Where the Wind Blows

O how the time Flies

2007-04-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

I looked at my blog for the first time in months and realized that I haven't written in a long time. I believe March of last year was my last entry. That's Crazy!!!
So what has happened since......

Well, I made the decision to no longer continue with InnerCHANGE. I love the organization and all the people that I have met and built relationships with since I became a part of it, but I knew that I didn't want to make another 3 year commitment just yet. I really wanted to go back to school and be near my family.

The second thing that happened: I met a guy, dated him, and just recently broke up with him. This alone seems like a lot to take in. I feel like I learned alot and it was an experience I would never take back. If I had to be honest....yeah its not the funnest thing to go through. But, life never tells you what will come. At least God holds you when it gets a little rough.

The third thing: I have begun to study for my GRE and applying to schools. I am considering a master's degree in Psychology, specifically Community Counseling. I would hope someday, I will have my doctorate and be counseling youth in poorer communities.

And the fourth: I moved Jan 2007 from LA to the Chicagoland area. I currently am working for a office management company. And I recently moved in to an apartment with a female friend of mine. I am enjoying the space and a place to call my own!

I'm sorry this seems brief and distant. I wanted to write more and give you all more details, but my computer is about to die and I am sitting outside the library so that I can connect to some internet connection!!!! Plugging in is out of the question! Darn computers.....

But do know that I love you all and am missing every single one of you!!!

The May 1st March in Downtown LA

2006-05-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!
This last Monday I participated another march that continues to speak out against bills like HR4437. A friend of mine, who also participated in the march, took some pictures and put them into a slide show. I was touched by it and wanted to share it with the rest of you. Just press the play button below to view it!

Jake and Mattty

2006-04-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't had the chance to meet my babies....here you go!

A Dance I did at Mosaic

2006-03-30T17:56:00.000-08:00

I just figured out how to put videos on my blog. I wanted to practice, so I put this video on. This was a dance I did for church. I thought you would enjoy it.

My thoughts on the March 25th Protest on bill HR 4437

2006-03-28T12:40:00.000-08:00

This last Saturday, my team and many of my neighbors participated in a citywide march. The march sought to peacefully respond in opposition to HR 4437. I know that many of you out there might agree with the law being passed and you have your reasons...but I wanted to take a moment and share my feelings about it all.

"When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. Lev. 19:23

"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Lev 23:22

The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God ---Lev. 19:34

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing" --Deut.10:18

"And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt." Deut.10:19

It is so easy for us, as humans, to selfishly think about our own needs first. So much so that we never even consider how our needs could hurt another living and breathing human being. We are worried about enough jobs, we are worried about our welfare system, and about our own opportunities....but for some reason we are not worried about the people God is bringing into our country to love or about the reasons why they so desperately long to leave the conditions they are came from. Jesus said "Freely as you received, freely give" Matt 10:8. If this is true: why are we so bent on hoarding the things that are given to us, why are we not trying to help others or willing to share the wealth with those who come here.

The verses I added up above are about how God feels about the Alien or the immigrant in our land. And they are verses that He asks us to live out. He commands us to love, treating people with dignity and respect regardless of where they come from. The immigrants in our land are human beings and deserve to be treated fairly. The bills we create and pass should reflect that. When we begin to create bills, and feel right about creating bills, that inhibit people and take away their options, we have to ask ourselves "What has happened to our hearts? When did we become like pharaoh? When did our hearts become hardened to the needs of those around us? What is the depth of poverty to our own soul that we would support laws like HR4437?"

It saddens me that we have gotten to a point as a nation where we feel the only way we can solve an issue is by being harsher and stricter. And I am amazed at how easy it is for us to objectify and vilify a group of people, enabling us to make overt judgments about them as a group and separate them as bad. We would not feel the same way about this law if it was directed towards those we loved and knew personally.

For those of us as Christians, I think, we need to re-evaluate our thoughts and opinions and ask ourselves if they are in line with what God asks....

March 25 The protest against bill HR4437

2006-03-28T12:19:00.000-08:00

This a local reporting of the peaceful demonstration against bill HR4437. For those of you who do not know, this law would make it felony for anyone to aid or help an illegal immigrant, as well as it would place harsher restrictions on illegal immigrants(including making it a felony to be undocumented) in this country. I have my own thoughts and will be adding them soon! In support of our many neighbors and in how this bill would effect the work we are doing in LA, our team participated in this event.

500,000 Rally In LA For Immigrants' Rights
No Arrests Or Injuries Reported

POSTED: 10:17 am PST March 24, 2006
UPDATED: 7:48 pm PST March 26, 2006

LOS ANGELES -- Members of the United Farm Workers union rallied Sunday to mark union founder Cesar Chavez's birthday and to protest a pending federal legislation aimed at stopping illegal immigration. About 4,000 people marched through downtown.

The rally came a day after one of the biggest demonstrations ever in downtown Los Angeles. An estimated 500,000 people jammed the streets around City Hall on Saturday, many chanting "Si se puede," or yes, we can.

In addition to unions and Latino groups, such as La Hermandad Nacional Mexicano, Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony drew attention to pending immigration reforms a few weeks ago when he announced that he would encourage his priests to render aid to immigrants even if that were outlawed.At issue is HR 4437, a sweeping immigration reform bill expected to be debated on the Senate floor on Monday.

The UFW rally advocated for "the need for immigration reform that respects the dignity of every human being in the U.S. and therefore (we are) calling for the legalization of the undocumented who are here," union activist Alvaro Huerta said.

Activists marched to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for a 2:30 p.m. Mass in honor of Chavez.

Participants pledged "support for meaningful immigration reform" and oppose "inhumane legislation such as recent action by the U.S. House of Representatives that would make felons out of undocumented immigrants and those who help them," Mark Grossman of the UFW said.

Despite the huge crowds on Saturday -- veteran police officers said it was biggest demonstation they had ever seen -- no serious problems were reported. Police did declare a tactical alert, but that was done chiefly to ensure enough officers would be available for crowd control work.

No arrests were made, police said.

One counter-demonstrator was pushed to the ground and escorted away by police, and an American flag went up in flames on Broadway near Seventh Street.

Javier Rodriguez, one of the organizers of the rally, said the demonstration was meant to be nonviolent.

"We appealed from the beginning of the process for a peaceful demonstration of the anger and the frustration, but at the same time, the aspirations of the immigrant community and the rest of the sectors that support immigrants," he said.

He said some people estimated the crowd at closer to a million people, and that planning began just three weeks ago for the rally, which was done on a $5,000 budget.

He also noted that the American flag was burned far away from where speakers were orating at City Hall, and that organizers had no idea who the flag-burner was.

The House bill by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis, would stiffen penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants and those who smuggle them across the border, among other things.

One sore point for demonstrators is a provision that would make illegal immigration a felony -- a deportable offense.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who rose to power through union organizing, addressed the crowd at City Hall.

"We cannot criminalize people who are working, people who are contributing to our economy and contributing to the nation," he said.

Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, also attended the rally.

"We believe in the American dream, and all we want is that dream to be made available to all who work hard and want to benefit from it," Nunez said. "We don't want a handout -- what we are looking for is sensible legislation."

HR 4437 also would require employers to verify Social Security numbers with the Department of Homeland Security, increase penalities for immigrant smuggling, and stiffen penalities for undocumented immigrants who reenter the United States after being deported. If passed, it would also authorize $2 billion to build barriers along the entire Mexico border.

"The fence is not the answer," said Hilda Delgado of the Coalition for Immigration Reform Los Angeles, one of the event organizers. "The solution is immigration reform. Help these people. They are already working here. Some of them have been here 10, 15, 20 years. They live here. Their kids are from here. They keep this economy going. They pay taxes."
President Bush has been pushing for a guest worker program, but does not support amnesty for undocumented immigrants because he says it would effectively reward law breakers, putting them ahead of immigrants who seek enter the country legally.

Many illegal immigrants have children who are citizens by virtue of their being born on U.S. soil, and some activists have expressed fear that mass deportations would separate families.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who immigrated from Austria, was at Will Rogers State Park in Pacific Palisades for the unveiling of Rogers' just-restored home.

"You cannot continue just avoiding it and looking the other way and pretending like the problem doesn't exist," he said. "We have a serious problem. It affects our state. They should secure and they should do everything they can to solve this problem."

He also said he would support guest worker program, but only in a controlled situation.

County Supervisor Mike Antonovich said he supports Sensenbrenner's bill.

"I feel it deals effectively with the catastrophic effects illegal immigration have had on the county," Antonovich said. "It provides the necessary penalities and reforms that are now lacking and which have created a magnet for illegals to enter our country."

But protest organizer Rodriguez said undocumented immigrants are essential to America's labor force and should not be criminalized. He and other speakers called for an economic boycott under which immigrants would stay home from work to show how important they are to the economy and everyday life.

"The national economic boycott is a dream of Latinos in this country to show the people who are anti-immigrant that we are needed," said Rodriguez, who compared the march to the black civil rights movement. "It's like the boycott in Montgomery (Alabama). It's the same thing."

"We will not accept less on the immigration reform than the path to legalization for the 12 million undocumented immigrants that are in this country," Rodriguez said.

"When we look the other way when the people wash our cars, take care of our children, clean our homes, we all know that most of these people do not have any documentation, so it is a double standard in terms of both nations, but both nations need undocumented immigration," said protester Carlos Zavala.

"We're not felons," demonstrator Carmela Constancio told NBC4. "A felon is someone who rapes a child. A felon is a drug dealer. People who just want to live and work are not felons."

Friday, thousands of students from Huntington Park, South Gate, Montebello, Jordan, Garfield, Roosevelt, Washington Preparatory and Bell high schools staged walkouts to protest the bill, and a delegation of 35 Southern California religious leaders will fly to Washington, D.C., today to urge Senators to oppose the measure. CNS-03-26-2006 05:08

Rally Planned For Saturday

LAKERS VS THE TIMBERWOLVES, The Urban Plunge, and a visit from ABI's family

2006-03-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

Hey!
This last week has been an amazing time for me. It has been a time to be challenged, a time to learn about myself, and a time to be blessed by others. On Wednesday of last week, I led what is called an Urban Plunge. This is a day when people from outside the neighborhood come into our community and experience the ministry we are doing here, as well as they get the opportunity to see how God is at work and very present in this community. Those who usually come are donors, staff from other ministries, friends from out of the area, etc. My job was to take them through various activities, allowing them to experience what we are all about. Our guests were led on a prayer walk, heard about the tenant rehabing of a building called Cambria, got to participate in our tutoring program, and meet some of the Mentors in our Mentoring Initiative (I want to share more, but I won't because I will be writing more in my next newsletter).
What I find special about these times, is how God uses them to touch people... whether it is the mentor who shares how her life has been impacted or it is one of the guests understanding for the first time how there is Hope in communities like mine...how God is very PRESENT in this place!

After my day with our guests, I was blessed by a friend of mine from the neighborhood. Laura got tickets to see the Lakers play the Timberwolves at the Staples center. And she asked me to go! Basketball is one of my favorite sports and though I don't watch it much on TV, I do enjoy a good game. And who could pass up seeing the Lakers take on the team from the state I went to college in! ;-) I was really blessed to spend time with Laura and share that time with her. We has so much fun cheering the Lakers on, particpating in the various activities they have you do during a game, and being so close to the court (Row 21)...Awe yeah!

Also, during this week Abi's parents came to visit! On Thursday, they took me with Abi to Newport Beach to visit a friend of their's(for our day off). We spent the day on the beach, talking, and sharing. It really was a blessed time for me. And it was a time in which God used to challenge what I have often felt and known. And there is a big difference in hearing there is a different way to live and seeing it lived out before you. Abi's parents were that for me, they tangibly helped me to see what God speaks of when He talks about loving others and treating people well. And though, I do see this often in the lives of my teammates, it was specificlly good to see it in the lives of parents acting it out in relationship with their daughter. It was a beautiful thing to see how they loved and cared for Abi.

And last, but definately not least....we had another yard sale this Saturday! And that was a wonderful time as well. I got to visit with a lot of my neighbors. And we got to see how God is using the vision John has for economic development in the community and bringing it into fruition. Two more people from the neighborhood helped us sell items and were able to receive much needed supplimental income. We, also, had some people buying items, so that they could resell them on Ebay to help support their families!! YEAH! I am more amazed daily at how awesome God really is!

I love you guys very much and hope you are all doing well! Please see the various pics I have included in the posting. They are of the game, the yard sale, and my time with Abi's family and their friends!!!

The Game
Laura and me at the Game
Kathe(Abi's parent's friend),Abi,and...Me!
The Yard Sale

God has a funny way of letting us know His power is greater than our Own!

2005-12-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

Something that I am continually amazed by is God's ability to move in the lives of others in spite of our weakness. And what amazes me more is His ability to open doors for me into the lives of those--I was told--would never open their lives to me...people I didn't think would open their lives to me. For this I stand in awe of God.

While I have lived in LA, I have tutored many youth in a variety of subjects. Some of these kids come from pretty tough situations, others come from good situations. There is one girl that I have tracted with for all three years. She is a wonderful young girl, but comes from some tough situations. I have enjoyed meeting her family, but have not had the opportunity to get to know them. Even though, I know their daughter/sister, they have kept their distance. I have been praying that God would open doors into their lives. When I came back from a month in the Midwest, I continued tutoring this girl. But then something began to change. It began with the quick hellos as we past each other on the street and then a quick conversation on the corner with her mother--slowly our relationship began to be built. And Recently I spent an hour in their home hanging out--something that has never been allowed. I can only come up with one reason for this change...God.

I am honored that they would invite me into their lives...I am honored that God would use me...

I don't know what will come from of all of this. I don't know how God wants to use this, but I do pray that every moment I spend with this family--they will see Christ in my heart, in my life, and in everything I do. He loves this family...He sees their hearts...knows their pains...and He wants to meet them in their pain. Pray that God would bless this family with healing and an awarenes of His love for them.

