Okay, so I think I'm getting better at remembering to blog. At least, I hope so. I can't believe there's only one week left!!!! This makes me sad. :( It seems like only yesterday I was pulling into the church with my mom thinking, "Did I take on too much? What am I doing?" But I am so glad I came. I can't think of a better way to spend my summer. My last blog will be about all the things I learned while I was here.
Monday was pretty much just a lay around/prep day. However, our sleep was rudely interrupted by plumbers drilling a huge hole in the ground RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR DOOR. I mean, seriously, who drills holes at 10 in the morning!?!?!?! Apparently there was 10+ years of build-up from the kitchen sink that was blocking the pipes, and finally one of them burst at some point, so we had to have the plumbers come and fix it. Ugh. It was horrible. We couldn't decide which was worse: nasty poo smells, or B.O. We were stuck with the nasty poo smell, and we didn't know if that was the worst smell in the history of the universe, or if B.O. was. We are still undecided. Because you all want t know what the basement smells like. Anyway, we also had to get everything ready for the team, so we got all that ready, and then we went over to Pastor Tim and Sharon's house for a chick flick night. It was so much fun!! We had popcorn and cookies.
Tuesday we went to Ford Heights again. Ford Heights has to be the best site ever!! We had 130 kids!!!!!!!!!!! God is so AMAZING!!!!!! We are talking about ownership this week, and taking ownership, or responsibility, of our actions. Tuesday was also the first day of Kid Explosion Cruise, our VBS. We're talking about relationships for VBS. Tuesday we talked about relationships with our friends. I am also in charge of crafts, which I'm not sure is the best idea. We made pirate hats and eyepatches for our crafts. It was very cool.
Wednesday we went to the Hill and had more kids than usual. It was awesome!! We are using Peter as an example. When he denied Christ, he realized his mistake and took responsibility for his actions and made it right. And last night at VBS we talked about relationships with our families. We also made little sock animals which were very cool. I made a white whale that I dubbed "Mobie Dick." It was insane trying to cut octopus tentacles!!! There were like three in each group that wanted them, and it was CRAZY!!!! But I did not cut myself this time. Last time I accidentally cut myself with the scissors.
Today is the last day of Kid Explosion Cruise, and we're talking about relationships with God. I think it will be incredible. I love seeing the kids at the altar! These kids really are special. Friday we're taking a field trip with the kids to a water park that Pastor Tim found. It is normally $10 a person and $150 to rent a pavillion, but they are letting us use the pavillion for free, and let the kids in for $5 a head. We are SO EXCITED!!!!! God really is incredible.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
5th String of Chicago Updates! (Finally)
Okay, so I know it's been two weeks since my last post, but I have been insanely busy what with a team coming and all. Lame excuse, I know, I know, but still, it's true.
Last Monday a team from Omaha came for a missions trip, and they were amazing!! I loved them! I swear the pastor was OCD. YAY US!!
Tuesday we had our usual outreach in Ford Heights. There were 78 kids there. Just 78 kids alone. It was so exciting!! Anyway, we talked about friendship, and what a TRUE friend is supposed to be. We used David and Jonathan as an example. Jonathan was King Sauls's son, and heir to the throne of Israel, but was also David's best friend and knew that David was anointed by God to be king after Saul. But Jonathan fully accepted that (maybe he just knew that being king would have been horrible and didn't want to do it himself), and fought to help David get it. But the whole point of this lesson was to teach the kids that a true friend makes us stronger in relationships with parents, friends, and most importantly, God. Most (okay, all) of these kids have seen more than their share of heartache and heartbreak and really need TRUE friends to stick with them and build them up. We used a couple object lessons to get this point accross. First, we had one of the team members come up and stand with his arms out while one of the girls from the audience tried to put his arms down. Needless to say, this was pretty easy. But then we had another team member come up and link arms with him and then have the girl try and pry them apart. It didn't work, thus proving that it is MUCH harder to tear two people apart than it is to bring one down. Then we had two of the kids come up and had one stand on a chair and had her try and pull her friend up, and then we had the friend pull her down. It was easier to pull the friend down, of course, due to gravity. The kids all loved it. After the lesson and all of our games, the team came out and did a few human videos/pantomimes. They were great! And then they had some carnival games prepared for the kids. It was so amazing!!
