A lot has happened and I am not quite sure where to start...
The internship is over. I have mixed feelings about that. I guess you could say it's a bittersweet feeling. I am so excited the summer went well. I am so excited about the friendships that were made this summer. I am thankful. I am sad that we are not all living together anymore. I am sad that we are not spending our afternoons with the kids.
The last week of the internship we had a high school youth group staying with us. We let them take charge of camp and plan things. That was a huge success and it was cool to see them learn. It's also cool because I am a product of a high school group. :) I am in Hartford because of the trip I took here in 06. Because we had to pretty much lead these high school kids all week, it gave us the chance to really dive into what we have learned this summer. We all shared what this summer has been to us.
Here are just a few things I learned
- Everyone in this city, I mean the children, adults, poor, rich, christian, non-christian...we all have one thing in common. The need for Jesus as our savior.
- Everyone here has a story. Their poverty does not define them. They have dreams, desires, fears, opportunities, a past, a future.
- I did not come here to "save" the people in this city. I have come to live alongside of them. To live in true community. To use the resources that God so generously gave me to serve here. I have much to learn from the people of Hartford and I pray that I do. It's awesome because we can learn from each other!
I am going to be honest and say that this past week has been pretty difficult. Saturday and Sunday we said our goodbyes to people who were leaving to go back home.(so weird that this time last year I was on my way home..now I'm not) I went to a new church on Sunday. We went to Sunday School in the morning too. Once again, not the church for me. Please pray that I am able to find a church soon. I need community.
Sunday night we went to Sanctuary at Christ Church (we have gone a few times this summer) in Rhode Island. It was so good. I found myself so broken before the Lord tearfully confessing my fears and admitting to God the areas that I have failed him. And once again there he was with open arms waiting. I am so thankful for the presence of the Spirit that night and how God used Psalm 51 to bring me to my knees.
Monday I went to see Tara in philly! so good! It was really nice to see a friend from home. My 4 day adventure there was too short but I needed to make it back in time for Jeff and Emily's going away dinner. Let me just tell you that it was another very tearful night. Jeff and Emily are going to Thailand tomorrow for 4 months and doing some of their own traveling to work in different orphanages and other places for about 6 more months. Their families came a lot of HCM people came. We had a time of worship through song and then a time of prayer for Jeff and Emily. We all then gathered and to pray and lay our hands on them to send them off. We ended by singing Amazing Grace and I don't know if there was a dry eye in the room. We are all so excited for them! God has prepared their hearts and they are ready to do His work. But once again a bittersweet goodbye. And though it is only ten months we are losing a vital part of the family!
One cool thing about last night was through the stories and the tears and the prayers I gained a little bit of peace about when I left. Seeing their parents struggle with goodbyes and letting their kids go I finally understood to impact of my journey to my family and some of my friends! I feel like that is hard to explain haha.
Anyway this is really long... So I'm off to shower and then go to bed!
Things you can pray about-
That I make friends. I am very lonely now that I don't live with 4 other people anymore.
Pray for housing. Right now I am staying in the same room I had this summer. So I am alone on the first floor of the vine. THere is an HCM board meeting monday to figure things out
Pray that God would continually use me here and that I would be aware to opportunities that he gives
And I want to say thanks to all who have faithfully kept reading my updates and praying for me. I also want to thank anyone who reads this (a second time) for supporting me financially
I love you guys!
"Fear not for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strenghten you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. " Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 51:10-11
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me