SISTER's ART SHOW

2005-12-05T15:33:00.000-08:00

IF YOU ARE IN IL AND WANT TO SEE SOME COOL ART.....

COME TO MY SISTER'S ART SHOW.... THIS IS WHERE I WILL BE

THURSDAY DEC 9TH AT OLIVET NAZARINE UNIVERSITY

Prayer.....

2005-11-17T13:46:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends! It seems like I have been really bad at getting things onto my blog this year....and for that I am truly sorry!

Something I do want to share with you are my weekly times with a girl in the neigbhorhood. Every Thursday..she comes over and we eat dinner together and I help her with her homework. She has really opened up to me in the couple of months and I am honored that she does. Please keep these times in prayer. I really feel like God is doing something and I know Satan never likes that.

I would also like prayer for my cold. I have had it for the last two weeks. Pray that I get better and that no one else gets it. I have had to stay in bed a couple of the days which hasn't been that much fun.....

BACK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

2005-10-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Well its been about 3 weeks since I came back to LA and I have spent the majority of the time reconnecting with families and getting my apartment cleaned out and organized before my new roommate came in to the area. I think that was a feet in itself...trying to figure out how I fit everything into half the space I normally did when I was living alone. It is amazing how one can spread themselves out when they are living alone. ;-)
A couple of highlights: weekly I have been prayer walking around the neighborhood. God has begun to show me some amazing things. Some of those things I plan to share next week. On Saturday, I invited one of my good friends and her kids over to my house. I made them Polish Sausage and SauerKraut. It is my favorite dish and I wanted to share it with them, blessing her in the same way she blesses me. She shares with me all types of food that is made in Guatemala. I spent the whole day cooking and in the end they really liked it!
I recently died my hair...Yeah. It is the first time I have done this in over 2 years. I colored the bottom half of my hair dark red brown and the top half of my hair Strawberry Blonde with streaks of the dark red brown (like highlights only they are called lowlights). It actually looks pretty good!
One sad thing that has happened is my Bearded Dragon, Matty, has been sick since I came home. He wasn't eating anything or having a bowel movement. I tried every home remedy I could find, but it didn't work. So I finally decided to take him into a vet and find out what was wrong. The doctor was able to give him a shot of vitamins to jump start his digestion and gave me food to feed him every day. I am proud to say that He is feeling a heck of a lot better and is having bowel movements. You should see him eat the "special" food....I mix it with water and feed it to him via a syringe. He just licks it with his tongue like a dog would go after ice cream... hehehehehe.

How do the Choices we make AFFECT OTHERS?

2005-07-20T14:41:00.000-07:00

On June 30, 2005 the US Senate passed a free trade agreement with five
Central American countries and the Dominican Republic (called
DR-CAFTA). The
one remaining hurdle to the agreement¹s implementation is a similar
vote in
the US House by July 29 and in two or three of the other participating
countries.

InnerCHANGE has been working with Salvadorans, Guatemalans and
Hondurans for
many years in the inner cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. Lord
willing, we will see new teams launched into Central America in the
coming
years. We have seen the fruit of unchecked economic policies and
practices
that leave small farmers unable to compete with large agro-business,
forcing
them to abandon their lands for either an urban slum or a piece of the
American pie in neighborhoods that we know all too well in Los Angeles
and
San Francisco. The free movement of factories south of our border is
another
huge problem for many on both sides of the border. One of our own
missionaries, Celida Peñate, once worked in a factory on the Mexico/US
border and knows first hand that the wages do not feed a family and
worse
yet, she knows the lack of recourse the workers face when they attempt
to
organize for basic labor rights.

Both the process and the product of the current free trade agreement
for
Central America are badly flawed. DR-CAFTA was not negotiated within a
framework of democratic accountability and did not include broad-based
citizen participation. The text was only made public after the
negotiations
were completed. There were no social reviews or impact assessments by
independent bodies. This process has engendered mistrust and even
social
unrest in Central America. The product is flawed, too. Instead of
engendering democracy, it actually gives greater decision-making powers
to
closed tribunals than to the participating governments. Instead of
bringing
prosperity to these impoverished nations, CAFTA will bankrupt small
farmers
and deprive the people of Central America and Dominican Republic of the
ability to grow their own food. In 1991, Honduras reduced its tariff
levels
on rice imports because of a drought. In just a few months, the amount
of
rice that came into the country was more than annual consumption. This
was
devastating to Honduran rice producers when new harvests arrived.
Honduran
rice production was reduced by 86 percent in the ten years followed,
with
the number of rice producers falling from 25,000 to 2,000 because they
could
not compete with the influx of rice.

Please pray with us at this critical time, before the final vote in
Congress. Pray for congressmen with ears to hear the voices of the
small
farmers and factory workers on both sides of the border who are
speaking up
for trade that is fair, not just free. Pray for a better, fairer
alternative
to DR-CAFTA, a trade agreement that results from a truly democratic,
broad-based process that honors all members of society.

For those who want to do more, www.stopcafta.org offers a quick way for
individuals to write their congress members. For those wanting more
information on DR-CAFTA (and FTAA), you can check out these websites:
www.educationforjustice.org
www.stopcafta.org
www.ustr.gov/new/fta/cafta/text/index.htm

InnerCHANGE commitment to service:
By prayer, fasting and the leading of the Holy Spirit, I will wage
peaceful
war against all that is contrary to God and the establishment of his
kingdom.

Yosemite, Conference, and BEFORE

2005-06-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

These last couple of weeks have been busy.

The InnerCHANGE conference was held June 15-19, 2005. The focus was on the prophetic Current. For those of you who don't know, InnerCHANGE is made up of 3 Currents that we attempt to live out equally: The Missional Current, the Contemplative Current and the Prophetic Current. The Prophetic current asks the question: How are we fighting for justice? Where are we standing in the gap for the oppressed...being a voice in the midst of darkness or betrayal? This conference challenged us to think of what it means to be prophetic in our communities and it really means to live our lives prophetically. Another highlight was meeting others from teams overseas and catching up with those I already knew.

Our Team decided to take a retreat the two days before conference in Yosemite. Since the conference was less than an hour away from Yosemite, it seemed like the perfect time to go. I never knew how beautiful Yosemite is. Our rented a place in the Park and spent the days laughing, exploring, and enjoying one another's company. On Tuesday, we climbed up along Vernon Falls. I tell you...if every trail had huge amount of water spraying on you all the way up...I think I would hike more. ;-) It was so refreshing...

The week before I left for conference, I helped host a baby shower, went to a wedding shower, took my friend shopping for baby stuff with the money she got from the baby shower, and saw some of my family that was out, on business, in LA. ..okay take a breath.

Do I tell you all this because I am proud to say I did some much in so little time.....I think not. In fact, I probably would have enjoyed spreading out all those things over the coarse of 2-3 weeks. I tell you this, because though so many things have happened....each one touched me in some way. Through the baby shower, I learned that when I am not in control of every detail, the party can still end up being a hit and more often than not - better than if I did it myself. Through both showers, I enjoyed fellowship and opportunities of being with people that I do not see every day. Through my IKEA shopping experience with Karina, I was able to share my Swedish experiences and memories (IKEA is a Swedish Store). Not to mention, it was Karina's first time there...she had quite the time there as well. We sat on the furniture and were tempted by all the deals.

And I think what touched me most was seeing my family and sharing with them the people I care for deeply...my neighbors. My cousin, Jamie and her friend, Melissa, are opening a high end women's clothing store in Steven's Point (Near where I grew up). It is called the Pink Boutique. They were in LA to buy clothes for the store. When they came to pick me up, they were able to meet various people in my community. They met my friend Karina and her kids and they met Karmela and her daughter Cynthia. They even had the opportunity of meeting Jorge, a single father in our community who wants to start a youth center for kids. For me, seeing these two worlds converge, is always something beautiful to me. When you care about someone you want to share your life with them. My family and my friend's in Westlake are both deeply rooted in my life...I care about both very much. And that day...each were able to share in the other.

This was Written by a Friend of mine....Funny!

2005-06-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

Acting has been a little slow, so I started temping today. What can I say?

Ever notice how staplers and staple removers always look like they are ready to eat something? It's weird... how come they always look hungry? And mean?

Ever notice how scotch tape dispensers, no matter if it's a public school or a huge corporation, are always the same? Those big tan or black things that weigh way more than what is required to keep a little roll of tape from moving around the desk? Is there only ONE company in the world that makes tape dispensers, and therefore all tape dispensers look alike?

I had a lovely desk with tons of space to use, which was nice, a lovely computer, (that I wasn't supposed to use for some reason) and a phone that had more buttons on it than a NASA space shuttle, all blinking inexplicably.

Ever wonder why they like to use a screen saver on the computer that looks like tropical fish swimming in a fish tank just to look up at the ACTUAL fish tank with the same tropical fish that is in the office? Maybe it's just me.

I was introduced to the shredder, which I have to say is the most ridiculously fun piece of equipment in an office! I had so much fun shredding documents that I even shredded the only proof of two transactions that totaled $110,000! Wow! That shredder is F-U-N. The chewing out I got for being so good at using it wasn't fun at all.

When in the world did they start making post-its that pulled out in an accordion shape?

In the bathroom, there was a funny picture of a toilet that had a leather seat, a laptop computer with phone and DSL linkups jacked in the wall, and a fax machine. The caption said, "Going On-line."

Ever wonder why there is an unexplainable banging sound like pipes being smashed together over and over again at your workplace? It made me DOUBLY curious that it was a Security Agency I was working for, with high tech sensitive equipment. What? You DON'T hear the sound of banging pipes at your office?!

Somebody sneezed, and I said, "God bless you!" Afterwards the manager pulled me aside and told me that we aren't supposed to talk about God in the workplace.

I must say, I am proud of the way I made the transfer of calls within the office much more expedient... I found it much easier to yell out to a person in the next office rather than taking all that time to figure out the NASA phone. I mean, c'mon... isn't it kinda goofy to call a guy on the phone to ask him if he can take a call when you can just yell out to him from 7 feet away?

Lunch was FABULOUS! I love Trader Joe's Chocolate Covered Blueberries! And the ten minutes I had to eat them was more than enough! I had ~FIVE WHOLE MINUTES~ to check my email, (on my phone, I wasn't allowed to use the computer) use the toilet, (the one with the funny picture) and practice on the phone from NASA. That was, of course, after I had finished filing (in triplicate!) all the work orders for the last three.... MONTHS.

My name somehow changed from Kevin, to Kyle, to Ken, and finally, to "What did you do THIS time!?"

My rep from the Temp Agency actually poked his head in to check out the business. Conveniently, this was at the same time I was doing my best work on the shredder! F-U-N!

Never in my life have I wanted to smoke so badly. And I don't smoke!

People ask me sometimes why I want to be an actor. Now I know what to tell them.

Kevin.

So Where Has RIKKI BEEN?

2005-05-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

Many of you are probably wondering if I fell off the face of this Earth. Well....Good News, I haven't! I have had a lot happen though.

At the beginning of May took a week long trip to Seattle. Why? You ask. Well, let me tell you. In the heart of Seattle lays a wonderful college called Seattle Pacific University. And it was there that the founder of InnerCHANGE, John Hayes, was asked to speak and meet with students about the work we do through InnerCHANGE. John asked me in January if I would like to come with him and Tim, John's right hand man. They wanted somebody young and hip to be there. So I stepped up to the plate and kept it real for them. ;-)

For real though, it was a good week and I got meet many students who really have a heart for God. And who really have a desire to make a difference in this World. I think my favorite part of the week was sitting with the students, hearing about what God was doing in their lives, and helping them discern how God was leading them in the future....whether it was with InnerCHANGE or not.....

While I was in Seattle, I got to visit one of my closest friends from College and her husband. It was really good to see them. I often only get to see her when, she comes down to visit family in the LA area. So we rested and talked and she showed me all of Big Foot Country! Another Highlight while I was in Seattle was I got to visit a friend LA. Funny...I know. But she was home for the summer (Seattle), so we took it upon ourselves to get together on her turf! She took me to her favorite restaurant and I think it was the best seafood...I have had in a long time! Thank you Shauna!

I wasn't home more than a day before I was on to the next trip. But, the best part was visiting my friend Karina and helping her children with some homework that Saturday before I left. I often miss my neighbors and friends when I leave on a trip, so I always enjoy the little moments I can get with them.
The next week after that..I was in Anaheim for NSO, New Staff Orientation. Now that I am transitioning from part-time to full-time with InnerCHANGE, I was asked to take a week long class. While I was there I really got to understand more of how CRM fits into InnerCHANGE and see the vital role they play in ensuring InnerCHANGE is functioning well. I really enjoyed meeting the staff that work in the office. All their work allows me the time to focus on serving in LA. While I was in Anaheim, I stayed with Shelli Smith and her husband in Newport Beach (see pic below). Traveling from LA to Anaheim everyday can really be time consuming, so Shelli and her husband were kind enough to open their home and hospitality to me. It was a big blessing and I was very grateful. Their Niece, Tara, was staying with them for a little bit. And I really enjoyed talking with her.

One of the last things of note that has happened is this: As of Yesterday, May 30, 2005 and 3 wonderful years together....I said goodbye to my car. It was a wonderful car, but as my lease was coming to a close, I had a choice. I could either have bought it, or given it back. And after much thought decided that it would be good if I gave it back and didn't have to owe money every month for a car, pay lots of money on gas, and worry about LA drivers on the road with me. So, I sent my baby back and bought a Bus Pass!!!! Many tell me...that I will want a car in a month, however, I am enjoying myself. Its not very often you can read on your way home from and to work..... ;-)

Love you guys! Enjoy the PICS!

Seattle....a thing of beauty

Rikki and Angela

Mike and Angela...and their wonderful dog Cleo

Newport Beach

My Silver Baby and Me.....I will miss that Car of mine.....

