Blond Surprise

My hair is very blond now. Like, bleached blond. I mean, I didn't dye it I just went outside. It's summer!
 Many of us interns went to the beach yesterday (Friday) and played soccer, swam and ate lunch. It was cool. It was also the shortest beach trip I ever had, haha. Right above my head in this picture is a lady in the distance taking a picture, not an extension of my now blond (no joke) hair.

Perhaps I would be considered a nerd but I spent a good amount of time reading about the Dark Knight and how that was and will NOT be Heath Ledger's last acting role. Click on the Dark Knight link to find out why. It's scary how stoked I am for that movie.

It's also scary to know that my friend has malaria in Africa. I say a little prayer when I think about him every now and then. I also think about VBS starting July 7 and how we have some preparing to do!

Humble Finish

Ryan is out of the hospital but I don't think he is out of the woods (or out of the diseases) quite yet. 

Of course, he is in Africa but here in Houston, Texas, (America's Africa) our reading camp is finished and we now prepare for VBS starting July 7. Short-lived as it was, some cool stuff happened in that week and a half. 

Some of the interns helped to run different classrooms during reading camp. I helped with the "prayer room." Discussion about the days topic preceded any prayers. During a discussion about humility, a child raised her hand and said that humility was like falling. 

I don't know how old that kid was or what her name was. She might have been Karen, a new girl nobody had seen before, or she could have been Jennifer who was always a really good kid. Both of those girls were about nine years old.

What about Jesus? I think that when He was twelve He was talking to some adults in the temple. He made his parents crazy while they chased this twelve-year-old Jesus through the place. This kid was born in a stable, laid in a manger and our God started his life on earth that way. Sounds like a pretty humble beginning for the God who "fell" to earth.

The nine-year-old girl was right on. Humility is like falling; falling back of order. Just ponder about what the nine-year-old girl said: "Humility is like falling"

Please continue to pray for Ryan Jones.

So while I was further improving my Spanish knowledge and also pausing to chat with friends online, something went from bad to worse:

http://missionalmindset.blogspot.com/

My friend Ryan apparently got sick while in Africa and now he is in the hospital. Going to the hospital is a scary sign. I feel for his family as well as for himself. Being in the hospital is no party but a helpless one. Realistically, getting sick while in another country is no surprise to me, but having to go to the hospital? Getting an IV for medicine? Not cool.

PLEASE PRAY 

John 15:17

This was a good week.

Now, I can't say Reading Camp has been easy but it hasn't been as challenging as I thought it would be. You know that my real challenge has been with Houston's paved web. Streets. Traffic. Picking up people. I'll get through it. But i've already had, shall I say, a tease, of some hectic stuff during reading camp that I will have to endure with VBS. But, I don't know, I think God may be gently breaking my heart.

We went to a ropes course mid-week for team building stuff and, of course, it was a blast. That night, I went to a high school devotional at Dennis Jaeger's house. That's when this week shifted slightly for me. It was just so cool sitting in a room filled with inner city hispanic, african-american and caucasian teens-adults. Those people are pretty much exactly like us, as I already knew. I can't quite put that unique devo experience to words. 

It was rewarding and uplifting, I guess.

 

Some other interns and some Impact teens (teenagers who go to Impact) went to the Johnson Space Center to check it out etc. It was pretty cool. It wasn't just for fun though. Remember, Impact teens were with us. They're pretty fun too!

Now, tonight. About that same group watched the movie Click at this girl's house. I had forgotten how much I liked that movie. Basically, it just reminded me of some things that I so often seem to overlook; I take some things for granted that I personally vowed to always appreciate. But then I realized that "Hey! I'm in Houston, Texas hanging out with some cool kids, teens and older people that I could help and that could equally help me. I guess I'm doing pretty good."

A gentle reminder of God's unfailing, powerful love is always appreciated.

Houston's Web

A bit more has happened since last time.

