Harrisburg, PA

Dear every awesome person,

(to the right is a map of PA and Harrisburg is the star...the picture is really small, so if you can't see it....i'm sorry.... but it's there I promise!!!)

I have arrived!!! This morning the interns and mentors bid each other goodbye and flew/drove our separate ways. It has been quite the last few days. :0) and the next few days and into months is sure to be quite busy and exciting as well. Belita and I worked out my job description last night at the hotel. My responsibilities are as follows:

Youth Ministry (yippee!!!!!!)
~to participate in youth group sunday nights helping out Josiah (the youth director)
~leading devotionals
~sharing in leadership and fellowship activites (games, etc.)
~brainstorm/develop new ways to reach the youth with Josiah
~teach/lead youth sunday school.

Worship (whaaaaaaat???)
~planning the 11:15am worship with Marisol and Josiah
~rehearsing/participating in the service (singing, playing guitar)
~develop other means of participation (dramas, etc.)
~announcements (9.00am service)

Pastoral Care (oh yeeeeeeeah....)
~accompany and assist Pastor Belita in home visits and hospital visits.
~shadow a chaplin @ the Brethren Old Folks homes & and do visits with Belita there. (One Day)

VBS/Christian Education (this should be interesting....)
~coordinating and providing leadership, as well as transportation. (will become clearer as the week approaches.)

BCM (Brethren Community Ministries)
~TBA

It was at the BCM part that Pastor Belita looked at me and said, let's stop there for now. hahahaha. So I will NOT be lacking in things to do this summer and will most likely take work home with me at night to do and keep myself busy.
She showed me all around the church today once we got there, and let me tell YOU. The building is a MAZE. hahaha. I was talking to one of 3 Jen's in the building, and she said she's been there nine months and still hasn't figured it out yet. So It's a lost cause. teehee. But I'm up to the challenge.

I had two AMAZING things happen today.

#1 On the freakishly small plane we road today, I had the privledge to sit next to a man named Eli, who was on his way to pick up his son, Alex so they could spend some time together. He is a program scrambler person who keeps bombs from blowing up by scrambling signals. He's been in Iraq for quite sometime....lol. However in his off time he likes to "pimp out" cars. make them into muscle cars and race them places. He's head over heels in love with his son who is 5 years old, and loves his Daddy just as much. I absolutely loved talking to him. And at the end of our conversation I asked to pray for him, and he said.... SURE! lol. It was great. So i prayed for him and his son, and afterward we got to talking about how green PA is. It was really cool. I've never done anything like that before.... it could become addicting. This is what I get for listening to Jesus!!! :0D

#2 Immediately after being shown the church layout and being introduced to a lot of people's office doors. lol. I was asked to attend a graduation party for the BHA. I thought it was a graduation for a high school kid...but it turns out to be graduation party for a young woman with a very young daughter who graduated from thier program!!! This program helps homeless and indebted single moms to get back on thier feet in two years. This woman, Liz, did it in one. Her testimony was amazing.... she had been through so much. lol. famous line "But I never blew anything up!!" :0D It was a very touching story, and a great way to be introduced to the community. I love success stories.

This place....is so different from anywhere I've been in my entire life. i have never lived in such racial diversity or such economic diversity. One street is beautiful and then you blink and the next street is a different world. I saw this is the Philippines and it shocked me, here it's mind blowing. How do people not know about this??!? It's heartbreaking. and I'm like 1000% sure this summer is going to stretch and change my heart in all sorts of ways. 1000%. It's so new.... and different. I hope I never get used to it, and this discomfort in my heart remains until the conditions change. :o)

Tomorrow, I am going to hang out with BHA (the gradutation program thingy) in the morning and follow the Director of that around. THEN. my Grandparents are coming to Harrisburg First, and spend the afternoon with me and then they are lending me thier car while they are in California for my sister's graduation and annual conference. :0) Huzzah for tomorrow!!

Well I'm going to go to sleep now....big day tomorrow.

Love to you all! I miss you dearly.
Love
~ME

p.s. Cultural Difference of the day- It's REALLY green here!!!!!!!!! There are so many trees and green things.....and moisture.....and green things.....