The Long Awaited Picture

2005-05-31T17:33:00.000-07:00

These are my two wonderful Bearded Dragons. I have a video clip of the two of them...that I am going to try and send out via email!! But, until then here is the next best thing! Just to warn you all though...Matty's name might be changing. I am coming to the conclusion that Matty is really a boy...in which case the name Matty might not work for him....being that its a girls name. ;-) But, I will keep you posted....

MY BABIES...

Oh How the Time Flies

2005-04-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hello to all my friends and family! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update you for quite some time. It been at least a couple of months......
Some major highlights have been:
On March 17, 2005: I led the Los Angeles InnerCHANGE's Urban Plunge Day. Its one of those days where others from outside the community and are interested in learning more about our community and about what we do as a ministry in Westlake/Pico Union Neighborhood. So basically I was in charge of planning, creating, and carrying out this special day for our guests! I for one really enjoyed it and it confirmed for me what I really want to be doing...and that is...working in my community for my community. Which leads me to the second highlight of the last few months.
At the beginning of April, I put in my 3 month resignation in at my receptionist position. My last day will be July 8, 2005. And I will be support raising so as to work full-time in Westlake/Pico Union Neighborhood through InnerCHANGE. I am considered a "Missionary-in-training" through the organization. This is something that I am very excited about and something that I really feel God is asking me to do. So please pray that the transition goes well.
A couple of weekends ago Jarod, an intern from last summer and good friend of mine, came out here to visit. He came out to see the InnerCHANGE team and hang out in the warm weather.... Miriam, Jessika, Jarod, some of Miriam and Jessika's friends and I went to a Middle Eastern restuarant and drank Turkish coffee. Which might I add...is really good. Drinking it brought me back in time...to when I was in Israel! Oh the Memories! On Sunday morning, Jarod and I went biking on the coast. There is a bike path that stretches through all the beaches in the area. It was really beautiful, but I think we had to get off our bikes more than we were able to ride them because the sand poured over on to the bike path! Owell....it was a wonderful day anyways.

And one of the last major things that happened is.... I got another pet! Yeah, I know what your thinking...where is she going to put another animal! But relax....its a Bearded Dragon just like Jake. And I am calling her Madeline (Matty for short) And its the cutest thing ever. My ex-boyfriend, Danny, found Matty in his backyard. Apparently Matty had been lost..Danny tried to find out who the owners were, but when they couldn't find them, he called me up and asked me if Jake wanted a companion? After much thought (5 secs) I said yes! So he brought Matty over on Sunday before Church. And an even better blessing... Danny was able to get me one of his older cages, so that I could fit them both into one cage.

It fun to watch them. The two of them sit in the cage staring at each other alot which is kinda funny. Matty tries to engage Jake, but Jake just stares at her! I think its kinda cute. Jake knows he rules the coop, but He is being very gentle with Matty. At least I think he is....atleast I am praying that when I get home no limbs are missing from the two of them.;-) But generally they like each other.
It is a little sad though.....when Danny found Matty, she had been through alot. She was dehydrated and without food. And to top it off, she has one hand missing and a few fingers are gone too. Poor little thing...she is defiantely a survivor.....
And I think the thing that amazes me is that she engaged Jake first not the other way around! So all in all...she is my kinda girl!! She doesn't let life get her down! Or circumstances for that matter! ;-)

To Love......

2005-03-23T15:35:00.000-08:00

What is LOVE if it can easily be given?

But what is TRUE LOVE...only that we care for those who care for us?

Or is it more?

Does it call us to give what we don't have?

...or do we find that what we are giving is imparted by Christ and Christ alone?
Our call is to give what we never had knowing that God is supplying....

To LOVE: is to see each moment as a gift and a moment to be lived for the Ultimate Love of our lives.

To LOVE means to see others in their brokenness a part from our own. And knowing this...to respond to another with words that bring one more bit of healing to their brokenness. It means to weep when you see the pain of another and it means allowing those who could hurt you into your life. It means to see God's heart. And to feel the pain He feels when one is lost or turned from Him. To love is the most powerful gift I have ever known. It has the ability to change hearts. It can move mountains. And it empowers the "Fools of this World" to shame the Wise.

I have heard it said that it is fact and manly wisdom that brings success. But, I have found LOVE is far greater. It is knowledge that makes Man smarter and wiser, but it is love that penetrates the soul. And it is our soul that tells our mind how we are to use our knowledge...

Divine...

Divine...Divine...How can it be?
That your LOVE can Penetrate Me
Broken, Bruised and Lame, I come
Feeling as if nothing can be done.
Your Love O'God empower my soul
And Changes me...So that I can be whole.

Please Welcome Lance Mark Alisurez....

2005-03-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

Lance Mark Albisurez...Isn't he precious!

MOMMY with Baby

Auntie Rikki with the Adorable little Lance...yeah he looks great--can't say much about about me.....;-)

On March 1, 2005 in the wee hours of the morn, Lance Mark was born via C-section. He came out weighing 6 pounds, ...so tiny. But, such a quick learner. One of the nights Mel, Kristin, Jude (Oma), and I came out to see him....and Roxy. And as we passed him around to each person, He intensely studied each one of us, watching every move we made. I am telling you...this one is going places!

Isn't he the most adorable baby one has ever seen!!! Okay..maybe I am bias, but can you blame me. ;-) After all, he does happen to have two of the greatest parents I could ever know and they just happen to be my closest friends!

Congratulation Chris and Roxy!!!!!!!!

Prayer Request for My Friend Karina

2005-02-25T15:52:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, I found out that a dear friend of mine, Karina, was in the Hospital. She went into the Emergency Room on Monday because she couldn't breathe that well. After looking at her, the doctors admitted her into the hospital and they don't know when she will be leaving. She had apparently had an Asthma Attack. The doctors say she is stable, but they cannot say when she will be well enough to come home. She is, currently, 6 months pregnant, so extra care should be taken to help my friend and her baby. If you could pray for her and her unborn baby's health and for her husband and kids during this time, it would mean a lot.

A Story from John Shorack in Venezuela

2005-02-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

I read this story the other day and thought it was something that needed to be shared. The man who wrote it is from the InnerCHANGE Venezuela team. It is something we all should think about:

Luis More than a Running Partner

A couple weeks ago I finally went jogging with a man from our hillside
named
Luis Rodriquez. Luis is two years younger than me (that means he¹s 43
years
old). In his late teens and early 20s he was a professional boxer,
traveling
the world (to Indonesia, Thailand, Norway, Germany, Greece, USA, most
Latin
American countries and more). He sparred with Sugar Ray Leonard (USA
gold
medalist in 1976 Olympic Games) and shook hands with the golden boy
from
East LA, Oscar de la Hoya.

Luis is also a baker. From his very humble, hillside ³rancho² (the word
for
squatter homes), he bakes and sells bread for his neighbors from two
home-made ovens that he converted from refrigerators. His bread is very
good
and affordable. Luis takes pride in providing this service to his
community
(his barrio is the only one I know of that actually has a bakery within
the
community, virtually everywhere else requires taking a jeep to the
business
district at the foot of the hillside to buy fresh baked breads.)

For those of you who know running, Luis has run a 2:40 marathon. Not
bad for
a 40 year old. He goes for an 8 mile run every morning at 5:30am
(parenthetically, not unlike his home-made ovens, Luis¹ running shoes
look
like they were converted from sandals). If you saw his body, you¹d know
what
I mean when I say to myself, ³So this is what a professional athlete¹s
body
looks like.² I listen with genuine respect when he tells me, ³I played
baseball, too, but only Class A because the opportunities didn¹t exist
back
them. Otherwise, who knows, I might have played in the majors.² He¹s
the
kind of guy who can say that with credibility. His body speaks for
itself.

It was 5:30am, the jeeps were making their early morning runs up and
down
the hill. I got to the factory entrance to wait for Luis. Suddenly he
emerged from the dark and we were off. As it turned out, I didn¹t have
anything to worry about. Luis wasn¹t interested in our pace. He wanted
to
talk. And talk we did. For an hour and a half. He didn¹t waste anytime.
As
soon as we hit the flats at the bottom of the hill he jumped right in:
What
do you think of our government? The question caught me off guard a bit.
I
made a few safe, moderately positive remarks about the president,
affirming
what he is trying to do, while not wanting to get caught up in the
personality cult that follows the president. As we ran through the
streets
together, oblivious to the physical exertion, Luis began sharing his
ideals
with me. Here are two remarks he made that I will never forget (I
translate
them as accurately as possible.):

³I want to see a president of your country be the first one to step
forward
and eliminate his own weapons of mass destruction.²

He went on to tell me:

³As long as injustices like Saddam Hussein¹s get treated by further
injustices, like those that George W. Bush is doing in Iraq, then we
will
have a world of injustices. Because those in power who could do justice
have
no incentive to do what¹s right, since they see that solving problems
with
injustice gets rewarded.²

This was no ordinary jog in the park, was it? And Luis is no ordinary
guy. I
affirmed his instincts. That is no small thing that you¹re saying, I
replied, praying for the Lord to give me wisdom. In fact, I continued,
you
understand something about the gospel that I am trying to teach the
Pentecostal pastors. That got his attention.

³I have no respect for religion. I believe in humans. Religion,² he
went on,
³is full of bad people who do bad things and just hide behind
religion.²

You know, Luis, your vision for a US president that chooses to lay down
his
weapons of mass destruction as the first step toward peace, is only
possible
because we have a God who already did that very thing. The God I
worship is
a God who humbled himself. He didn¹t insist on Lording over people.
Instead
he laid down his power and showed us the way of love and forgiveness.

Needless to say, I got a lot more from my morning jog than I bargained
for.
Somehow, I have to believe, that Luis got more than he bargained for,
too.

John Shorack, January 2005

Roxy's BABY SHOWER

2005-02-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

Some people come and go in your life, others you may not see, but they will always hold a special place in your heart, and then there are those, that when you meet them, you know at that very moment...they are a person you will want to actively keep apart of your life forever. I can't say that the latter has happened often, but I can say that my friend Roxy is one of those people.
I met Roxy a year and a half ago, when I moved out to Los Angeles. She was one of the first people I met out here. And soon as I met her--I knew we would be instant friends. And she has proven to be one of the greatest friends I could ever have.
On Saturday (February 5, 2005), I had the opportunity to celebrate the coming of her and her husband's first born son, who is due in March. Mel, a friend of mine, and I planned the Baby shower and a close friend of Roxy's, Barbie, and her husband hosted the shower at their place. It was a beautiful day with lots of warm weather and no clouds. It was wonderful.
What struck me most that day, was not the large amount of gifts people brought or even the cultural diversity that was present. But it was the moment, we all came together and introduced ourselves and explained how we knew Roxy and Chris. As we all went around the room to share our stories, we also began to talk about the many ways Roxy and Chris have both touched each of our lives. Each person began to bless the two of them in this new journey into parenthood. There were many moments of tears and many moments of laughter, but best of all....there were many moments in which LOVE was shared between each other.

This last Week

2005-02-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

This last week, one of the 11 year old girls from the building....came over to my house. She loves to write things in my computer. Often she writes about what she likes to do, who is in her family, where she lives...what's it like. I save them all...because they tell me a story...her view of the neighborhood. This week she wrote about her favorite things to do...one of the things she likes to do is read. I asked her about that...what books she has enjoyed.....when she likes to read. It was neat to see her come alive as she talked about her favorite books. Seeing this joy and wanting to help her do better at reading, I asked her if she would like reading a book with me. And when I did, her eyes began to glow.

Just a Few Facts!

2005-02-09T13:56:00.000-08:00

According to the Los Angeles Times:

In the Last year, Los Angeles recordeda 25% increase in requests from families for emergency shelter.

Los Angeles County has approximately 34,000 homeless family members at any given time---a population roughly the same size as the total population in Beverly Hills.

In Los Angeles County, more than half of families seeking emergency shelter are turned away, a study by the US Conference of Mayors concluded, and families oftne must be split up to be housed.

For families that suddenly find themselves without a home, the county has 975 emergency shelter beds and has been hardpressed by limited funs and high real estate costs to add more. A proposed $4.5 million , 30-bed emergency family shelter slated for South Los Angeles has been stalled for nearly a year. Official haveing $2.5 million for the project and have asked the county to pony up the balnace, but so far have received no comitment.

Los Angeles spends about $58 million annually on homeless service and the county spends about $285 Million, including healthcare, welfare and othe social services.

2/3 of the county's 88 cities don't provide homeless expenditures at all.

In Comparision, New York City (not even the entire county) plans to spend $708 million for homelss services an recently announce a $30 million project to rebuild a 20 year old agency that processes families applying for emergency shelter.

--In September, LA Family Housing closed an East Los Angeles shelter.....there was not enough funding to absorb the shelter's $600,000 operating cost.

In general, Other large urban centers, especially those in colder cliemates where homeless people risk weather-related injuries or deaths- typically spend more per capita that Los Angeles County does and consolidate their services.

This is merely food for thought....

It's had me thinking about a lot of things including this:

What continues to amaze me is how a city larger (NYC) than LA and has a higher rate of homelessness, has mangaged to do a better job meeting the needs of the homeless.

And sadly, it is hard for me to hear that Los Angeles has the same amount of extremely rich people as they do extremely poor people. And yet we continue to have insufficient funding to help the poor.

A Week of Festivities!

2005-01-28T17:38:00.000-08:00

This week...I have spent most of it cleaning and organizing my apartment. John had a Yard Sale last weekend, so until then-the majority of the stuff we were selling, was in my apartment. So, this week was the week to get everything in order since I now had the space to do it. After work on Monday...a girlfriend of mine came over. It was such a blessing. She works with an after school program in Watts. So the two of us are a great support for each other. On Wednesday, however, I was sent by InnerCHANGE to San Francisco. It is always a joy to see the team that is up there.
My team wanted me to go up there to see how San Francisco did their Urban Plunge Day and hopefully get ideas for our Urban Plunge Day. What is Urban Plunge Day you ask? It is day for people who are interested in learning more about InnerCHANGE to come see what we do. We take them around to varies areas of our community and give them a little taste of what we are all about! It is a rather neat experience. Ours is March 17th!
This weekend...my plans are to celebrate some Birthdays, help a friend of mine from the neighborhood paint her kitchen, and go to a wedding shower for one of them men in InnerCHANGE and his future wife.

