Wait I've only been here for one month? no way. not possible.
Feb 2, thursday-
Community Dinner! Rachel wowed us with her Italian cooking skills and made us all homemade spaghetti and meatballs. yum. I made some extra large pudding cake batter sprinkle cookies to go with this (picture not posted because you'd email me for a shipment ASAP). I love this girl, she's one of those that you just want to hug all of the time, and that I do.
Feb 2, thursday-
Community Dinner! Rachel wowed us with her Italian cooking skills and made us all homemade spaghetti and meatballs. yum. I made some extra large pudding cake batter sprinkle cookies to go with this (picture not posted because you'd email me for a shipment ASAP). I love this girl, she's one of those that you just want to hug all of the time, and that I do.
Later that night, Maddie taught me how to play 'Dutch Blitz', a Mennonite card game. So fun, go buy it. After she taught me, I proceeded to beat her 3 times.
Feb 3, friday-
Maddie, David and I went to a Taize prayer night at a Catholic church in Burlingame. I've never experienced anything like it. You enter the sanctuary and all of the lights are off, pitch black, except for a few candles lit in the front. No one speaks, then the music starts playing from a small group of musicians, one on the piano, one with a violin, a couple singing. The whole room bursts into song, knowing the hymns by heart, the lines are repeated over and over, like a prayer. I loved the darkness, the feeling of the hard wood pews, the silence inbetween the singing, the woman in front of me with long white hair singing loudly, beautifully, not missing a word or a note. I guess the only thing I can describe it as, is a Catholic version of Adorn, although I'm not sure if that quite captures it.
David and Maddie: dried fruit, flannel and puffy vests. hipster twins.
Feb 4, saturday-
For our Urban Studies course, we're required to do a 'neighborhood project', so my group (Natasha, Vroselyn and I) are doing ours on the Castro. I went on a free walking tour this morning (2 hours long, who would have thought that there was so much to see in the Castro).
tourguide, her shirt says: 'Welcome to SF now go homo'
Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy (elementary school), they're having a drag show fundraiser.
Feb 3, friday-
Maddie, David and I went to a Taize prayer night at a Catholic church in Burlingame. I've never experienced anything like it. You enter the sanctuary and all of the lights are off, pitch black, except for a few candles lit in the front. No one speaks, then the music starts playing from a small group of musicians, one on the piano, one with a violin, a couple singing. The whole room bursts into song, knowing the hymns by heart, the lines are repeated over and over, like a prayer. I loved the darkness, the feeling of the hard wood pews, the silence inbetween the singing, the woman in front of me with long white hair singing loudly, beautifully, not missing a word or a note. I guess the only thing I can describe it as, is a Catholic version of Adorn, although I'm not sure if that quite captures it.
David and Maddie: dried fruit, flannel and puffy vests. hipster twins.
Feb 4, saturday-
For our Urban Studies course, we're required to do a 'neighborhood project', so my group (Natasha, Vroselyn and I) are doing ours on the Castro. I went on a free walking tour this morning (2 hours long, who would have thought that there was so much to see in the Castro).
tourguide, her shirt says: 'Welcome to SF now go homo'
I want this skirt!
This just sums it all up:
But on a more serious note, it was very informative and interesting to hear the history, how the Castro became what it is today, why it's known for what it is, Harvey Milk, the Human Rights shop, nude men walking around, and about the AIDS epidemic in the 90s.
Feb 5, sunday-
Super Bowl! Not a fan of football. I'll watch it, but I find no interest in it whatsoever. But Brad invited our house over to his house in Berkeley, and promised pizza, so why not? 9 of us crammed into the Westmont mini van and made the 40 minute drive across the Bay Bridge. We have some big Patriots fans in the house and a few Giants fans, so I was more entertained by their reactions than the commercials. On a side note, the pizza was amazing, deep dish and Chicago style.
That night, we had a homework party, consisting of 8 of us sitting around the dining room table, taking turns playing a song. This turned into a study break, as Vroselyn taught us all how to do the 'stanky leg' and began to dance on the chairs and table. priceless.
