Friday, May 29, 2009

Moments.

I don't really know what to say about this past week.

I will say that when it began I was quite nervous. Due to situations and circumstances I found myself wondering what exactly I had gotten myself into. I think a lot of my fellow interns were feeling that way as well.

Luckily, though, we were all in it together and bonded quickly. Let me tell you right now that every single intern serving this summer is incredible. If you have the opportunity to visit any of the places they'll be working, you'll be blessed. Actually, about half of them left today and it's been very sad around here since then. We really became a small family in the time we were all together. However, I am glad that about half of them I will get to see again at General Assembly. :)

Besides that it's been a week of growth. Honestly, this is one of the best training sessions I have ever been to. They recognized the talents we already had and focused more on building and less on "starting at the beginning." Although the week started out feeling as if it was going to be difficult, it ended with me adoring every single person - including those I started off the week feeling very put off by.

I recognized more of who I am, what my strengths are, where my weaknesses lie and I tried to discern more on where I might be feeling called to.

Let me also tell you that I felt the most affirmed I have felt in a very long time in the past two days. Not only by my peers at training but by the leadership team. It's a great feeling to know that I have shown myself to be a good, capable leader in just a week.

As for specific things we did this week... there were a few things worth mentioning.

First of all, we had two work days where we did they type of work that most of us will be doing at our sites. We completely organized the tool sheds and moved boxes full of stuff into the church. The next day we built a stand for an air conditioner that would be hurricane proof. (The church we'll be working in - Central Christian Church - had their air conditioner go out this week so it needed to be replaced and put on top of some sort of stand.) We each played a part in the construction of the stand and it will be a beautiful reminder of the summer of all of the amazing people I met this week.

I, along with the other interns, also got the opportunity this week to go to one of the homes we'll be working on this summer. It is a home owned by the Love family and we actually got to meet Marion Love, the father of the family. He told us that when they were told to evacuate they assumed that they wouldn't be hit too bad so left the majority of their stuff in their home... including their second car. Unfortunately, though, thier part of town was hit worse than any other and his house was underneath about 5 feet of water. Everything was destroyed including the car that they left. It was heartbreaking to walk through the home - to see it empty and to see it in such shambles. I could not imagine that happening to my home. I realized the amount of memories that the family has in that space and how I'm sure it was devastating for them to return and deal with the reality of being homeless. It was difficult for me to walk through the home... to see his son's room and notice the sports curtains on the windows. I don't know, I think it's just such an awful reality to deal with and it makes me incredibly proud to know that we might be able to help out just enough to get them moved back home faster.

Also, we've had much time at the beach. Well, at least a little time at the beach. Wednesday night we all loaded up and went out to eat and then walked across the street to the beach. It was so much fun. There was laughter, great conversation, and an amazing sense of unity among all of us. I think after that night the mood totally changed, too, and we started seeing each person as the wonderful people they are, regardless of earlier opinions.

Basically, it's just been an incredible week and I'm almost sad to start in on the real work. Hah!

Oh, and we went to the beach tonight. (Well, those of us left, anyway.) It was a great time again and such a calming thing. I think the four of us staying around this summer will be spending a lot of time at the beach because it's such a great stress reliever for all of us.

Alright well I'm out of here, but I'll be posting pictures up on Facebook tonight.

Love to you and you and you and you! :)

<3 Beth

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I Made It!

So here I am, sitting on a bed at the Texas City Mission Site.

It was a long drive, three of us squished in the backseat of a Ford F-150, but I survived!

Let me catch you up a bit...

So yesterday I left KC at 7 a.m. after meeting Carl (my boss for the next couple of months), Will, and Joel (two of the interns working at the Texas City/Galveston worksite with me.) We then traveled to Wichita to pick up Robin (Carl's wife) and start driving towards Galveston.

On the road we stopped at Arby's to eat, make a couple of rest stops, and stopped at a gas station called Buc-Ees... which, by the way, is probably the king of all gas stations. It was kind of like a gourmet food store/souvenir shop/restaurant/bathroom/gas station inside. If you want to get a feel for the "Buc-Ees experience" you should go to www.buc-ees.com :) The one I went to was one of the newer ones in Madisonville.

After our long ride in the car, though, we decided to retire early and slept at an Econo Lodge in a smaller town about two hours away from Texas City. It was an... interesting stay. Lets just put it this way: I went into the bathroom this morning to take a shower and was met with a massive cockroach "leg up" in the shower. Disgusting.

Anyway, this morning we drove the rest of the way to Texas City so we could get here just in time for worship. It's a pretty adorable church, and the sanctuary is a REALLY neat space so I think I'll enjoy my time here. :) Also, this is the church where all the mission groups will be housed so it's good to get acquainted with the building before they all start arriving next week.

Today we've just kind of been hanging out. The rest of the DHM interns arrived here around 4:30 so we've just been chatting a bit and enjoying some good down time. We'll also have a bit of training tonight but that won't be until after dinner so... there's not much else to say!

I miss you all already, though. I hope I can make it through this summer without a breakdown. Hahaha.

Loff to you and you and you and you. :)

<3 Beth

Monday, May 18, 2009

Dinkin' Flicka

Galveston Countdown: 5 days!!!!

(Yes, that deserved 4 exclamation points.)

So yeah, I've got my steel toed boots, this blog, shorts, a swimsuit, and excitement... so I'm feeling pretty good to go. Also, I found out that I will be living approximately 3 blocks from the beach and I find that news to be incredibly encouraging... :)

Oh, and apparently... there are 5 Starbucks's in Galveston. I also find that to be incredibly encouraging... :) Although, not a very good sign for my wallet. :(

Anyway, I think I'm about ready to launch this so I shall post the link to my Facebook site and you can easily find the link there FOR EV ER. Well, maybe not forever... but a while.

So yep. See ya on the flip side. I'll try to start updating this regularly once I arrive! :)

<3 Beth

Friday, May 8, 2009

The End and a Beginning

Hey y'all.

Well, it's almost here... just two weeks away from being in Galveston and embarking on a summer journey full of, as the e-mail said, "Great joy and abundant frustration."

I feel excited, but not at all prepared. You know the feeling. There just never seems to be enough time before starting something new. Luckily, though, God always seems to take care of it.

I didn't feel prepared for Copenhagen last year, either. I remember waking up at 4:30 a.m., getting dressed, and walking into the bathroom (crying) and feeling as if I was about to throw up. I have never been so nervous that I became physically ill... but I was really close at that point. I started freaking myself out: I won't know anyone, I won't see my family and friends for 6 weeks, and I'll be in a foreign country where I don't speak the language or know the culture.

But God took care of me. I needed to go, and I knew that. So I collected myself, came out of the bathroom, and said, "I'm ready, dad."

I jumped. I explored the infinite abyss. I followed the path that God had laid before me.

So this summer, although I feel equally as unprepared... I'm ready to jump. To explore the infinite abyss. To follow the path that God has put before me.

Hopefully it will be a grand adventure.

... I think it will be.

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