MY PAST WEEK!!!

2005-01-24T16:12:00.000-08:00

To give you every detail of my week...would take days, but I did want to give you all some highlights!!! Last weekend, I moved into my very own apartment!! It's still a studio, however, it is all my own. I know...who would want to live alone. But, actually, having my own place is very therapeutic. There are so many things that I am doing with people...that it is nice to have a place where no one is, but me.....unless of course, I have others over....which I do! And it is such a blessing.....I even have furniture!!! The day I moved even began with a trip down to San Diego. A man living down there, offered his furniture to our team, so we got 1 couch, 2 futons, a love seat, 3 end tables, some lamps, a table, a dresser, etc. all for a reasonable price. So, 2.5 hours down, renting a truck, loading the truck, and 2.5 hours back!....a 10 hour trip. And I believe it was more than worth it! Our team has been praying for furniture for the last 3 months and then "out of the blue", this man wants to bless us with more than what we even asked for....so much more that we were even able to bless some of our neighbors. One of my good friends and her husband were really in need of a bed for their kids. Because of the tight space (a studio apartment) they really didn't have much room. We were able to give her one of the futons. During the day they have the room to move around because the futon can act as a couch and then during the evening, the kids have more than enough room to sleep comfortably when they pull it down. It was a joy to be able to bless a family that so often blesses me with their presence and friendship!
Along the rest of the week, aside from work, I had a friend tell me that she might be deported. This was a scary thing for me. I didn't want to loose someone so close to me, especially to a place that might not be the safest. Immediately, I searched the internet for information on how to help her.
My friend moved here as a refugee from El Salvador when she was five. I'm not sure if any of you have every heard of the war in El Salvador, but it was a very intense situation. My friend has memories of people being skinned alive. Other have to me stories of Guerilla warriors that came into villages...simply line up all the men or women and just shoot them. Kids would watch as their parents were killed. When my friend's family came, they were offered asylum and have been living here for the last 17 years with no problems. Apparently, in July, when she was suppose to receive her annual work permit...instead came letters that she would soon be receiving it. In September, she received a letter saying that she would need to come in for finger prints and still no permit. While having her prints taken--they told her that instead of receiving the permit she would be sent on an "interview", regarding her status. When her mom and her showed up they were presented with a form stating that they had never filled out the proper paper work, in 1998, to continue living in this country. However, the two of them have no recollection of ever receiving the paper work. Which doesn't surprise me, being that it took the government, 5 months of not issuing their work permits to finally tell them why they weren't issuing the permits. Everything is so backed up in government offices because they don't have a high enough labor force, that it is quite possible....it was never sent!
My roommate and I spent the week contacting as many people as possible to help them out. And in the end, though not through any of our endeavors, the two were able to get a lawyer. We are thankful they have someone to defend their case and thankful he was able to fill out the proper paper work, increasing their chances of staying. But please pray over this entire situation--that the judge would be in their favor. There is still a chance, she might deported.
This whole situation has caused me to think a lot where it is God is leading me. I thought about the Law. And I thought about the many ways I could have helped my friend had I had my law degree! I see crazy things every day and I watch as the injustice in the World hurts people I care for deeply. And I think to myself...it just isn't fare. And I ask God...Why? And as He answers me, I am overwhelmed with the Brokenness of this World. A World, that out of its brokenness, tries to function...tries to find their own logical answers. Answers that often feed only unconscious selfish needs. And at the same time...I am, also, overwhelmed with the unabounding love God has for every person in this world, every person in their brokenness. I feel His longing for Truth to scream out louder than anything else and His desire for healing and wholeness in each of us.

My Trip Home!!!

2005-01-21T16:39:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share with you a little piece of me and the place I come from. I grew up in Chicago and Mosinee, WI. My father and his family live in Chicago and my mom and her family live in Mosinee, WI. I treasure each experience I had the opportunity of having in each of these places growing up because they are a part of who I am. My experience home was wonderful because I got to spend it with some very great people, people whom I love dearly. I hope you are just as blessed in seeing these pictures as I was blessed being in those places to take them. These pictures are of people that I hold very dear to my heart: they are my family.

The Drive up Through WI...Isn't it Pretty!

My Home Town...Mosinee!

My Street....

The Neighborhood Rec Center.....It's where we go Ice skating, have the Polish Fest (Majority of us are Polish), the Car show, the place the Mosinee Hockey Teams play (really big here). It's really the everything center!!!

The Wisconsin River...going over the Bridge into Mosinee

The Paper Mill! The Main Employer in our town of 4,000. Ever use the Paper Towels in a Public Restroom....chance are, it came from here....

The Day of the Storm! 8" in two days...

The Home of my Youth..covered in 8" of snow!

The Corner of 5th and Main St. I grew up on 5th..and the picture is the view from the house!

My Roomates (And still good friends) when I lived in Stevens Point....Amanda (Left) and Laura (Right)

The 3 of us

Tucker on this new Truck.....isn't He adorable....(My cousin, Jaime and Her husband, Terry's son)

Christmas Eve with my Dad and Family

2005-01-21T16:00:00.000-08:00

The FAMILY.....my sister and here boyfriend up close!

Another Fam shot......My Auntie Herta is on the Left with Tori and Anna. My Uncle Karl is on the Left.

A little Goofy....but we love each other...

Morgon, Tori, and Me. Aren't we cute....(My Cousin Maria's kids)

My Cousin Ken and His Girlfriend, Melissa

ME and Santa (My Uncle Karl)

My cousin, Anna and I

My Dad and My Uncle Karl..I mean Santa!

My GRAMMA and Santa!

The Cousins: (Left to Right) first row: Erish, Anna, Kenny, Me, My sister: Dani..second row: Maria with her two children: Morgon and Tori

Christmas Day with my Mom and Family

2005-01-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

The Family: My Auntie Laurie and Cousine Jaime are on the right, My Cousin Nina is behind them. My mom is the one in red and my Uncle Gary is on the Left--with my gramma directly in the middle

All of us together for presents

My cousin Ben and Sister

Grandparents presenting my sister, Kalib, and Tucker with the gifts my grandpa made for them

My Grandpa

The Boys!!! (L to R) Gary, Kevin (Nina's husband), and Terry (Jaime's husband)

Sittin' in the living room

My godson, Kalib and sister, Alexi....playing-so we think!

My Pictures of Israel

2005-01-19T13:28:00.000-08:00

THEY ARE NOT ORGANIZED YET....HOWEVER...I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ALL SEE THEM!

Rikkell has invited you to view the following album(s) on Snapfish:
Isreal 2004

Personal Message
Be sure to add your comments to the guest book when you view my photos.

If the 'view my photos' button above does not work,
copy and paste the link below into your browser
http://www.snapfish.com/share/p=878191106170080500/l=39434020/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB

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EXTRA....EXTRA....READ ALL ABOUT IT!

2005-01-11T16:53:00.001-08:00

My little sister is Ten years old. And since I can remember, she has wanted a dog. This Christmas her wish came true....my mom was able to get her one. Lil' Buddy Blitzen arrived by plane on Thursday. My mom and sister were there to greet him, however, my sister did not know of his coming. So, she was quite excited and surprised to find the gift of her dreams before her. I wish I could have been there to see the look on her face when she saw him! Oh what a sight....

I LOVE YOU MY SISTER!! AND PRAY YOU ARE HAVING A BLAST WITH YOUR NEW FOUND FRIEND!

The Newest Edition to the Family

My Sister and Buddy

Lil' Buddy Blitzen

A Thought for the Week

2005-01-10T13:57:00.000-08:00

In my pray time, God gave me a thought that I have been meditating on over the last month. I wanted to share it with you all...

A Candle can only burn if it has enough oxygen.

*****So, if you're the Candle.....what is your Oxygen?

Pictures

2005-01-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

For those of you, who have been patiently waiting for my Christmas pictures to be posted...I'm sorry.....
I have spent the last couple of weeks organizing my life and getting my bills figured out.... On the up side, this weekend I will be moving into my own apartment. It just next door from my old one, however, it will still be a place I can call my own.. Before Christmas, my roommate and I started to discuss what we want our apartment to be for each of us. In the end of that discussion, we found that we both wanted to have a space to call our own...something that we could retreat to and just "be". However, when you are living in a studio apartment-with another individual, the "retreating" and "being" just isn't possible. So, we decided to each get our own studio apartment. She will be staying in our old apartment and I will be moving next door. It works out really well, in that one of the men from InnerCHANGE is getting married this February. Him and his future wife have found an apartment, so he will be moving in this weekend. That leaves his old apartment up for grabs. I am really excited to have an apartment of my own. And my dad is really excited to have all of my storage gone from his house....well that will be happening a little later....but he is still excited.

This weekend was really enriching....because I had the opportunity to give back to someone who continually gives to me. My team leader, Jude, is the kind of person who lives her life with love. There are those that try to get as much as they can out of this world, but Jude would rather live her life as a contribution to this world.

A Favorite Quote of Mine

2004-12-29T13:04:00.000-08:00

I know its been a long time since I have entered anything on my blog. I have a lot of things I want to put up, but just haven't had the time. In everything that has been happening in my life, I find there is one quote that continues to come back to me. It has actually helped me in some of the hardest times I have in the last month. It is from the movie: "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers". Its near the end when Sam is talking to Frodo. This is what is said:

"It's like the great stories, Mr. Frodo.
The one's that really mattered
Full of darkness and danger they were.
And sometimes you didn't want to know the end...
...Because how could the end be happy?
How could the world go back to the way it was...
...when so much bad had happened?
But in the end, it's only a passing thing...
...this shadow.
Even darkness must pass.
A new day will come.

And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer
Those were the stories that stayed with you...
...that meant something.
Even if you were too small to understand why.
But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand.
I know now.
Fold in those stories...
...had lots of chances of turning back,
only they didn't.
They kept going....
...because they were holding on to something.

(Frodo: "What are we holding on to, Sam?")

That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo.
And it's worth fighting for.

An Article About the Kids on Skid Rowe

2004-11-03T18:17:00.000-08:00

One of my closest friends out here in LA, Works with a church called Central City Outreach. It is in the heart of Skid Rowe. I thought I would pass on the letter she wrote me and the article that she is refering to. I like this article because it gives you a deeper sense of the things that are happening to families that are homeless and on the streets. Her Church is the church that is trying to get transitional and permanent housing built for families in Skid Rowe. They, also, have a After School Program for the kids living there....

Dear Friends,

I want to share with you an article that was published on the Front page of the LA Times Sept 7, 2004.

The children this article speaks of are the children in our after school program. We worked hard on providing families and information for this article and we were excited that it is was placed on the front page. Please take a moment to read about the plight of the Hotel Children that we serve. God is so good to allow us this privilege to work with such special children whom daily face very difficult situations.
I want to thank you for you continual prayers and support.

Lisa

http://www.latimes.com/news/yahoo/la-me-hotelkids7sep07,1,5578777.story

PLIGHT OF THE HOTEL CHILDREN:
Crime is just one of the problems facing young tenants along L.A.'s skid row. 'A lot of people want to mess with you,' says one teenage girl.

By Carla Rivera
Times Staff Writer

September 7, 2004

In a cramped room of the Ford Hotel the Arburtha children one by one rouse themselves for another day of school.

At 5:45 a.m., 16-year-old Jamaica is escorted through the dawn darkness by her mother, Grace, past the barred and gated lobby to a bus stop a block away.

Later, sister Ankara, 14, sleepy-eyed brother Franklin, 13, and sister Egypt, 11, take the small elevator from the family's fifth-floor quarters. Once on the sidewalk, they pass people in bed rolls, corner drug dealers, prostitutes and mentally unbalanced denizens of one of the nation's most densely populated enclaves of the homeless.

The Arburtha youngsters are among more than 800 children who live in Los Angeles skid row hotels and missions, according to recent studies. Families with four or five children frequently occupy a single room, with a hot plate or microwave for cooking and shared community bathrooms.

Before she moved to the Ford on East 7th Street, Jamaica said, "I had never seen people who were crazy." Now the tall, athletic girl said she often saw people who took off their clothes on the street — and had even witnessed a murder.

"A lot of people want to mess with you," she said.

About 400 to 500 children inhabit the half a dozen hotels clustered in the heart of skid row, an area with an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 homeless people, according to a study by USC researchers. Surveys counted more than 140 children living in the Ford Hotel, 112 in the Frontier Hotel on 5th Street and about 70 at the Huntington Hotel on Main.

The USC team found that children living in the hotels and shelters were frequently ill-fed and were more likely than other children to suffer chronic illnesses, asthma, depression, behavioral problems and learning disabilities.

"The entire community, the city and the county need to take responsibility and ownership to help address this crisis," said Grace Dyrness, associate director of USC's Center for Religion and Civic Culture.

Crime data paint a troubling portrait at the hotels. At the Ford alone in the last 19 months, police took 111 crime reports and made 21 arrests for offenses such as drug sales, domestic violence, shoplifting, robbery and murder. They removed four bodies. The city attorney's office recently started a task force to track convicted sex offenders in the hotels.

The plight of the hotel children "concerns us tremendously," said Mitchell Netburn, executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, the city-county agency that coordinates homeless issues. "While it is better than being on the street, the conditions in these hotels are marginal at best."

The Ford, a gloomy-looking six-story tan structure with 295 rooms and nearly 500 residents, is in a commercial zone dotted with garment and printing shops, seafood processors and wholesale produce markets.

The sidewalks around the Ford routinely fill with transients looking for day work, people pushing shopping carts, tattered men curled up in bedding pitched dangerously close to curbs and mothers moving quickly, holding tight to their children.

