M-I-A-M-I

In one month I am heading to Miami, FL for the Christian Community Development conference (CCDA). Oct. 22-26

The theme this year is "seeking the peace of the city."
I have wanted to attend this conference for quite a few years. I finally get to go!!!!!!
Some of the people I repsect the most in community development will be speaking: Brian McLaren, John Perkins, Phil Jackson, Arloa Sutter, and many more prominent individuals that work for issues of justice...

Who is CCDA: CCDA is an ethnically diverse, national network of thousands of Christians who work together to mobilize spiritual and physical resources in and for their neighborhoods through the church in a community-determined way that is redemptive.

I am really, really looking forward to this!

A holy mix.....

Life is filled with a spectrum of joy & brokeness.
Our house got together with our next door neighbors tonight and had some AMAZING converstation .... They live in a house with 8 guys living intentionally together.

They told us they have been praying for the family that lives in our duplex. Crazy thing is of all days, this family is in need of serious prayer today. If you think of it say a prayer for Sherry (Mom), Alfredo (Dad), Bucky(21) Chongo(14), Luisa(16), Tanna(25), Savannah(1 1/2), Amelia-Luisa's daughter (1) & Delone(4)...

Aaron turns 4!

Ever since I began tutoring Lacy her family has embraced me as "one of them." Tonight I went over to their house to celebrate Aaron's 4th birthday. It was so entertaining to watch him open his presents... He is such a loving kid.
He is currently the youngest of 8 kids in their family. Soon, they will have 9 kids, and he will be a big brother!

I mentor Aaron's oldest sister Kelsey, and I am continually impacted by the insight she has as a 19 year old young woman. I was going through her

blog

and two years ago she posted this about Aaron:

Will he be familiar enough with the traditions and people of Ethiopia that he does not feel like a stranger within his culture?

Will he be equipped to handle the grief of losing his birth family?

Will he be at peace with his past?

Will he ever feel like a piece of him is missing?

Will he seek to reconnect with Ethiopia, or will it simply be the place he tells people he was born?

I know that adoption was the best option for Aaron. God couldn’t have made it more clear that he was meant to be with us. The circumstances bringing him from the brink of starvation to a thriving, joyful, and cherished member of our family are miraculous. We needed him and he needed us. However, it doesn’t negate the losses he experienced early in life. It breaks my heart that he will have some serious issues to navigate as he grows up. I just pray that we can equip him to the best of our ability, and be there to support and love him through everything.
( written by Kelsey in October 2006)

i.robot.

Two of my housemates helped our four year old neighbor, Delone make a robot outfit out of the recyclables... What a good way to reuse, reduce, recycle! The video is hilarious.




Also, this past weekend we had a neighborhood girls "back to school sleepover." The girls did hair, nails, and watched "How She Move." Some of us in our house have known these girls since they were 7, and now many of them are 12 or 13!

AUGUST....

has certainly been busy!

I was the maid of honor in my friend Lisa's wedding. I went to college with her, but I didn't know her until post-Bethel. She is currently doing Teach for America in Charlotte, NC. The wedding was beautiful and it was truly an honor to be in it. My good friend/former roommate ( Marissa) was also in the wedding. She just returned from an internship in Rwanda with International Justice Mission.




The day after the wedding I left for camp with the DinoMights... ( after accidentally sleeping through my alarm). Thank God for housemates who wake you up!
Camp was phenomenal. The kids got to experience so many new things. One of my favorite stories is of Brian.. He had never made a smore before. He began to toast his marshmallow and as it started on fire he poured water on it! It kind of makes sense, right?

Also, Lucy asked if sharks were going to get her in the lake before taking the swim test. I explained that sharks do not live in lakes....



Overall, it was a great couple of weeks. It is hard to believe how fast this month is going!

On a side note- I've been reading "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne this summer. It has really made me examine so many aspects of my life. It has also made me question "the purpose " of so many experiences in life... It was really cool to look at the DinoMights camp experience through that lens. Camp allows kids to simply be... to laugh, explore, catch frogs and turtles, canoe, horseback ride, and grow.

I am amazed that I have been with my job for a full year! I can honestly say I love it. Their are challenges, but so many great aspects as well. It is the perfect job while being in school.

Next Fall around this time I will be leaving for tanzania for 8 weeks to student teach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

National Night Out.

wow.. 2 posts in one day!
Tonight for the first time ever I took part in my neighborhood national night out.

National Night Out in Minneapolis is an annual event that involves all segments of the community in building a healthier, safer community; generate support for anti-crime programs and strengthen police/community relations.
National Night Out is not just one night of the year, but the culmination of year-long crime prevention activity in all Minneapolis neighborhoods: people working together in block and apartment clubs and other networks to prevent and address crime and other neighborhood problems. It is an occasion to celebrate past successes, discuss current challenges or issues, and re-dedicate to collaborative efforts with neighbors, police, businesses and others to improve the quality of life in our city. National Night Out is the largest event of its kind in Minneapolis and the nation.

The best part was that I met some neighbors who actually live across the street. For quite some time we have wondered who actually lives at their house, and who is just "stoppin by." It was so cool to meet Tom & Julia and their kids; Jordan, Tommy, and Eliza. Tommy & Eliza are the same age as Delone and Savannah ( who live below us).

It was hard to get all of the kids together for a picture.

Tom, Jordan, Tommy, Eliza, & Savannah

4 in 4....

Today I decided to take pictures of 4 of my favorite places within 4 minutes of my house...

1) The first two pictures are of the Midtown Global Market. I frequently have meals at the global market, or buy produce there. The building was once the second biggest building in the twin cities, holding Sears Robuck stores. Now, it has multi-income apartments,condominiums, Allina medical center, restaurants from all over the world, shops, and a little grocery store. They also host various events for the community such as salsa lessons, family nights, etc.




2) The second picture is of Powderhorn park. I frequently take neighborhood kids to the playground at Powderhorn. In the winter kids can borrow ice skates from the community center for free. They also offer community ed pottery, basketball, and other activities. In the Spring the May day parade takes place at Powderhorn. This past weekend they had an art festival which was phenomenal.


3) The third picture is of the Greenway. This bike path goes all the way from West River parkway ( Mississippi river) , around the chain of lakes, and to some of the bordering suburbs of Minneapolis. It is a well maintained bike trail, with many community gardens surrounding it. Quite often I bike past kids that I know which is so great.



4) The fourth picture is of the Youth Farm which is two blocks from my house. I would like to get more involved with Youth Farm this next year. This week I ate at a local restaurant that makes all of the meals with vegetables from the Youth Farm. The Youth Farm & Market Project is about youth gardening, cooking, nutrition, and entrepreneurship. It’s about youth connecting to their food and the environment – YFMP youth currently farm 9 garden sites – over 2 acres of urban land in Minneapolis and St. Paul.