when I was at her house. It was raining when we woke up but by the time we stepped out the door, there was a shining sun, and it was quite warm. I cannot wait to go running there-- it's so beautiful.
At the after-school tutoring program, on the first day, it was sort of unsuccessful. Introduced as knowing some Spanish I was set to work with Denise Mandelena, fresh from El Salvador, and to teach her the alphabet. I felt really bad because I wasn't able to communicate very well with her. But then yesterday, it went really well--we were doing math, and I was much more comfortable. I made her smile a lot, and I think she is catching on quickly.
Christa and Hannah came over to my house and we watched Gigi the musical last night--it was an interesting way to spend the evening, but entertaining, no doubt.
Christa took me to the Korean food market, where I might do some of my shopping. There is supposedly a Whole Foods and a Target elsewhere, but who knows when I'm going to get a chance to go shopping there--soon I hope. I need some tofu. I'm going to get sick of PB and J really soon.
Pictures and videos to come? (when I take, upload, and edit them--I'm really busy here.)

The Pakistani woman who lives in Pat's basement brought Pat breakfast this morning, and while waiting for pat, told me I was so pretty, and made me some tea, (which I'm sure has milk in it, but I appreciate her kindness. I hope to spend more time with them in the future--we'll see.)

Prayer requests:
--That I will work on my Spanish.
--For the family of Pakistani Muslims in the basement
--That I will let Christ reverberate from my soul.