Inside the Ford, the narrow hallways echo with laughter, angry shouts and crying babies. The blue walls and painted green concrete floors are reminiscent of an aging hospital or prison. In the lobby, a desk clerk behind a barred window receives residents and visitors.

A bank of video screens monitors cameras trained on the building's hallways and exterior. Guests are closely screened and must provide photo identification and a $20 deposit to visit a resident, measures taken to increase security. A locked, gated door in the lobby controls access to rooms.

The Arburthas have lived at the Ford two years. Grace Arburtha pays about $340 monthly for two connecting rooms the size of large walk-in closets. She and her five children — Jamaica, Ankara, Franklin, Egypt and 3-year-old Joel — sleep on two sets of bunk beds. She purchased a tiny refrigerator and has a microwave oven. When funds run low, they sometimes go to a mission or soup kitchen to eat.

The family was living a fairly comfortable life in Pomona when the children's father was sent to prison for robbery, Arburtha said. Her job as a caretaker to an elderly woman did not pay enough to keep up rent payments on the house, and after about a year they moved and stayed with friends.

Feeling they had overstayed their welcome, they moved again and lived on the street in Pomona briefly before migrating to downtown Los Angeles' Union Rescue Mission. But boys older than 10 must sleep in different quarters from the rest of the family at the mission, and the others did not want to be separated from Franklin. Arburtha heard of the Ford and checked in.

After quitting the caretaker job, she worked periodically cleaning houses but said the needs of the children were too demanding and so she applied for welfare. She receives about $800 in benefits monthly but has not been able to find low-rent housing for a family of six. She is eligible for subsidized Section 8 housing but may have to wait a year or more for the aid.

The $340 she pays now is a bargain even on skid row, where hotels frequently charge rents of $600 or $700, according to the USC study. Arburtha also pays $60 a month for bus passes for her children to get to school.

"Sometimes the kids complain, but they've got friends here now and they get used to it," she said. "I never get used to it."

Arburtha, 46, a petite woman with a weary demeanor, spends much of her day tending to the hyperactive Joel. Frequently, the beds are piled with clothes, blankets, pillows, books and other belongings and the door is left open to ward off claustrophobia.

Over the years, she has lost track of her elderly father and a sister. She has a 21-year-old daughter who struck out on her own after the family became homeless. She lives with a boyfriend in Pomona but can help out only occasionally with a few dollars or groceries.

On a small table is a photo album that shows a close family during better times, at the dinner table of their Inglewood home or playing in the yard. The children's paternal grandparents live in a big home in Louisiana. Arburtha said the couple had been in touch recently and she hoped they might help get her family out of the Ford.

The hotel, built in 1925, has been a target of the city's slum task force in the past. In 1999 it was declared a public nuisance, and owners were ordered to clear trash and properly dispose of needles and condoms, upgrade security and evict lawless tenants.

It was also in that year that a mother threw her 9-year-old daughter from a sixth-floor window and then jumped herself. Neither survived.

More recently, June 6, Doris Helen Moore, 30, was stabbed to death on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. Many residents, including three of the Arburtha children, witnessed the slaying. Moore had lived in the Ford with her four children for several months, said Los Angeles Police Det. Robert Solorza. Another hotel resident, 48 year-old Donovan Holland, was charged with the murder.

"A lot of grown-ups could have helped her, but they were just standing there like they were frozen," said Jamaica, remembering that day. "It made me even more afraid." She and her sisters attended the funeral.

By 2002, the hotel was being run by a nonprofit organization and operated primarily as transitional housing for homeless families. Authorities determined that conditions had improved and lifted the public nuisance designation. In 2003, the hotel changed hands again and is now owned by Ford Hotel LLC, a company headquartered in Arcadia.

Zelenne Cardenas, director of the United Coalition East Prevention Project, a neighborhood activist group, said problems remain.

"What goes on at the Ford and other hotels would never be tolerated anywhere else," she said.

Harold Greenberg, an attorney who represents the Ford's owners, said his clients were addressing concerns, including working with the police and city attorney's office to evict problem tenants.

Greenberg said he recently examined the building and, as a result, inoperable toilets and showers and pushed-out window screens were being fixed.

Overall, he said, the building is properly secured and maintained, with four maintenance people during the day and two during the evening, an armed security guard in the evening and internal and external security cameras.

He also said that many children in the building appear to be unsupervised and that the tenants themselves must take some responsibility for conditions.

The Ford's managing partner, Kumar Koneru, said he was especially mindful of addressing the needs of children. He added that a ground-floor space had been set aside for a learning center with donated computers.

"The hotel has more employees to stay on top of the building and get more involved with children and so forth. We have gotten better, not worse," he said.

Indeed, compared to what happens outside, the Ford seems a sanctuary for the Arburtha children.

"The girls that live in this building have to be careful, because guys try to snatch you and put you into a car," Ankara said.

"We mostly stay inside and do homework," Jamaica added.

On the streets, "there are rats roaming everywhere," Franklin said.

Inside, the kids said, they are wary of the restroom facilities down the hall. Men are known to lurk about, the girls said, and so they try to go in pairs.

Some people in the hotel complain about children who use the hallways as their playground, Arburtha said. "But what are they going to do? There is no place else for them to play."

The one pocket-size park in the area, at 6th and San Julian streets, is primarily occupied by adults. Schools provide most opportunities for recreation.

Many of the younger children, like Egypt, attend the nearby Ninth Street Elementary School. But because of overcrowding, Jamaica takes a bus to a Westside high school, while Franklin and Ankara attend Carver Middle School several miles south of skid row.

Although the Ford is a place where people usually stick to themselves, it can sometimes take on the air of a community, with the rhythms of Tejano music pouring out of some rooms.

On the second floor, Angelica Palafox, Hilario Madrigal and their four daughters sometimes while away the afternoon hours watching television on the two small sets that Madrigal retrieved from the trash.

An unemployed janitor, he has lived with his family in the Ford for nearly four years, paying about $300 monthly in rent for a small room with two bunk beds that faces 7th Street.

The small patches of floor space not taken up with the beds are occupied by several cardboard boxes filled with pastries donated by charities, as well as chiles and citrus fruit bought at Grand Central Market that Palafox uses to make exotic salsas.

Cockroaches roam the shelf by the sink and the walls, and a light fixture dangles from its electrical wiring. To protest what they alleged were poor living conditions, the family withheld a portion of their rent and then were served with an eviction notice. In a recent court proceeding, they were awarded $2,000 in relocation money and were supposed to move by the end of August. Deciding they needed more time to look for a new place, they waived the relocation funds and were instead given rent-free months until January to move.

Madrigal said he didn't feel good about his daughters living on skid row. Before she joined a church-based residential youth program, his 16-year-old oldest girl had been forced to sleep on the floor.

Both parents want to be out of the Ford soon. Madrigal's brother is buying a new house in Glendale and he hopes there is room, at least temporarily, for the family. Leaving the Ford is also a dream for his daughters, who on a day a visitor came by were playing a game on a computer that Madrigal scavenged, building an imaginary house.

Tim Peters is intimately familiar with the adversity faced by children on skid row. As director of a student mission program, he lived in the Huntington Hotel at 8th and Main for two years ministering to poor and homeless families around the city.

He then joined the nonprofit Central City Community Outreach and helped develop a program that provides after-school recreation, tutoring, Bible study and snacks three nights a week for about 40 children who live in the skid row hotels.

When it is time for children to be taken home from the nearby center, they sometimes cry and refuse to get off the bus, Peters said.

Parents are sometimes reluctant to ask for help for fear their children might be taken away, according to the USC study. But county officials said they couldn't remove children just because their surroundings were less than ideal.

"It's always challenging for a family under stress if they are homeless or in a seedy hotel, but these situations are not enough for us to come and take a child away," said Joi Russell, division chief for the Department of Children and Family Services' child protection hotline.

On a recent afternoon, dozens of kids at the Ford streamed into a room off the lobby to meet volunteers from School on Wheels, who help them with homework and provide school supplies. The program visits the Ford and Huntington, the Union Rescue Mission and the Midnight Mission twice a week, often encountering emotionally fragile youngsters who are ashamed of being homeless and fret over the uncertainty in their lives.

"Some have untreated vision, hearing and malnutrition problems," said the program's founder and director, Agnes Stevens. "I think more of these children would be classified as having special needs. But some also stand out for being seemingly well-adjusted, calm, getting good grades. The opposite poles are sometimes in the same family."

Indeed, many hotel children are resilient. Many of the Arburtha children are doing well in school. Ankara says she wants to be a neurologist.

She recently enrolled in the Big Sister program and has been taken to art galleries, museums and the theater.

"It's tough now," she said, "but I definitely see a future."

Halloween Weekend

2004-11-01T16:38:00.000-08:00

John, doing his Halloween thing....

The Dancer and the Nerd...Can you guess who's who?..;-)

The Trick-or-Treaters

Us out on the town...trick-or-treating

This last weekend was quite eventful. On Friday, Roxy, Roxy's dad, my roommate, and John all went out for coffee in Koreatown. It was this neat little Boba/coffee shop.
On Saturday, I slept in til 9, organized some things in our apartment, prayed, and visited a girlfriend of mine in the building. A couple of friends came down to visit as well. There were about 6 kids down there and my roommate had them all playing UNO and focused. I am still amazed at her ability to get young kids focused and playing nicely. While she played UNO, I hung out with the adults. We sat on the bed and discussed our weekly events.
That night, Jackie (a girl that lives downstairs from me) came over to the apartment and we made homemade Pizza and Brownies. There were many who thought we were going to buy it, however, no-- we really made homemade pizza. She helped make the crust, make the sauce, put on the toppings, and the cheese. I think it was the best pizza, I've had the opportunity of making thus far. Everyone who ate some, including Jackie's brother Jack, thought the Pizza was good. Even the brownies were good. I didn't have much of those though--I let Jackie take most of those home. Every time, Jackie and I, make them from scratch....good old Betty Crocker Cookbook. She read all the directions and I helped her make the food! It was a lot of fun. While we ate the food, I taught her how to play UNO. Her brother hung out for a while and chilled with us!
On Sunday, Halloween, my church had a mini-festival. My boyfriend, some friends, and I hung out and watched some of the youth play the games they had. It was nice to just rest. I hadn't had a lot of that in the last week. When I got home, I sat down and collaged some of the things that were on my mind. Erwin, the pastor at Mosaic, on Sunday talked about the reality of Spirits in our world. We often try, as humans, to believe that Angels, Demons, and Spiritual experiences can't happen and that they don't exist. But, what the Bible doesn't ALREADY tell us--I think the New Age Movement portrays quite well. There are some crazy things, whether good or bad, happening in the this world and it isn't happening with human hands. I spent a good hour and a half thinking about the Unseen Spirit World in our world and how it effects people. It made me really think about the Battle between Demons and Angels that are going on for our lives. And it has helped to understand why prayer is so important. It is pray that helps us fight this battle--a battle that cannot be fought physically. There are so many verses that talk about: Angels that are protecting us and so many verse about demons that are trying to destroy and confuse us. God asks us to put on the Armor of God, so that we can withstand them (Esphesians 6). We joke, dress up, and have fun on Halloween. And though, I don't find anything wrong with this, I find, sometimes, we forget that there really are Powers at work in our World that are not here for our good. They seek to confuse us and they seek to destroy us. And it is probably mindful that we be in prayer against them.
On Sunday evening, my roommate and I got dressed up and went out Trick-or-Treating with some friends and their kids. I had never experienced Trick-or-Treating in quite the same fashion. It actually allowed me to get a better look at the neighborhood I live in. Because there are not many homes in our area, the kids couldn't go trick-or-treating at door-to-door. So what did we do...went business to business. We went to some apartment in our building, but for the most part, people weren't home and you really can't get into the other buildings! My teammate, John, loves to provide alternatives to candy, so when kids come to Him and his wife's door- He lets them role dice. Each number that could possibly be rolled has a set of prizes they could pick from. So depending on the number you got, depended on the type of prize you got. He had a variety of prizes: from stickers and pencils to basketballs! His place is the hot spot for a lot of people in the building!!!
For the rest of our Trick-or-Treating endeavors, we went up and down 6th street walking into local businesses like the KFC, the Chinese restaurant, the Movie Rental places, and the 99 cents stores asking for Candy. The picture place was actually letting each family take a Halloween photo for free! It was really neat. Although, I have to admit: the kids didn't get nearly as good of candy as I got growing up. Primarily, they got hard candies. But, I guess, if you are giving out large amount of candy (40,000 kids), you have to stay within your budget!
The most interesting and yet scary thing that I found was that even the Botanicas were giving things out and they were the most sought after things yet. Botanicas are spiritual shops. It is the place you go to get candles that have magical powers or voodoo dolls to cast spells on people. They have a variety of different mystic beliefs and religions that they cater to. They were giving out necklaces that were meant for good luck. My friends were really excited about these and we spent an hour trying to get them. The whole time my stomach was in knots and I kept praying that if they had some negative spiritual power that somehow, they wouldn't get their hands on one. In the end, one of my friend's sister was the only one that got one. I was really happy about this. I really wished she hadn't got one either, but I am glad that the others never got one at all.

My last Couple of Weeks

2004-10-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

Me Mixing the Paint....Sporting in my best outfit ;-)

My roomate painting it up

Us and our almost Finished Product...

