Something

Blah. My brain is mush right now and the kids haven't even started to come yet! My co-workers and I have been busy getting the word out on the program, doing prep work in the office, and fixing up the "workforce room" a bit with some fresh paint. Wednesday is the info session for the kids that are interested and then Thursday we put them to work after school! The boss says to expect around 60 kids. . . hmmm, what have I gotten myself into?

Life is really busy. Work 8 hours at YFC, come home and work at least an hour or two for some Willowlake stuff, if not more, and clean the dental office (which I live above, for free!) a couple times a week, then I fall asleep and do it again. I believe I have a girlfriend too, though I barely get to see her now (this makes me sad).

Anyways, it's late at night and I'm actually awake so I thought I should update this. Stay tuned next week when the real excitement starts. I'm hoping to make some lasting relationships with some of these kids. So, if you haven't started yet, get praying, fool!

Peace

IP in public

So yesterday I was waiting outside the church for my supervisor and the cutest little native boy that you've ever seen comes up talking to me. He was about five years old, and had dirty clothes and face like all five year old boys should be in the summer time. He spoke with a lisp, and was asking me if "you guyses having a swimming pool again this yeaw?" I had no clue what he was talking about, haha. But seriously, one of the cutest kids I've met in a long time. Then I saw them...

Somebody had tattooed two blue strips on him, and in between them were the letters "IP". That's Indian Posse for those that don't know; they're the gang that seems to be the most visible in the area. So, who the heck tattoos a little boy to show he's property of a gang?

I'm beginning to see why I'm here for this summer; working with teens who hopefully realize that they're the property of the real OGs (Original Gangsters) Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Word.

First Day!

So I'm sitting in the office (not my office though, I think the hallway will be mine!) and decided to sneak online quick. So far everything has been going really well. I spent the morning in a prayer meeting with North End ministers praying for the area, then took a quick tour of the area that I will be working in to get a feel for the businesses and people I will be surrounded by for the next three and a half months.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for your prayers and encouragement during this HUGE leap of faith for me. Also, thanks to those who are able to support me financially; support has already started to trickle in and it is a huge blessing! No worries if you are unable to help financially; prayer is what really matters, eh?

Peace

Got it!

I haven't posted in a while because I haven't been quite sure about what was happening with my position! YFC had applied for a government grant which would pay for a portion of my wage and we've been patiently waiting to hear if we received the grant or not. Originally I was supposed to have started work on May 5th, then it was pushed back to May 8th; if I started work before the decision was made on the grant I would then be disqualified from the grant all together. That's government for ya! :)

Well word came in late last night that we have received the grant! So this is good news, I now only have to raise a portion of my summer salary in comparison to 100% of it. The catch is they (government) don't want me to start until May 20th. So I will have had a complete month off of school by the time I get working. That, itself, is not such a bad thing actually.

This past year of school and starting a job at Willowlake Baptist Church certainly did prove stressful and left me somewhat "burnt-out." So though it may have been difficult waiting to hear final word on the grant, and I certainly would like to start getting money in my pocket, I can see God's hand at work, providing me both with the grant, and time to refresh my body and mind and re-focus on Him.

Can't wait to get to work and see how the Lord provides for me and the young people I'll be working with this summer!