Wednesday we went to The Hill, which is our Hispanic site (thank God we had some Spanish speaking people with the team! They were able to reach out to the parents so much better than we could). We did the same stuff, but then it stared to rain, and we had a couple of the team members come up and do one of their human videos to "Stand In the Rain" by Superchic[k], which was incredibly impacting while the rain was falling. The song also turned out to be one of the girls' testimonies. It was absolutely incredible.
Thursday was my birthday!! (Gifts and cards can still be sent to me at the church. Contact my mother for info. LOL) But we went to the outreach, and it was so amazing! I love seeing all these kids coming week after week, and being so hungry for it all. They love it! And that makes me love it all the more, too. We did all the same lessons and games and stuff. But I love to see the different reactions to everything. The diversity is so amazing. After the outreach, I went with my family into downtown Chicago. We walked around and dad and Erik got their pictures by a Lambourghini. Then we went to a restaurant that had amazing fries and stuff. Then we pretty much walked around, took a trolley to Navy Pier, walked out to the lakefront, then walked back because mom didn't feel good. But we stopped at the Mac store (despite Erik's protests), and used their free internet, which was amazing, and an excellent marketing and selling tool.
Friday we went and checked out the strip mall down the street from the church. I'm not sure what anyone got, but it was still fun. Then I suggested we go to Demitri's for lunch, and it was incredible. It's a little corner Greek restaurant that plays Oldies all day long. I love it!
Saturday was the homeless outreach at New Hope. People from Pastor Nathan's church donated a ton of clothes and then the team brought a bunch too. We had hot dogs, chips, and pop, along with free haircuts (I said that for a few hours straight). We had over 400 people come through. God is absolutely INCREDIBLE. Then the next day at church some of the families came back for service! There were 7 new kids in children's church! We were SO excited!!!!
Monday was our day off, and I pretty much layed around being a bum the whole morning, then went shopping with Priscilla, and came back and continued being a bum. GREAT times.
Tuesday we went to Ford Heights and had 108 kids this time! 108!!! We are still absolutely blown away. We are talking about Guardianship this week, and how we should be guardians of each other, and how God is the best guardian we could ever have. Priscilla and Alex and I are doing a skit about guardianship. We are portraying an abusive situation, and a friend/guardian protecting the victim. This skit really hits home for these kids. I hate thinking about these kids being in these situations. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it! But God is there for all of these kids, and He's better than anything any of us could offer.
Today we went to the Hill, and didn't do the skit because it wouldn't really affect these kids as much as it would at the other sites. So we just did a few extra songs. They LOVE the songs, and I love seeing their enthusiasm!
I know I am not the most... faithful person when it comes to blogging, but I will write myself a note and keep it in plain sight, so maybe I'll blog more often.
Last Monday a team from Omaha came for a missions trip, and they were amazing!! I loved them! I swear the pastor was OCD. YAY US!!
Tuesday we had our usual outreach in Ford Heights. There were 78 kids there. Just 78 kids alone. It was so exciting!! Anyway, we talked about friendship, and what a TRUE friend is supposed to be. We used David and Jonathan as an example. Jonathan was King Sauls's son, and heir to the throne of Israel, but was also David's best friend and knew that David was anointed by God to be king after Saul. But Jonathan fully accepted that (maybe he just knew that being king would have been horrible and didn't want to do it himself), and fought to help David get it. But the whole point of this lesson was to teach the kids that a true friend makes us stronger in relationships with parents, friends, and most importantly, God. Most (okay, all) of these kids have seen more than their share of heartache and heartbreak and really need TRUE friends to stick with them and build them up. We used a couple object lessons to get this point accross. First, we had one of the team members come up and stand with his arms out while one of the girls from the audience tried to put his arms down. Needless to say, this was pretty easy. But then we had another team member come up and link arms with him and then have the girl try and pry them apart. It didn't work, thus proving that it is MUCH harder to tear two people apart than it is to bring one down. Then we had two of the kids come up and had one stand on a chair and had her try and pull her friend up, and then we had the friend pull her down. It was easier to pull the friend down, of course, due to gravity. The kids all loved it. After the lesson and all of our games, the team came out and did a few human videos/pantomimes. They were great! And then they had some carnival games prepared for the kids. It was so amazing!!