My newest challenge to remodel....;-)

The Rodriquez Wedding

Danny and I at the Wedding

These last couple of weeks have been very interesting. I have spent some time getting to know my roommate, I have developed a new love for CSI:NY, visited some friends in my building, had some of the girls come and visit me, painted my apartment, have been reading many inspiring books and have spent a lot of time in thoughts about life and what it truly means to love others.
My roommate and I were sitting in our apartment a couple of weeks ago and realized just how ugly the walls were! So, we decided to brighten things up a bit. We painted the walls a pale yellow color and then the trim a little darker yellow. It ended up being a week process, but we can finally say that it is done!! And we feel so much happier in it. And for those who are in shock because you can't believe we painted the apartment....relax. It is actually allowed in my building, the owner doesn't mind.
I only watch TV once a week, mainly because we have to carry a TV down the hall to see anything, but...truly...watching TV is not my favorite pass time. I do, however, like criminal cases, so I have fallen in love with CSI, all 3 shows. But since, Wednesday Nights are really the only nights I have free, I only watch CSI:NY. It is really interesting.
The second week in October, one of Danny's friends got married. We went to celebrate the occasion in the San Gabriel area. The wedding was beautiful and the food was amazing. They had the wedding and reception outside in an old mission with beautiful architecture. The entire day was breathtaking.
At many different points in the day or week, we have youth that come to visit us. Our door is always open, and they can come to visit whenever they like. Sometimes, they come and merely play on my computer (not the internet), paint, or draw. And other times we bake, watch movies, or play games. We try to keep it low key, so that it is more not chalant. The kids feel more comfortable and it allows us to mentor the kids in a lot more personal-one on one way. And sometimes the kids just want a safe space to be when there is so many crazy things going on. There is one girl that loves to just come and be in the room. She thinks its so neat that I let her hang out even if I have something else going on. She just draws or types letters, sometimes to me, on my computer. I find it amazing how just being there can, sometimes, have more impact that doing some great event. It is the little day to day stuff that you do with them or let them do in your home that often means the most!

My Birthday Celebration on Saturday

2004-10-05T13:29:00.001-07:00

My actual Birthday was the third day I celebrated my Birthday. I think this will be the most memorable Birthday of my life! In the morning, while still in my pajamas, Karina and the kids surprised me with a Birthday Balloon, cards, and a gift. It was really sweet. We talked had a lot of fun talking while the kids drew me pictures.

In the afternoon, some girlfriends of my from church and my neighborhood, and I all got together and celebrated by Birthday too. We ate at a place called "Ocha". It is a Thai food restaurant. At the end of our meal, they surprised me with some cake and sung to me. It was really special! The food was really good, however, at the end of our meal, we watched a Cockroach walk down the wall next to our table. We were completely grossed out. We quickly killed it. Upon showing the remenants of the roach to the waitress, her explanation for the problem was this: "When we mopp, Cockroaches walk...." I think all of our mouths hung open for a moment as we took that in....

In the evening, I went to Danny's, my boyfriend, house to celebrate with him my birthday. When I got there his sister, Jen, gave me a present. She knew, I loved fruit, so she bought me Mexican Fruit salad, with Chili and lime on it. It was so good! And it was so sweet of her to think of me. Danny and I went out for a walk around his area before going to the restaurant. The weather was so nice out. The restaurant we at was called "Claim Jumpers". I had Chicken with a mushroom sauce on it. I think it was one of the best meals, I had had in a while! When we got back, his mom brought me into the kitchen where she had a cake with candles for me to blow out. She even gave me a card. Danny and her sang Happy Birthday to me.
To end the night, Danny and I watched Le Miserables. It was a perfect end to a perfect 3 days of celebration!

Thank you everyone for making my Birthday, so special!!

Miriam, Jessica, Me, Lisa, and Becky celebrating at "Ocha" (Thai Food)

My Boyfriend and I celebrating at "Claim Jumpers"

Birthday Celebration on Friday!

2004-10-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

Friday was the second day of Birthday parties, I got to experience. The first was on Thurday. My InnerCHANGE team took me out for dinner at "La Fondita", a Mexican restaurant in my area. I got to eat Carne Asada. one of my favorites!!!!
On Friday, though, my roomate and I brought a cake over to, my friend, Karina's house. Her husband Daniel, her kids:Danny, Becky, and Ingried, Jose: one of the boys in the neighborhood, Pechita, Carmela and her Daughter Cynthia all came to celebrate with me. It was a fun evening. We laughed, watched some of Lethal Weapon 4, danced, and ate cake. My roomate even had stories read to her by Becky.

1
My Birthday Party at the Torres/Carias Home

Kristin, Karina, Me, and Pechita...

Cynthia and Ingried

Me Cutting the Cake

Jaci's First Boba Experience

2004-09-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Jaci, Me and Kristin

Over the weekend and during the early part of my week, I had the privilege of hanging out with Jaci, the other noviate in Innerchange who is living in Minneapolis. She was out here for our Retreat in San Francisco and for other meetings during the last week through InnerCHANGE. I really enjoyed seeing her,...I always do. What I find really neat is that Jaci and I knew each other before we had joined InnerCHANGE. I went to college with a girlfriend of hers (from back home). Jaci would come up to visit Jen, our friend, from Iowa, every once in a while. When she did, I would hang out with all of them. So, I have actually known Jaci for about 5 years now. The Ironic part about it all, is that neither one of us knew we each had signed up to be a part of InnerCHANGE. It wasn't until the first day of our apprenticeship, last September, that we both found out.
While she was out her, it had come to my attention that she had never had Boba, a drink with large tapioca balls in it. Usually they put it in fruit juices, teas, smoothies, or coffee. It is one of my favorite things, so I couldn't let her leave LA without trying it at least once. So, the night she was going to leave: my roomate, Jaci and I went out to get Boba. It was a lot of fun.
The picture was taken at a place called "I love Boba" in Koreatown. We had a lot of fun. Jaci is to the left of me and Kristin, my roomate, is on the right of me. If you hadn't guessed, I am in the middle! My roomate, actually just moved here a little over a week ago from Indiana. She is going to be an Apprentice, like I was last year, in InnerCHANGE. She is a lot of fun and we are finding we have a lot in common. Which is probably a good thing being that we share a studio apartment!

My Day at the Beach

2004-09-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

My Day at the Beach

On Saturday, I got to spend a couple hours at Topanga Beach. It was really relaxing to sit there and read a book while I listened to the sound of the waves. I really needed it...
I did, however, burn my legs....they are still in recovery! ;-)
Yeah!!!

A Walk in the Park with My Baby

2004-09-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

Jake on a walk, in Echo Park

Jake out and about in LA!

Jake

2004-09-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Jake

For those of you who have been waiting to see my baby, here he is. Jake is a Bearded Dragon and I have had him for about a year. He is actually suppose to be double the size he is, but right now he is about a foot long. I love my baby and he has got such a character. My roomate has said that, he has even got some human type qualities. I will tell you this, he is anything, but what animial books have said him to be. Jake is a very active animal. One of my favorite things to do, is let him loose on the floor in our apartment. He runs from corner to corner, tracking his territory before crawling up the bicycle spikes and resting on the tire of my bike.
Jake pretty much goes everywhere with me, so he has covered a lot of the LA area while sitting on my shoulder. The second picture above was a walk we took to the park. When we got to the park, and I took him off my shoulder so he could rest in the grass. I'm not sure he new what to do with himself, He didn't move for 5 minutes. But, once he saw the flies that were flying past us, He snapped out of it and started to hunt. ;-)

Be Thou My Vision

2004-09-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

Music has always been an important part of my life. I guess you could say my love for music was instilled in me as a young child. Both my parents, love music. But, I think, even more, my father breathes it. I cannot remember a time in my life where music was not some how connected to my father. I have memories of driving in the car with him-blasting some latest hit, of hearing him talk about the band he was in in high school, or the time, when I was five and he gave me my first record cleaner (a sort of brush that you used to dust off records)-I was so excited.

I have found that music can somehow hit some of the deepest cords in my life. It has this ability to reach the inner parts of me that mere words could never reach. In a moment, a song can take me back to memories of my childhood or express the feelings that I am inhabiting at that moment.

There is one song that I have found resignating in my heart as of late and it is the hymn: "Be Thou My Vision". I, normally, am not one to listen to Hymns. I find myself more inclined to modern music. But, I cannot escape from the connection I feel to this song. I find it expressing the heart of one hoping in God regardless of Circumstances. It speaks the heart of who God is and who he wants to be for us.

After doing some research, I found that the hymn was orginally written about 700 CE (AD.) in Irish Monastic Tradition. But, was not translated to English until 1905. The purpose of the song was to be a sort of incantation. It was to be recited for protection arming oneself for spiritual or physical battle. This song reminds us that God is with us, through some of the most difficult times in our life. When I listen to this song, I am reminded that God is my vision. And though I may go through tough times, if I can see God before me and the many ways He has never let me down, I know my "battles" will be won.

I have recorded the song onto my blog, so that you can have chance to hear the song for yourself (Just press the play button next to the date). It is not the entire version of the song, however, still brings the heart of the message. I, also, want to write the song down for you because the words really are powerful. And they speak my heart at the present.

Be Thou My Vision
Be Thou My Vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word,
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul's Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright Heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

And that is my prayer: that no matter what happens to me that God would still be my Vision, that I could find shelter for my soul in Him, that He would always be my High Tower, that His presence would always be my light, that He would always be the greatest joy in my life, and that I would remember that He will always be the High King of Heaven, so my victory is already won......

Its the Little Things

2004-09-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

I am realizing more and more, that it's the little things that mean the most and sadly, its also the little things that hurt us the most. We, as humans, have the power to bring others "up" and the power to bring others down with our words and actions. And, just as many of us out there, I have found myself guilty of both. I having been thinking about this alot since yesterday, primarily because of the experience I had on my way home from work.
After I had made the hour drive home from Beverly Hills (where I work), I made my way up the hill from the only available place to park at 7:30PM in my neighborhood, the Hospital. I came to the corner of Valencia and 6th, which is near Maggie's Donuts, and waited for the light to change so I could cross the street. I turned around and noticed that a husband and wife of Latino decent were standing behind me. This is not surprising being that 85% of my neighborhood is Latino. I smiled and nodded my head at both of them and turned back around positioning myself to walk across the street. The man acknowledged my smile, but the woman merely looked at me. After about thirty seconds, the man looked at me and asked, "Do you speak Spanish?". I responded with, "Pocito, pero estoy aprendiendo." Which means, " A little, but I am learning." He responded by saying, "Oh, I was going to ask you, are you lost?" Which is a common theme, I am finding. Just in case you might be wondering, there are not very many white people who live in my area. So, it is odd to many in my neighborhood that I actually live there. I smiled and said, "Oh no, I live around here". And he said, "No, only ugly people live around here". I replied, "Oh no, I know many beautiful people that live here." And as we began to part ways he responded by saying, "Thank you".

I can't, for some reason, get his words out of my thoughts. And the interesting thing is that the part that keeps coming back to me, is not the part where he said that only ugly people lived here, but it was the part where he said thank you because I didn't. The questions that continue to resignate in my head are, How many times has he been told or heard that his race is "ugly" or that his people were not good people? How many times has it been told, to the point that he appreciates when one person says differently?

We are all humans, living in the world, all trying to make a better life for our families. We have different heritages, different dreams, but we all want the same thing: to be loved for who we are....
Why must we hurt those in our path because we don't understand them? Why don't we make enough time to understand them? And why can't we focus on the one thing that we do know, that that person in your path...wants mainly to be loved?

Back from San Francisco

2004-09-20T16:14:00.001-07:00

Hello! I would have to say that San Francisco has got to be one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. Every time I go, I am in awe of the architecture. On Friday, all the apprentices came together, from Minneapolis and LA, to share the experiences each of us had had over this year and learn more my 2 year commitment as a noviciate. So, Melanie and I flew from LA and Jaci, the apprentice from our Minneapolis team, flew from Minneapolis. We all convened in San Fransisco because that is where the Apprentice Coordinators have their offices. Our main headquarters for all nine teams is in Los Angeles, however, those that run the apprenticeship and are the assistant to InnerCHANGE's founders, all work in San Francisco.
The picture I put up was a shot that I took while I was there this weekend. InnerCHANGE does have a team in San Fransisco (the other people in the picture), so while we were there, we spent some time with them. I always enjoy visiting them. The weekend was really cold, but all together very restful. One of the nights, the San Francisco team, the apprenticship coordinators (and their families) and the apprentices all went to a Greek Festival. I ate Gyros and a really good Greek Desert. My mouth still waters when I think about it. I even got to learn some Greek Dances!!!
I think the favorite part of my weekend, though, was hearing the stories each apprentice told. We talked about the struggles we went through and the happy moments we experienced. We each learned something about ourselves over the year and I really appreciated the privilege of hearing what God had taught the others.

2004-09-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

The San Fransisco InnerCHANGE team and the 2004 InnerCHANGE Apprentices (Jaci, Rikki, and Melanie)

Poverty is......

2004-09-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

Poverty is....
Having to work illegally.
It's being a child, beneath the hot sun, pleading for money for your candy, alone, working into the night.
It's spending your days bent over a blanket of products on the side of the street, ready to run when the police come by.
It's pulling the gold watch off the wrist of a stranger so you can eat, and feeling the guilt and regret at night when you can't sleep.
It's tealing from the slow-moving elderly woman who you hope won't recognize you.
It's having to do whatever you can to stay alive, a thief of survival.

Poverty is....
Losing your family.
It's watching your child die from tuberculosis when the cure was a cost you couldn't afford.
It's leaving your home as a scared young girl because if you don't go find work, no one can eat.
It's being a kid so long on the streets that by now you can't remember the faces of your parents.
It's seeing your child slowly leave home to make a home in the steets, because there's nothing to offer him where you are.
It's coming to the city, searching, holding a picture of your son who has run away, asking everyone for his whereabouts, and returning
home alone.
It's watching your father beat your mother, your mother beat you, and knowing inside that they lost your soul a long time ago.

Poverty is...
Being hungry.
It's asking for the half-eaten piece of pizza from a stranger, begging for the half-gone ice-cream cone, stealing the drink from a
stranger's hand, because you're living on hand-outs.
It's selling candy but never getting to eat a piece.
It's eating one meal, the same meal, every day.
It's eating from the garbage, but living on empty.