I think it was Saturday that many of the other interns came over to swim. Yes, they came to the house I am staying at to swim (after invitation, of course). Come to find out, the house I am staying at is a visitation spot interns frequented previous years. Lucky! I think swim parties, group devotionals and the hang out spot will be at the house I am staying at.

Wait. What are you doing away from your family only hanging out with some college friends?!

Yes, I am hanging out with my college friends (and new friends) but I'm also, as of today, starting what I came down here for. To start things off, we're doing a reading camp for the kids because Impact church of Christ's vacation bible school does not start until Monday, July, 6. It officially began today as much of the preparation has been the days (and weeks) leading up until now. The theme of this reading camp is Charlotte's Web which notices the themes of humility, friendship and love etc. 

I was even asked to film some other interns act out part of the story in front of about forty kids today. It was good. Of course, before that we sang some VBS songs and I started to lose my voice. But that's okay, I was expecting that. 

Unfortunately, doing any VBS-related activity is easy compared to driving to the church. Big city traffic contains cars nearly dodging you as they pass.  I thought the kids at Impact church would be hectic and stressful, not the traffic!! The roads and its traffic here are my web of frustration. But lately, I have just become so unconcerned about the traffic that I just laugh about it while I merge onto the highway. Not foolish or carefree, just less tensed. Anyway, we basically began reading camp today and I know July 6-31 VBS will be pretty exhausting. 

Comments -Or- Complaints?

Whew! :)

I very temporarily lost my cell phone. I think that it would be a bad thing to lose my cell phone, a simple communication device, while I'm in Houston.

Especially while I am STILL completely disoriented. Houston is pretty humid, very hot and possibly hectic with the traffic and what not. Crowded and hazardous streets are what I battle against everyday.

I hope I don't get in a wreck here. Seriously.

Whew ...again.

I heard some 'whew's and such noises during the movie last night. We saw "The Strangers" at 7:45 last night and ...it was supposed to be a scary movie. It was a scary movie, for some. As I already alluded to, it scared many other people but perhaps I am desensitized to "scary" movies because a lot of scary parts in most movies don't really phase me. Anyway, I give it 2.5 stars out of 5 stars. See it if you want.

Also,  listen to Weezer's new cd if you want. I got it today and, so far, I think it's alright. It's different, but okay ...I guess. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Oh, and I loved today because we got things ready for reading camp that starts on Monday. In addition to getting to know my fellow interns by going to dinner and a movie with them, we also further got to know each other today. There is  a cool group of interns working with me this year: I told you, I'm excited! 5 out of 5 stars goes to my fellow Impact interns (and staff) and VBS itself. I hope you get the obvious unspoken reference to that Philippians verse that talks about shining like stars.

And I give Houston's weather and hectic traffic -8 stars out of 5. Is it possible for me to shine like a wet star? (I would be wet from the humidity)

whew!

Dallas Disorientation, Houston Humidity

So, I'm here. It's humid, (no surprise) hospitable and happy. 

Okay, I ran out of 'h' words to continue the alliteration.

Anyway, so  driving through Dallas yesterday evening was CRAZY. Apparently, the whole rush hour thing applies to Dallas Sunday at 5:00ish. Cars were zooming around to pass me, the sun was in my face despite my efforts to block those painful rays with sunglasses and visors, I really had to go to the bathroom, my contacts were throwing a fit in my eyes and I was on the phone during all of this listening to a friend try to guide me through the life or death traffic I was going through. That was a long sentence just now. Anyway, I spent the night in Dallas with some cool friends, I'm here in Houston now and I don't think I start VBS interning stuff until Wednesday morning.  ~peace

Humid Departure

So, I leave for Houston right about... now. I think that helping out with VBS and Impact church's congregation will be fun but hard work. I'm definitely not looking forward to the humidity though.

Oh, and Heath Ledger was on drugs?? I didn't know that. I'm still looking forward to The Dark Knight though! (7.18.08)

But seriously, I look forward to this summer with VBS and all.