Wednesday we went to The Hill, which is our Hispanic site (thank God we had some Spanish speaking people with the team! They were able to reach out to the parents so much better than we could). We did the same stuff, but then it stared to rain, and we had a couple of the team members come up and do one of their human videos to "Stand In the Rain" by Superchic[k], which was incredibly impacting while the rain was falling. The song also turned out to be one of the girls' testimonies. It was absolutely incredible.
Thursday was my birthday!! (Gifts and cards can still be sent to me at the church. Contact my mother for info. LOL) But we went to the outreach, and it was so amazing! I love seeing all these kids coming week after week, and being so hungry for it all. They love it! And that makes me love it all the more, too. We did all the same lessons and games and stuff. But I love to see the different reactions to everything. The diversity is so amazing. After the outreach, I went with my family into downtown Chicago. We walked around and dad and Erik got their pictures by a Lambourghini. Then we went to a restaurant that had amazing fries and stuff. Then we pretty much walked around, took a trolley to Navy Pier, walked out to the lakefront, then walked back because mom didn't feel good. But we stopped at the Mac store (despite Erik's protests), and used their free internet, which was amazing, and an excellent marketing and selling tool.
Friday we went and checked out the strip mall down the street from the church. I'm not sure what anyone got, but it was still fun. Then I suggested we go to Demitri's for lunch, and it was incredible. It's a little corner Greek restaurant that plays Oldies all day long. I love it!
Saturday was the homeless outreach at New Hope. People from Pastor Nathan's church donated a ton of clothes and then the team brought a bunch too. We had hot dogs, chips, and pop, along with free haircuts (I said that for a few hours straight). We had over 400 people come through. God is absolutely INCREDIBLE. Then the next day at church some of the families came back for service! There were 7 new kids in children's church! We were SO excited!!!!
Monday was our day off, and I pretty much layed around being a bum the whole morning, then went shopping with Priscilla, and came back and continued being a bum. GREAT times.
Tuesday we went to Ford Heights and had 108 kids this time! 108!!! We are still absolutely blown away. We are talking about Guardianship this week, and how we should be guardians of each other, and how God is the best guardian we could ever have. Priscilla and Alex and I are doing a skit about guardianship. We are portraying an abusive situation, and a friend/guardian protecting the victim. This skit really hits home for these kids. I hate thinking about these kids being in these situations. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it! But God is there for all of these kids, and He's better than anything any of us could offer.
Today we went to the Hill, and didn't do the skit because it wouldn't really affect these kids as much as it would at the other sites. So we just did a few extra songs. They LOVE the songs, and I love seeing their enthusiasm!
I know I am not the most... faithful person when it comes to blogging, but I will write myself a note and keep it in plain sight, so maybe I'll blog more often.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
4th String of Chicago Updates
Sorry I keep forgetting to blog! I either have full evenings, or I forget (usual happenings). So, I have to update you all on the past week and a half.
Wow! I can't believe I've already been here for three weeks and it's already July (well, barely, but still). Well, last Monday we had our day off and we pretty much just hung out here at the church doing, well, pretty much nothing, which was a nice break from doing a bunch of stuff the previous week. That whole week there was a heat advisory, so at all of the outreaches we played water games, and had to cancel one outreach because of the heat. But Tuesday we went to Ford Heights in the 98 degree weather (and just about died of heat stroke or exhaustion, whichever sounds worse). But the kids still got the message (we think and hope), and LOVED the games. We did water balloon musical chairs, and had a water balloon relay race. Not a whole lot of kids came, but the brave ones that did had fun and ran for the shade when they could.