Poverty is.....
Being out-casted and misunderstood.
It's being a street kid, dirty, not allowed to go into a restaurant with your friend on your birthday.
It's receiving pitied looks and being given spare change by people who think they're being generous or perhaps encouraging a bad habit.
It's walking with your friend in open daylight, and getting beaten by the police because you're a child that doesn't have a home, and the
police are taking "Preventative Action".
It's standing on a street corner, dressed for a night for sale, your body displayed, the men touching you, people calling after you, telling you you're someone you're not, that you're worth less than you are-all so that you will be able to feed your family.

Poverty is....
Needing escape, but there's nowhere to go.
It's finding solace in a bag of glue, so that you can hide from life in the paradise of being high.
It's being abused by your husband, being abused by your wife, being abused by your parents, yelling and crying and afraid, all in a room just big enough for three twin beds to be pushed together.
It's wanting to leave your work, because you're being paid nothing and barely surviving, but knowing there's nowhere out there that's
going to pay you more.
It's cutting deep wounds into your own forearm so that the physical pain you feel will provide relief from the emotional pain that
threatens to push you under.

Poverty is...
Not having.
It's about avoiding the competition between who has a better body, the better warddrobe, the better car, the better house, the better job.
It's about worrying about loving your family, providing for those you care about, and spending time with the people who matter in your
life.
It's leaning on one-another, depending on your community, knowing more than your neighbors' names.
It's holding lightly to things, and giving them away without regret to someone who matters, or maybe to someone you don't even know.
It's sharing.
It's seeing life, living life, for what it is, without the stuff.
It's letting the lack of things create a space for something else, that is, until the not having makes no space for anything but suffering.
It's remembering that poverty can be different for different people, and that either having too much or not having at all can look awfully
similar.
Both can lead to death of the body and the soul.

Excerpt from Nothing But a Thief by Danielle Speakman

2004-09-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

The four of us floating in the Dea Sea

2004-09-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

The Damascus Gate, one of 4 gates to the Jeruseleum Wall.

2004-09-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Jeruseleum (Old City

Pictures from my Trip to Isreal

2004-09-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

I have been learning how to utilize my blog better. I want to be able to share with my family and friends the things that have been happening in my life here in LA. One of those ways is putting pictures on my blog. My first experiment is with the Pictures I took while I was in Isreal. I want to put more up, but for now this is a little bit of my two weeks there. I hope you enjoy the pictures!!!

The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

2004-08-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Over the Last Nine Months, I have been meditating on a prayer that St. Francis of Assisi often prayed. As I think on its words, my heart is likened to prayer, prayer that God would use me more and more to be His instrument of Peace. Here is the prayer he often said:

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred... let me sow love.
Where there is injury... pardon
Where there is discord... unity
Where there is doubt... faith
Where there is error... truth
Where there is despair... hope
Where there is sadness... joy
Where there is darkness... light.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled... As to console
To be understood... As to understand
To be loved... As to love

For it is in giving... that we receive
It is in pardoning... that we are pardoned
It is in dying... that we are born to eternal life."

2004-07-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had everything you ever thought, every action, and every pattern of doing things that you thought was normal or true brought into question? Not by anyone else....but by your self. When I was a teenager, one of my teachers once said, "The more you learn, the more you realize how much you really don't know." I would say this applies to wisdom as well. Actually, its the wisdom you gain that enlightens your understanding, your understanding of how much you really don't understand.
       In the last couple of weeks, I have questioned everything I could possibly believe about life: my actions, my thoughts, my responses to situations, and my beliefs in how the world should be. I thought that all these things, ...I knew. But, now I am starting to realize that they are all reactions to the experiences I have faced. I have seen life and goodness, through each struggle, each wound, each pain, and each happy moment.   And from them, I have begun to formulate my beliefs on the way relationships (interactions with others) work: my thoughts on what is right, my thoughts how I treat others, and my thoughts on what others deserve, and my thoughts on who I am. We, as humans, learn to survive through the things we encounter. They begin to shape everything about us. And then there are things that we experience, that are horrible to us. Things that are blatantly wrong. We tell ourselves that we will never become like that. And yet I have found that the longer we run from those experiences, the faster we find ourselves becoming what we never wanted.
     Sometimes, I wish, I could take all those experiences and throw them out the door or have a brain disfunction where hurtful memories were alway forgotten. I wish I could forget and live like they never were. It would be so much easier, to love those who I find it hard to love. It would be easier, to give my heart in situations that it is hard to trust. It would be easier to give to others though they are takers.  And it would be so much easier to believe the promises God gave us about who we are instead of believing what the World tells us we aren't.
But,.....I can't throw those experience out. Life does not give us that option. God does not give us that option.   Our lives will forever be filled with one understanding, "People will always fail us". And it is what we learn from that, that directs our lives.
    I was taught, "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you".   However, what I was modeled, by society, was, "Do unto others, as they have done unto you".   And because there is so much brokenness in this world, we see justice more perversely. We begin to think solely of the justice due us. The Brokenness clouds our understanding and then we begin to give others advice, reflecting our clouded understanding. Instead of helping another become a better person, we say they are justified in the actions they took when wronged. We somehow begin to believe that our character is still good though it changes to meet the demands of any given situation.  We say we are not envious of others, but then some how we get excited when they face hardship. We say we are not racist, but find it okay to be mean to another race when they have jaded us first. We say we love all people, but find it okay to say horrible things to the ones we care about when they hurt us.
   Character, I am realizing, does not change. A person either has good character or bad character. And if ever your character changes, then you never had good character.  We might have characteristics about ourselves that seem good and are good, but what happens when we are faced with situations where we feel wronged? A person with good character reacts in the same way with their friends as with those who have wronged them.   We have grace, mercy, and understanding for others in our happy situations. Why do those "gifts" overflow when it is easy for us, but dry up when the situation is not so happy?
   I am beginning to learn that who I am should not change. I am to love every person regardless of what they have done to me. I am to have patience with people regardless of how much patience they show me. And I am to respect others, though they may not respect me. People will always fail us, but that does not mean we aren't suppose to show them grace, mercy, peace, and love...

2004-06-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

After talking to some people, I have decided to continue using my blog, so that you can hear about all that I am doing in Los Angeles. I was officially back from Israel on the 21st of May. Danny picked me up from the airport and went back to his town where my car was to spend some time together and get some food!! I was actually quite awake when I got off the plane even though I really had not slept on the planes. However, at about 8PM my entire body got very tired! I was very grateful when Danny's mom invited me to sleep in the spare bedroom for the night, so that I wouldn't fall asleep on the road. I slept really well, but for some reason at 3AM, my body tried to wake up and tell me it was morning. After a half hour of convincing it otherwise, I finally fell back to sleep. The rest of the week was like that as well. My body wanted to be asleep when it was the day here and awake when it was the night here. It is funny how jet-lag works. It took a week to recover and then I got a cold. I was so thankful to have the week off before I started Starbucks! It was also good to share some time with my neighbors. On Monday, I help with tutoring which actually ended up being "Story Time" because none of the kids had homework. Laura, a friend who is also a part of the Mentoring Initiative here, told a stories to the kids complete with puppets. It was a really neat experience.
Another friend of mine here, I found out when I got home, was being evicted from their home. The problem was that the landlord had no legal right to evict her. So, some of us in InnerCHANGE spent a good part of the day on Sunday and the rest of the week helping her move out of here place before she got into trouble. And on Friday, John and I went to court with her to defend her case. I have spent a good part of the year researching landlord and tenant rights for the Los Angeles area, so I went hoping that I could help her when she was faced with the other lawyer. The hard part about the whole situation was the fact that the paper work and notices she had been issued did not add up. It had all the wrong names in the wrong areas and stated that she had failed to pay rent when she had. The real intriguing part was the fact that the Unlawful Detainer, the notice that claimed she was being evicted on the failure to pay rent, was signed and dated the date after her receipt for rent was dated. When her daughter went to the courthouse to respond to the notice, the clerks there even thought the charges didn't make sense. The scary part is, is that is this woman had not gone into to file a response to the notice, the court would have sided with the landlord, even though the paperwork didn't make sense. And that my friends, is the Sad state of our governmental system. This woman would have had a permanent mark on her record stating that she had failed to pay rent when she didn't. You know what that would have done to her chances to find housing. And this happens so often to people who don't understand their rights as tenants. They don't understand the legal jargens that say they need to respond to the charges filed against them, so they don't respond. The court sides on the side of the plaintiff and the family's credit report has a black mark on it. Well, because she filed the response she had her chance to defend herself in court. I was very thankful about this. At the end of the day, the case was dismissed (charges dropped), the woman got her deposit back that she had on the house, and the landlord got her property back. It wasn't the fairest situation, however, she does not get any permanent marks on her record. The ideal would have been to let her stay in the house, however, she was already moved before the trial happened. So, in the end the landlord got what she wanted and can now rent the property for a higher price. But, that what it is all about right. America is about making money, and at no matter what cost either! It is sad that our society has come to this point. Something has definitely gone really wrong in our country when we are willing to through a family out on the street and limit their chances for shelter, so that we can make an extra buck........

2004-05-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

May 20,2004 and May 21st

In the morning we woke up at got ready for our trip to petra. all our bags got to stay at the hotel storage and a van picked us up! The cross over Jorden was not bad. They just would let me take two waters across. At the other side, we met our tour guide and he helped us the rest of the way through. We took a two hour bus ride to the city and along the way, he gave usthe history of the area. Petra is an amazing city. The way they carved so many building out of rock is incredible. Many of them we found to be tombs. our tour guide gave us detais the whole way down. We got to look in many. On the way up I got to ride a camel. It is weird when they are getting up. You really have to balsnce or else you will fall off.
At the end of the tour he took us to the eat food and then to the border.
When we got to the hotel, it was off for our 4 hour trip to the airport. We madeit to the airport at 1AM and the most detailed search of my life. But, I guess it is better safe than sorry. My plane leaves in about and hour, so I must get going. I love you all and will see you soon. This concludes my trip to Israel!! And I have to say it has been an amazing opportunity!!! It is something I will never forget!!!

2004-05-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

May 19, 2004
Today we went out to the water for some fun in the sun. We began by going to a tourist center to book our scuba diving, time at the underwater observatory, and trip to Petra. We went to the observatory first and got to see all the little fishes. Their were so many kinds. When we went scuba diving among the coral reefs I got to see all the fish up close. Especially this nat spiky one! I flicked my fingers in the water near some of the plant life and got tosee some close and open. It was an amazing sight to behold. I was scared at first to go underwater because it didn;t seem natural to breathe!! But when on my side, I was to breathe better. I would erase the experience at all. The evening ended with a walk on the main area and dinner at a nice restaurant.

2004-05-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

Contnued....
We arrived in Eilat at about 9;30 PM and had to call the hotel 4 times. The drive in the mall parking lot was quite lovely {twice}. We got caught in it as we went around the round abouts.
The evening ended with a mini walk around the main strip and then to bed. I slept so well!!

2004-05-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

May 18, 2004

So many things have happpened since i could last get to a computer. I am actually atthe airport now and using one of their computers, however, the keys are a little hard to use so forgive if I make mistakes.
On Tus we all hopped in th car at about 9am and went to see the Ancient boat that dates back to the time of jesus. We spent an hour their before venturing on to Bet Shean, crossing over the Jorden River. Bet Shean is one of the best preserved roman cities that still excist today. Our goal was to make it to Eilat by that night, so we did not stay more than a half hour at Bet SHean. When we first arrived in the area we were disappointed because all we could find was a ampitheater. But after asking many locals e finally figured out that we where in the wrong spot! Which is nothing new for us. the city was amazing to view. the road that goes down the middle of the city was so vast and breath taking. Columns lined the entire street.
As we made our way to Jeruseleum to see the Garden of Gethsemane before our trip to the bottom of Israel, we wanted to stopp at a place where we could see the Jorden river better, but the farther we went down the river became at border between Jorden and and Israel making it impossible to see it without having many soldiers surrounding us. So instead we took pictures of the Jorden valley as we tried to take one of our famous detours to Jeruseleum which place us evrywhere, but Jersueleum! So after an hour and half of driving in the wilderness we decided to go back the way we came. We are not sure where we ended up however, it was a little intimidated at times. Praise God in all things.
Because our trip to Jeruseleum took 5 hours instead of two we had to miss the Garden. It was good I got hose pictures of the view in our firt attempt at seeing it. I don;t know what the Garden looks like but at least I kow the view Jesus had while he prayed!!!!

2004-05-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hello from Galilee!!
It was our second day in the Sea of Galilee. The day started out wonderful. We had planned to get up early to see the son rise however,that didn't happen. Derik and Ryan got up and saw that it was too cloudy, so they went to bed. I slept like a rock that I think that I wouldn't have woken up even if they did decided to do it. We have been going such long hours that every night I sleep the entire night through without even awaking! A nice suprise for the night was that Krista and I had little ant visitors who really wanted to sleep with us. We spent about 5 minutes defumigating our beds with our hands. Krista had it worse though, the ant kept coming back to here bed mine left after a couple of brushes. It is the memories like this.....
In the morning we decided to take is easy and enjoy the Sea. So, we got up for breakfast and then after that I went back to bed for a couple of hours and I am not sure what the others did. But, after that I took my Bible down to the water front and read some scripture as I let the water splash against my feet. I could see Tiberias across the water! I read from various passages about the Galiean area. The Bible takes on a whole new meaning when you can read it in the places it took place!! But, something that I really enjoyed reading from was from Hosea 6:6. And it says that man enjoys "sacrific more than mercy". I read this while I sat in the church, as different tour groups came through. I watched as they brought with themselves their different traditions. And it made me think about the amount of times we as humans choose to do outward things rather than just be with God. The chapter begins by saying that our faithfulness is like the morning dew that fades away. All God asks is for us to believe (have faith in Him) and love him and yet we as humans try to do so many outward things. There were so many different traditions each group of people brought in. And there are so many traditions that I even come before God with. But, I have to ask myself...do we really need to when all he asks for is Faith!! And Faith is merily believing in what is yet unseen. Faith seems so much more simpliar, but takes more trust. It is funny how we often choose the traditions. They for some reason seems more safe and easier. But it is not what God asks!
In the afternoon we took the car into Nazareth and saw the place that is supposedly were Gabriel came to Mary and told of Jesus! It was really neat, however, every site we go to see these things has a church built around it!! Even when we went up to Mt. Tabor, where Jesus met Elijah and Moses, there was a church built over the traditional site. I wish there would be one place didn't have a church on top of it! It would be neat to see it in its pure form.
In the evening we went back into Tiberius and had dinner on the water front again. That was beautiful, however, we had someone avertising american rap music really loud behind us. It made and interesting evening.
Well, that is it for tonight, I am on my way back to Tabgha were I will sleep long and well. love ya All!