Feb 6, monday-
This man was on the bus on my way to work. SF's own soloist, only two strings, with parts held together by gum.
Feb 5, sunday-
Super Bowl! Not a fan of football. I'll watch it, but I find no interest in it whatsoever. But Brad invited our house over to his house in Berkeley, and promised pizza, so why not? 9 of us crammed into the Westmont mini van and made the 40 minute drive across the Bay Bridge. We have some big Patriots fans in the house and a few Giants fans, so I was more entertained by their reactions than the commercials. On a side note, the pizza was amazing, deep dish and Chicago style.
That night, we had a homework party, consisting of 8 of us sitting around the dining room table, taking turns playing a song. This turned into a study break, as Vroselyn taught us all how to do the 'stanky leg' and began to dance on the chairs and table. priceless.
Feb 6, monday-
This man was on the bus on my way to work. SF's own soloist, only two strings, with parts held together by gum.
Can I just say how blessed I am by this internship? My supervisor checked in with me today and after we talked about logistics and how the event planning was going, we prayed for each other. I've never been able to do that in a work environment, and it was so moving and set my mood for the rest of the day.
Feb 7, tuesday-
City Crossroads! I love helping out with the kids on Tuesday nights, and it amazes me how they remember the Bible verses that we teach them weeks later. I have trouble remembering the one from the week before! Their eagerness to learn about God is so inspiring, and I love being able to pour into them every week.
Justin and the beanbag attack:
City Crossroads! I love helping out with the kids on Tuesday nights, and it amazes me how they remember the Bible verses that we teach them weeks later. I have trouble remembering the one from the week before! Their eagerness to learn about God is so inspiring, and I love being able to pour into them every week.
Justin and the beanbag attack:
Feb 7, wednesday-
I have community group on wednesday nights, which means that I leave the house at 7:30am for work, work 9-5, then hang out in a coffee shop from 6-7:30 until my group meets, then I don't get home until around 11. Long day, but such an amazing one.
I sat next to a woman on the bus to the coffee shop, and she was reading her one year Bible. I couldn't help but smile at this action. I love the small things that God places in our lives everyday, may my eyes be more open to them.
I love this community group, although everyone in it is around 5 years older than me, I've always felt that I connect with this age range. When we split up into small groups, we discussed a reoccurring theme in our lives that God continually intervenes in. I was in awe at how vulnerable these women were with our group and how much they shared. No one held anything back and wholeheartedly shared what they were really struggling with. I love lifting these sisters and brothers up in their struggles through prayer and being able to see them every week. Community is such a beautiful thing that God has blessed us with, and I'm so thankful for this group that I've found here in SF.
Feb 9, thursday-
Vroselyn's birthday! The Westmont in SF crew went to SB for the week, so we didn't have class today, which meant not a whole lot went on. It was V-ROS's bday, so I made an oreo cake from scratch, icing and all. It came out pretty darn well. :)
We went out to dinner at a French Soul Food restaurant, since Vros needed her fried chicken and red rice and beans. Never a dull moment with that girl, she's such an uplifting spirit and always keeps our house laughing.
I have community group on wednesday nights, which means that I leave the house at 7:30am for work, work 9-5, then hang out in a coffee shop from 6-7:30 until my group meets, then I don't get home until around 11. Long day, but such an amazing one.
I sat next to a woman on the bus to the coffee shop, and she was reading her one year Bible. I couldn't help but smile at this action. I love the small things that God places in our lives everyday, may my eyes be more open to them.
I love this community group, although everyone in it is around 5 years older than me, I've always felt that I connect with this age range. When we split up into small groups, we discussed a reoccurring theme in our lives that God continually intervenes in. I was in awe at how vulnerable these women were with our group and how much they shared. No one held anything back and wholeheartedly shared what they were really struggling with. I love lifting these sisters and brothers up in their struggles through prayer and being able to see them every week. Community is such a beautiful thing that God has blessed us with, and I'm so thankful for this group that I've found here in SF.