Wednesday we canceled our outreach because of the heat, and because the site that we go to on Wednesdays has no shade at all. We pretty much stayed in the cold basement all day. We did some cleaning so we weren't totally being lazy.
Thursday we went to Chicago Heights and it was still massively hot. But, once again, the kids loved the water games. We do the same games at each site, with the improvements that we think of from doing them previously (needless to say, Chicago Heights gets the good stuff).
Friday we went to our usual Wednesday site to make up for lost time. They (and we) still had a great time despite the heat. Priscilla, one of the other interns, leads the songs for the kids, and she added a new song and sang it in Spanish since that site is dominantly Hispanic. The people really responded to it, since it was in their native language.
Saturday we did pretty much nothing besides getting things ready for Sunday, i.e., cleaning the church, preparing a Sunday School lesson.
Sunday we went to church at New Hope and did the kid's church. We talked about how God blesses us when we do things for Him and how the devil tries to steal God's blessings from us, but we can overcome Him by using God's Word. Pastor Ross had cards with different examples of blessings, and we had someone personify the devil and try to steal the blessings the kids were working for, and they had to use the Scriptures to overcome him. It was good. Sunday night Alex, another intern, and I went to a youth group because we had nothing to do and didn't want to be stuck at the church doing nothing. So we found a nice one in Indiana (about a half hour away from the church we're staying at), and met the youth pastor. But we also met a guy with a pathological fear of straws. It was... interesting. Alex and I also battled the youth pastor in some intense air hockey games. I lost both times I played. Then we decided that we didn't want to eat anything we had at the church after getting back (at around 9), so we walked around the strip mall to find any good restaurants that were interesting. We found this really good corner place with AMAZING chicken sandwiches!! I was pretty much in heaven. And we found some really great places to shop at, so we decided to come back when they were open and go shopping.
On Monday, I got up at around 9 because I wanted to go shopping, and I was supposed to wake Alex up an hour before I wanted to leave, so I was ready at around 9:30, then woke Alex up so she could get ready too, but I failed. She fell back asleep and didn't get up until 11:30, so we decided to just go after lunch. We went and found some AMAZING deals!! I got four new outfits and accessories for $40. It was GREAT! We also saw a cross dresser at one of the stores. Normally, my first reaction would be to just die of laughter, but after seeing "him", my first reaction was my heart just broke for "him." All I could think of was what "he" must have gone through to finally push him to the limit. It really was sad. My flip flops also broke, so I had to make an emergency purchase. But we had a blast, and are pretty much going to go back.
Tuesday we went back to Ford Heights, and it was absolutely incredible!!! God really blessed us yesterday. That morning at devotions we read Jude, and then just prayed for a while. I think it really made a difference in our outreach, showing that God will bless those who seek Him. This was the week I was most worried about, because we hadn't done as much planning as we usually do, but God totally transformed my worry and made it this incredible feeling of peace and joy and... indescribable satisfaction. I can't wait to see what He's going to do tomorrow! Anyway, this weeks' theme was Leadership, and we talked about how God used Gideon as a leader to defeat the huge army of Midianites. We had one of the smallest kids come up and be Gideon, and had maybe 10 other kids come up and stand with him as his army, then we had about 20-30 kids come up and be the Midianites. It looked pretty hopeless. But God used the hopeless situation for His glory and used Gideon as a leader to defeat his enemies. It was a lot cooler this week (thank you, JESUS!!), so we did no water games. Instead we had a balloon relay race, a dance competition, and a bunch of hula hoop contests. The amazing thing was that the adults really got into the games and played them with the kids. There were some gangbangers who came to check everything out and played the games with the kids. It was great! One of them got in on the dance competition, and his friends were in the back literally on the ground laughing so hard. It was just so amazing. Afterward we found out there were 72 kids! Just kids! There were at least 25 adults. Pastor Tim said that this was their best outreach in all their 20 years of doing it. Our God is amazing!