2004-05-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Okay and now for today!!!
Today was a beautiful day. We made our way up to Akko (old city is Acre). It was a canaanite town that was well preserved from the Crusador period. We walked around and viewed the ruins. We even watch a video on the site that the museum had. But, it didn't take long before we were on our way to the Sea of Galilee. When you com into the area your breathe is just taken away. I think this is my favorite place in Israel. It is no wonder that Jesus, chose Caperneum as his place of rest. It was amazing. One of our first stops was at the top of the Mt of Beautitudes. I read the sermon on the Mount as was taken away as I saw the symbolism behind some of the word he said. As you look out your can see Tiberias across the way on a hill. " The part that say, as city on a hill cannot be hidden". It brought new meaning!!
WE also viewed the old city of Caperneum. It is nolonger exsistent, but the ruins remain. We were able to see Peters house and the synoggue that is next to it. I tried to imagine Jesus calling Peter and James and John from the Water there.
We are staying in a monastary that goes right to the lake. We sat there for a few minutes and meditated. I got to stick my feet in the water as the watere splashed up against the rocks. I think we are going to take some time in the morning just "be". I am excited because we have been going 12hour days!!!
In the evening, we went into Tiberius for some fish. We ate at a place that was next to the water. I had St. Peter's Fish Fried. Supposedly it was the type of fish that Peter caught all the time. The fish came whole! It was a new and fun experience. There are party boats that go up and down the Sea, so we sat and watched them. There music was so loud, but it looked like a lot of fun to go dancing on the boat. THe boys kept trying to take pictures of us all with the boats behind us however, the were never quit successful.
Tonite, I| think we are going to try and go swimming at the monastaries fresh water pool. But, I an not sure yet!! Well until next time! Love always!!!

2004-05-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 16, 2004
Today we got to see so many things. We began our day looking at the Bahai Temple. We could only get to the second gate before they stopped us because we were not Bahai members. So, we opted for a site of the city at the top of Mt. Carmel. Which we thought we enjoyed so much better!! It was beautiful at the top and the water was so blue!!! We visited a church at the top which is supposedly at the sight were Elijah battle the other pagans priests. After that we were able to go to Ceasarea to see the ruins of the city. The theator was amazing and we even got to view the site of where peter might have been tried. The remains of the area was magnificant even though they were partially gone. Ryan made a comment on how Herod thought he was such an amazing ruler and yet all the things that he built are deterorating however, everything that God creates still remains!! As beautiful as when he first created it. It put a lot into perspective doesn't it.
For the evening we went to a Droz community at the top of Mt. Carmel and did a little shopping. I enjoyed it, however, it is so hard to say no to these vendors!!! I am getting better though!!

2004-05-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

May 14, 2004

Hello Every One!!I will give you an update on everything that has happened! IT has been difficult getting to the internet the last couple of days. But, anyway on Friday, we all went into Bethelehelm. It was so neat. We have a friend of mine from College who is teaching there and she took us in the town and a tour guide (a friend of hers) showed us all around Bethlhelm. I got to see the wilderness, the Church of Nativity which is built above the cave Jesus was born in. They used to build homes above caves. We even got to see what a house would have looked like then. AT the end of our tour they took us to Solomon's pools. It was a very great experience and the Palestian guards were not bad going into the check points!!!! The kids selling candy on the streets while we waited at the checkpoints were however,a different story!!! ;-) At about 5 we took off toward Haifa in our rental car. And we had the hardest time finding the area. AS the Nun, who was on the street looking for us said, "Two hours from Jeruseleum, 1 hour from Haifa". We laughed so hard because we were all up around the west side of Israel trying to get there. We kept stopping at gas stations talking to attendants who didn't speak English. It is trips like these and stories like these that make you laugh for years to come!!!

2004-05-13T11:27:00.000-07:00

Today Continued again.....
We found many salt encrusted rock while we floated. That was neat, but wierd to think that there was so much salt in the water that it actually formed Crystals in the water! We finished off the evening by soaking in a Sulfa Bath. It was a wonderful end to a perfect day. The only recommendation I have is that if you go, shave a couple of days before and try not to cut yourself before because it hurts incredibly when your in the water for the first 15 minutes!!
We arrived back into Jerseleum at about 8:00PM and ate dinner. I actually sold out for Chineses food tonight instead of being cultural. I really had a graving for it!! It was Kosher Chinese if that says anything though!!
I am currenltly typing this at an internet Cafe in the central bus station in Jeruseleum. They are actually playing a very familiar Spanish Musician, I just can't put my finger on their name. Owell!!
Well, it is time for me to say Good Bye to you all for the evening. I love you all dearly!! See you soon!!

2004-05-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

Today Continued......
It is like giving yourself a body facial. I covered my entire body, head, and bathing Suit in Mudd. As I dryed, I found it hard to move, but it was really neat to refresh my body afterwards. I got plenty of pictures of me in the mudd, so I will show you all went I come back!!. The Water that came out of the showers was Sulfer water. It felt really good, but was a real shock when I tasted it. NASTY!!! I used the Sulfa Water to wash the Mudd off of me. We layed out for a little bit and then made our way to the DEAD SEA. Which might I as tast Nasty as well. Floating in the Dead Sea was an amazing experience. There was no effort involved at all. In fact it was harder to put my feet on the ground that it was to let them float on the water!!!! We must have floated for an hour or so. There were lifeguards at the site and we could for the life of us understand why. It is one of the few places in the world that I think you could float across and down and around and not get tired. All your have to do is stopping swimming and float!! But we got a kick out of it.

2004-05-13T11:15:00.000-07:00

Okay now for today!!!!!
Today was a great day of relaxation and exercise. Today we went to Masada and the Dead Sea. We got on a bus at 8:45 to Masada. We thought we would make the hike in the morning. I was planning on just taking the Gondola up and down because of the heat, however, when I got there, I realized that I would really regret it if I didn't at least walk up the thing. So, I did it and it felt great to get to the top. There were parts that I wanted to die, but I persevered and it is really neat to say that I did it. When at the top, I viewed the different ruins. It was like my Bible Archeology Class came alive as I viewed the area. It really was neat to see the sight.
At about 2PM we head down the moutain on the Gondala (large Cable Car) and headed for the Dead Sea. We went to a spa that is right on the Dead Sea. That was the best time ever. When you get in, you rubb Dead Sea Mudd all over your body and lay out in the sun until it drys.

2004-05-13T11:08:00.000-07:00

Continued.....
It was after this that we visited the Tower of David. We were able to see the citadel of the city through its many periods. I always love looking at archeological digs!! After lunch (Falifal), we went into the schook to do some serious shopping. I got a lot of deals, however, I am done souvenour shopping for the trip. I shopped enought to last me awhile!!
We took a break in the afternoon because of fatigue and at about 6:30 went to see the Garden of Gethsemane. Somehow, we went the wrong direction and ended up walk across the mount of Olives! It was very funny. After about an hour of walking we finally came to the area only to find it Closed!! It was quite the moment! When we started to walk back a taxi cabe driver stopped us and offered to take us to the top for free and bring us back to our area. We did pay him something and we were thankful for the ride. That night we ate American at Big Apple Pizza and had the most wonderful coffee and chocolate Croissant from a local coffee shop!

2004-05-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

MAY 12, 2004--
Because I didn't get to write yesterday, I wanted to write a little now on what happened.
Yesterday was fun day. We were out the door by 7:20AM and into Jeruseleum at 7:30. We met up with the kids that acted as our tour guides. The first place they took us was the Rock of the Dome. Normally, Tourist aren't allowed in their however, the kids were with were muslim and helped us get past he guards. So, I was able to stand up on the floor of the temple Mount. It was a very interesting experience. I will give details later. But, after that we took the Via Dolorosa which ended at the Holy Seplica Church (one of the traditional sites for Jesus' grave). There are two possible site for the grave. This one and the Garden Tomb. I have a tendency to believe the garden tomb was a more likely spot however, I still have to read more on the subject.

2004-05-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

From above the Wailing wall, there is a beautiful view of the Mount of Olives. The above ground tombs lie all down the tomb. Tomorrow we are planning to climb the Mount of Olives and view more of the city. There is so much to see in Jeruseleum. I hope that we will be able to view it well. On thursday we are planning on going to Massada and go swimming in the Dead Sea. We are going to try to do a Spa there!! That should be a neat experience!
I hope you are all doing well....but until I see you again...God Bless!!

2004-05-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hello!
Today was our first day in Jeruseleum. Last night Krista and I both went to bed tired however at about 2AM we both woke up. Funny as it was....I couldn't go back to sleep until 7AM which would have been about 9PM in LA. Can you tell that I am still on LA time. Tonight, I am hoping it is different. But, this morning we met up with Derek and Ryan and had breakfast in the hotel in Tel Aviv. They came in at 2AM last night. After breakfast we packed up our stuff and took a bus to Jeruseleum. By the time we took the bus and taxi to our place it was about 3PM. We are staying in St Andrews Church and Guest house. It is a hospice and it over looks the old city! It is very nice.
After taking everything inside we headed out for a journey of the town. We entered the town through Jaffa Gate and made our first stop at the "Schook". This is an underground market where they sell a variety of things. IT was there that we met two young men asked to sell us some items. After getting to know them a little, we invited them to give us a tour of the city. It was nice have some people to show us Jeruseleum from their point of view as well as it helped us find things much faster. They took us to the Wailing Wall, the Holy Seplica, and we were able to walk on Solomon's Wall that was build to hold the Arc of the Covenant. We walked on what was remaining.

2004-05-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry about that!! The first part of my blog did print, so I let you know what that part says. So read this one first then read the next.

I am finally in Israel. We arrived here at 1AM, but didn't get to the Hotel until 3AM. IT would have been 5pm on Sunday in CA. It was a tiring trip but good. I am safe and doing well. The people here are really nice, but I can't read any of the signs. So we ask alot of people what it says. The plane trips were long and my legs hurt alot by the time I arrived in Amsterdam. When I got to Amsterdam, I waited for Krista to fly in (about 20 mins). When she got there, we left the airport and visited the city. The buildings were beautiful and the canals that ran through the city were neat to look at. We ate food and had coffe at a cafe in town. It was neat to see how much people use bikes there. They had bike parking area as large at car parking areas in the states. Some were 3 level high. It was crazy!!! I alway love coming back to Europe. It is one of my favorite place to visit. Amsteredam is 9 hours ahead of CA. So that should give you a little insite as to the times!!!

2004-05-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

later than CA. Israel is actually 10 later than CA time. So, when I finally made it to the hotel in Tel Aviv it was about 5PM in LA (Church time). I slept most of the way to Israel. The first two flight traveled while I would have been awake at home, so my sleep deprevation didn't hit me until I got on the plane to go to Israel.
We slept in until 12PM and it felt so good! At about 2PM, we decided to got out and see Tel Aviv and Jaffa. It really is a beautiful city. We walked along the beach for a while and then took a taxi-like bus to the Carmel Market. It reminded me of the Swap Meets we have in LA. There were tons of venders all around selling all sorts of things. I bought a tee-shirt and some spices there. Krista bought some clothes from there to wear for the next couple of days because here luggage never made it on the plane.
After that we took a bus to Jaffa, which is the place that Jonah took a boat to escape going to Ninevah to carry God's word to the people. At the top of a hill sits St. Peter Church and a square called Kikar Kedumin. We sat in the square and had coffee and Creme Carmel. Before it was too late, we stopped at some shops and I we looked at jewelery made from Roman Class.

2004-05-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

It is a day before I leave. I have been working fulltime a fulltime job the last few weeks, however, today I had off so that I could finish packing before I leave. It has been crazy over here, but good. My plane leaves at 12PM PST tomorrow. It is funny because it has not hit me that I am leaving yet. I suppose when I get on the plane it will be a different story, but for now I am pretty busy getting everything ready. I fly to Detroit first and then on to Amsterdam. I arrive at 11:30 in the morning there time and don't fly out to Tel Aviv until 8PM that night. So, Krista and I are going to do site seeing there. We arrive in Tel Aviv at 1AM and are going to get a Hotel until the boys come in at 12PM the next morning.
This trip to Israel is a scholarship that I was granted when I graduated from college. Every year North Central gives away two scholarships to two graduating Seniors and one Professor, to go to Israel. I had to apply by writing an essay. After reveiwing my application, I was selected to be given the trip. Krista Sederwall is the Professor that was chosen, Ryan Bachman was the other student chosen, and Derek is another student that one the scholarship the previous year and was not able to go until now. We are all taking the trip together. We are not taking a tour, but site-seeing on our own! It is going to be a wonderful trip!
My goal is to write something everyday at this site. However, if I don't get the chance, I am sorry!! That is why I call it a goal and not a promise!!! Thanks for all your support and I hope you get the chance to "travel" with me in my writings!

2004-05-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hello! Everyone
In four days, I will be traveling to Isreal. I am so excited. The reason I got this blog was so that you all could experience the trip with me. So, while I am there, you will have to check this site to see what I have been up to. I love ya a lot! Thanks for being a part in your own way!