Feb 9, thursday-
Vroselyn's birthday! The Westmont in SF crew went to SB for the week, so we didn't have class today, which meant not a whole lot went on. It was V-ROS's bday, so I made an oreo cake from scratch, icing and all. It came out pretty darn well. :)
We went out to dinner at a French Soul Food restaurant, since Vros needed her fried chicken and red rice and beans. Never a dull moment with that girl, she's such an uplifting spirit and always keeps our house laughing.
God has been doing some beyond amazing things in my life this week. As a few of you know, I was interested in applying for the Thailand and Cambodia Mayterm this year, however when the deadline in November approached, I felt that God wasn't calling me to this now because of finances and timing. Wow I was wrong.
Brad announced last week that there were a few open spots for the trip since they had quite a few dropouts, and how he'd love for any of us in the house to apply. I couldn't believe what I just heard. God opened that door wide open again, when I thought He had clearly shut it. I prayed about this trip, a lot. I prayed for guidance and for vision as to whether He was calling me there. I felt Him strongly saying yes, this door was not opened back up in coincidence.
I knew the only thing holding me back was the money and my parent's blessing. I called my bank, I secured another student loan that would cover the cost, and I sent my mom a lengthy email, addressing their greatest fear, safety. I prayed over this email, for their hearts, for their understanding to see how immensely I wanted to go, to use the knowledge that I'm going to gain here at the Freedom House and transition it to this trip, to further study sex trafficking. Walking to the bus stop after work I received a text from my mom that she was considering the trip and emailing some safety questions to Brad.
I was so overwhelmed with joy. Both of my parents had been extremely against this trip back in October. The fact that their hearts were changed towards it and that they were considering it was unbelievable. Tears streamed down my face as I praised God for how quickly He moved into this situation and turned it for His will. I couldn't begin to form the words to thank Him.
I received my parents blessing Tuesday night and the finances are secure, without my taking a loan out.
I'm so excited for this trip. I know that it's going to be one of the hardest experiences I've ever had, emotionally, but at the same time, I know that God is calling me there, He's made that so clear, and I can't wait to see how He's going to use this knew knowledge that I will gain, how He will stretch me, break me and fill me up in those countries.
My prayer for this week: to see more of God's beauty and light in this city.
Brad announced last week that there were a few open spots for the trip since they had quite a few dropouts, and how he'd love for any of us in the house to apply. I couldn't believe what I just heard. God opened that door wide open again, when I thought He had clearly shut it. I prayed about this trip, a lot. I prayed for guidance and for vision as to whether He was calling me there. I felt Him strongly saying yes, this door was not opened back up in coincidence.
I knew the only thing holding me back was the money and my parent's blessing. I called my bank, I secured another student loan that would cover the cost, and I sent my mom a lengthy email, addressing their greatest fear, safety. I prayed over this email, for their hearts, for their understanding to see how immensely I wanted to go, to use the knowledge that I'm going to gain here at the Freedom House and transition it to this trip, to further study sex trafficking. Walking to the bus stop after work I received a text from my mom that she was considering the trip and emailing some safety questions to Brad.
I was so overwhelmed with joy. Both of my parents had been extremely against this trip back in October. The fact that their hearts were changed towards it and that they were considering it was unbelievable. Tears streamed down my face as I praised God for how quickly He moved into this situation and turned it for His will. I couldn't begin to form the words to thank Him.
I received my parents blessing Tuesday night and the finances are secure, without my taking a loan out.
I'm so excited for this trip. I know that it's going to be one of the hardest experiences I've ever had, emotionally, but at the same time, I know that God is calling me there, He's made that so clear, and I can't wait to see how He's going to use this knew knowledge that I will gain, how He will stretch me, break me and fill me up in those countries.
My prayer for this week: to see more of God's beauty and light in this city.
One of the residents is singing right now: "God you work in ways that we don't see, Oh God make a way for me. He gives me strength for each new day, He will make a way for me."
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