Today we went to the Hispanic site, and while it wasn't like Ford Heights, it was still good. We got the adults to be in on the games, which really helps with keeping the kids involved. So yay! We don't have a lot of kids that come to The Hill, but we had around 20 today. They really enjoy it and are really involved, which is wonderful!
I am hoping and praying that tomorrow's outreach at Chicago Heights is better then what we expect. Not that we don't expect a lot, but that we want God to really outdo Himself in everything that happens. I think it will be amazing no matter what.
Wow! I can't believe I've already been here for three weeks and it's already July (well, barely, but still). Well, last Monday we had our day off and we pretty much just hung out here at the church doing, well, pretty much nothing, which was a nice break from doing a bunch of stuff the previous week. That whole week there was a heat advisory, so at all of the outreaches we played water games, and had to cancel one outreach because of the heat. But Tuesday we went to Ford Heights in the 98 degree weather (and just about died of heat stroke or exhaustion, whichever sounds worse). But the kids still got the message (we think and hope), and LOVED the games. We did water balloon musical chairs, and had a water balloon relay race. Not a whole lot of kids came, but the brave ones that did had fun and ran for the shade when they could.
Wednesday we canceled our outreach because of the heat, and because the site that we go to on Wednesdays has no shade at all. We pretty much stayed in the cold basement all day. We did some cleaning so we weren't totally being lazy.
Thursday we went to Chicago Heights and it was still massively hot. But, once again, the kids loved the water games. We do the same games at each site, with the improvements that we think of from doing them previously (needless to say, Chicago Heights gets the good stuff).
Friday we went to our usual Wednesday site to make up for lost time. They (and we) still had a great time despite the heat. Priscilla, one of the other interns, leads the songs for the kids, and she added a new song and sang it in Spanish since that site is dominantly Hispanic. The people really responded to it, since it was in their native language.
Saturday we did pretty much nothing besides getting things ready for Sunday, i.e., cleaning the church, preparing a Sunday School lesson.
Sunday we went to church at New Hope and did the kid's church. We talked about how God blesses us when we do things for Him and how the devil tries to steal God's blessings from us, but we can overcome Him by using God's Word. Pastor Ross had cards with different examples of blessings, and we had someone personify the devil and try to steal the blessings the kids were working for, and they had to use the Scriptures to overcome him. It was good. Sunday night Alex, another intern, and I went to a youth group because we had nothing to do and didn't want to be stuck at the church doing nothing. So we found a nice one in Indiana (about a half hour away from the church we're staying at), and met the youth pastor. But we also met a guy with a pathological fear of straws. It was... interesting. Alex and I also battled the youth pastor in some intense air hockey games. I lost both times I played. Then we decided that we didn't want to eat anything we had at the church after getting back (at around 9), so we walked around the strip mall to find any good restaurants that were interesting. We found this really good corner place with AMAZING chicken sandwiches!! I was pretty much in heaven. And we found some really great places to shop at, so we decided to come back when they were open and go shopping.
On Monday, I got up at around 9 because I wanted to go shopping, and I was supposed to wake Alex up an hour before I wanted to leave, so I was ready at around 9:30, then woke Alex up so she could get ready too, but I failed. She fell back asleep and didn't get up until 11:30, so we decided to just go after lunch. We went and found some AMAZING deals!! I got four new outfits and accessories for $40. It was GREAT! We also saw a cross dresser at one of the stores. Normally, my first reaction would be to just die of laughter, but after seeing "him", my first reaction was my heart just broke for "him." All I could think of was what "he" must have gone through to finally push him to the limit. It really was sad. My flip flops also broke, so I had to make an emergency purchase. But we had a blast, and are pretty much going to go back.
Tuesday we went back to Ford Heights, and it was absolutely incredible!!! God really blessed us yesterday. That morning at devotions we read Jude, and then just prayed for a while. I think it really made a difference in our outreach, showing that God will bless those who seek Him. This was the week I was most worried about, because we hadn't done as much planning as we usually do, but God totally transformed my worry and made it this incredible feeling of peace and joy and... indescribable satisfaction. I can't wait to see what He's going to do tomorrow! Anyway, this weeks' theme was Leadership, and we talked about how God used Gideon as a leader to defeat the huge army of Midianites. We had one of the smallest kids come up and be Gideon, and had maybe 10 other kids come up and stand with him as his army, then we had about 20-30 kids come up and be the Midianites. It looked pretty hopeless. But God used the hopeless situation for His glory and used Gideon as a leader to defeat his enemies. It was a lot cooler this week (thank you, JESUS!!), so we did no water games. Instead we had a balloon relay race, a dance competition, and a bunch of hula hoop contests. The amazing thing was that the adults really got into the games and played them with the kids. There were some gangbangers who came to check everything out and played the games with the kids. It was great! One of them got in on the dance competition, and his friends were in the back literally on the ground laughing so hard. It was just so amazing. Afterward we found out there were 72 kids! Just kids! There were at least 25 adults. Pastor Tim said that this was their best outreach in all their 20 years of doing it. Our God is amazing!
Today we went to the Hispanic site, and while it wasn't like Ford Heights, it was still good. We got the adults to be in on the games, which really helps with keeping the kids involved. So yay! We don't have a lot of kids that come to The Hill, but we had around 20 today. They really enjoy it and are really involved, which is wonderful!
I am hoping and praying that tomorrow's outreach at Chicago Heights is better then what we expect. Not that we don't expect a lot, but that we want God to really outdo Himself in everything that happens. I think it will be amazing no matter what.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
3rd String of Chicago Updates
Okay, sorry for not blogging since my last one. I keep forgetting. I also am not much for blogging.
Wow... I can't believe it's been a week since I last blogged! Oh well, this one will just be longer.
Okay, so I left of on Tuesday, therefore I will start with Wednesday (the day Brennan was born!!) Anyway, Wednesday was our outreach in the Hill, an area of town that is dominantly Mexican. The weather was great, sunny with a few clouds, but really hot and humid. They were expecting only a few people to come, since it was still our first outreach there, but there were about 20 who showed up! Since it was a mainly Hispanic population, we did some things in Spanish (the chorus of "Trading My Sorrows" is really easy in Spanish. "Si, senor, si si, senor") But thankfully, the kids all spoke English. I was suddenly grateful for my Spanish courses that I took last year. But anyway, they seemed very responsive to everything, which was amazing! I am still amazed by how much these kids just want to help out.
Thursday was our first outreach in the Wentworth area in Chicago Heights. One of the other interns and I switched roles, and she did the puppet and I was the person who interacted with the puppet in our skit. The kids there were so open and welcoming! They are so free! They would get up and dance and do all the motions during all the songs, and were involved and interested in everything we did. I met a lot of new kids, and I think I have most of the names down. Right when we ended everything and were mostly packed up it started to rain, so we were so thankful for that! These kids are just so open to everyone, and will randomly give me hugs, play with my hair, and toss a ball around. It's nice to know that you're getting them out of their ordinary schedules or routines and giving them something that will last eternally with them and give them some hope.
Friday was kind of a chill day, so we hung out and watched movies (mostly chick flicks, since one of the other girls wanted to get her "heart captured." So that was fun. We also got stuff ready for this coming weeks' outreaches. We're talking about citizenship and fitting in and being yourself (feel free to write any suggestions you have on my Facebook page, or comment on this blog).
Saturday two of the other interns and I babysat the New Hope kids during the Father's Day breakfast. We ate and played some games, and I met a few new kids. Then we got back to the church and again watched some chick flicks and ate ice cream.
Today we did Kid's Church because the children's pastor had some things that came up unexpectedly. So we had a skit with some puppets, had a story about tithing, and worked on books of the Bible. They are really good! I was impressed. We talked about how not tithing was robbing from God, and one of the girls brought up a really great point about how giving all to God didn't just include income. It's everything about us. Our happy times, our burdens, our praise, everything. We didn't get to do Sunday school because there weren't any kids there at that time, so we got to stay and listen to the adult class. They talked on Joshua 9:1-18, and Judges 2: 6-8 and it was really good. We need more black people in our church. I'm learning so much about so many different things, and I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity!
Wow... I can't believe it's been a week since I last blogged! Oh well, this one will just be longer.
Okay, so I left of on Tuesday, therefore I will start with Wednesday (the day Brennan was born!!) Anyway, Wednesday was our outreach in the Hill, an area of town that is dominantly Mexican. The weather was great, sunny with a few clouds, but really hot and humid. They were expecting only a few people to come, since it was still our first outreach there, but there were about 20 who showed up! Since it was a mainly Hispanic population, we did some things in Spanish (the chorus of "Trading My Sorrows" is really easy in Spanish. "Si, senor, si si, senor") But thankfully, the kids all spoke English. I was suddenly grateful for my Spanish courses that I took last year. But anyway, they seemed very responsive to everything, which was amazing! I am still amazed by how much these kids just want to help out.
Thursday was our first outreach in the Wentworth area in Chicago Heights. One of the other interns and I switched roles, and she did the puppet and I was the person who interacted with the puppet in our skit. The kids there were so open and welcoming! They are so free! They would get up and dance and do all the motions during all the songs, and were involved and interested in everything we did. I met a lot of new kids, and I think I have most of the names down. Right when we ended everything and were mostly packed up it started to rain, so we were so thankful for that! These kids are just so open to everyone, and will randomly give me hugs, play with my hair, and toss a ball around. It's nice to know that you're getting them out of their ordinary schedules or routines and giving them something that will last eternally with them and give them some hope.
Friday was kind of a chill day, so we hung out and watched movies (mostly chick flicks, since one of the other girls wanted to get her "heart captured." So that was fun. We also got stuff ready for this coming weeks' outreaches. We're talking about citizenship and fitting in and being yourself (feel free to write any suggestions you have on my Facebook page, or comment on this blog).
Saturday two of the other interns and I babysat the New Hope kids during the Father's Day breakfast. We ate and played some games, and I met a few new kids. Then we got back to the church and again watched some chick flicks and ate ice cream.
Today we did Kid's Church because the children's pastor had some things that came up unexpectedly. So we had a skit with some puppets, had a story about tithing, and worked on books of the Bible. They are really good! I was impressed. We talked about how not tithing was robbing from God, and one of the girls brought up a really great point about how giving all to God didn't just include income. It's everything about us. Our happy times, our burdens, our praise, everything. We didn't get to do Sunday school because there weren't any kids there at that time, so we got to stay and listen to the adult class. They talked on Joshua 9:1-18, and Judges 2: 6-8 and it was really good. We need more black people in our church. I'm learning so much about so many different things, and I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Second String of Updates
I'll start off with talking about Sunday. We are helping out at New Hope International Church in downtown Chicago. The children's pastor there has been doing children's church all by himself for a while, so we're helping him out by doing activities, helping with the lessons, puppets, etc. It's a black church, so I'm excited! I love how free they are! There was only one kid there during Sunday school time, so we sat in the adult class, and it was really good! Then after praise and worship, we (the other interns who came and I) took the kids down to kid's church. They have some really cool names in the black community. I learned Jameisha, Daneiva, Ethanya, and Jarmel. There were only about 5 white people (including us), but not in kid's church. In kid's church, we talked about Daniel and the lion's den, and I did a puppet with another intern who did a lion puppet. Then Pastor Ross (the children's pastor) did some Bible drills (these kids are smart! They're working on memorizing all the books of the Bible in order, and they got about 64 of them!), and then let them have a few minutes of free time. Church wasn't over until around 1, which was different. Pastor Tim took the other interns and I to a little corner restaurant to "give us a taste of the real Chicago", as he put it. It was pretty good. We met some interesting people there. One man came in and asked Pastor Tim to buy him something to eat. He was a homeless man, so we took him to a Chinese restaurant and got him some. New Hope usually doesn't have an evening service, but on Sunday night Pastor Tim's son Nathan came and we had a praise and worship night at the church, which was phenomenal. You could really feel God's presence there right from the beginning. After that, they had a potluck type of a thing and we all ate some amazing food and just talked for about an hour. I loved it. They were so free and comfortable and weren't hesitant to let us white people hang out with them. The kids will just come up to me and give me a hug, and play with my hair.
Yesterday was pretty much a "get ready for Tuesday's outreach" day, so we went shopping for prizes, groceries, and anything else we needed. The things that we were asked to talk about were things like "championship", "citizenship", "relationships", and so on. We noticed that they all ended in "ship", so we made a huge ship out of shower curtains to use as the curtains for the puppet stage. It turned out looking really cool! We also did some team building activities in the morning, and that was fun. We did the Gary Smalley personality assessments, and I came out as the Navigator. "I am practical, factual, a perfectionist, detailed, inquisistive, orderly, analytical, and deliberate", among others. When I'm unbalanced, I can be "critical, too pushy, or too focused." I thought it was pretty accurate.
This morning we had our daily devotions with Pastor Travis (pastor at Restoration Church, where we're staying). We read 1 Thessalonians 1, because it was on his heart that that was what he wanted to see in us throughout the summer. Then we finished the touch-ups on our ship made of shower curtains, and made a little sun out of construction paper, got everything in the truck and made sure we had everything we needed. We ate lunch at around 11:30 since we were going to have to leave at 12:15 to start setting up since it was supposed to start at 1, but then Andrea (Pastor Tim's daughter, who is his assisstant) got a text at 11:45 from Nathan saying that he and Pastor were going out to lunch to disscuss funeral plans. So we ended up leaving at 12:55. We got to the site, and it was sprinkling lightly on and off, and then the kids started coming, so we got everything set up and got the outreach going. They came up and gave me hugs. They were so cute! We played the Cheeto game, in which we had people put shower caps on, and then we put shaving cream on the caps and had a contest to see which team could get the most Cheetos on the hat in 30 seconds. Then we sang "Who Is the King (of the Jungle)", "Leaning on the Lord's Side", and "Trading My Sorrows." Then we had a message about championship and why David was called a man after God's own heart, and Samson wasn't. We had just finished the lesson when the rain started pouring. So we packed up and had to go, but not before throwing out candy. So we got back to the church, unpacked the sound system, dried it all off, and put our clothes in the washer and dryer. And now we're just chilling (literally) and hanging out. But we were happy that we at least got to give a message. I think this summer is going to be a good one.
Yesterday was pretty much a "get ready for Tuesday's outreach" day, so we went shopping for prizes, groceries, and anything else we needed. The things that we were asked to talk about were things like "championship", "citizenship", "relationships", and so on. We noticed that they all ended in "ship", so we made a huge ship out of shower curtains to use as the curtains for the puppet stage. It turned out looking really cool! We also did some team building activities in the morning, and that was fun. We did the Gary Smalley personality assessments, and I came out as the Navigator. "I am practical, factual, a perfectionist, detailed, inquisistive, orderly, analytical, and deliberate", among others. When I'm unbalanced, I can be "critical, too pushy, or too focused." I thought it was pretty accurate.
This morning we had our daily devotions with Pastor Travis (pastor at Restoration Church, where we're staying). We read 1 Thessalonians 1, because it was on his heart that that was what he wanted to see in us throughout the summer. Then we finished the touch-ups on our ship made of shower curtains, and made a little sun out of construction paper, got everything in the truck and made sure we had everything we needed. We ate lunch at around 11:30 since we were going to have to leave at 12:15 to start setting up since it was supposed to start at 1, but then Andrea (Pastor Tim's daughter, who is his assisstant) got a text at 11:45 from Nathan saying that he and Pastor were going out to lunch to disscuss funeral plans. So we ended up leaving at 12:55. We got to the site, and it was sprinkling lightly on and off, and then the kids started coming, so we got everything set up and got the outreach going. They came up and gave me hugs. They were so cute! We played the Cheeto game, in which we had people put shower caps on, and then we put shaving cream on the caps and had a contest to see which team could get the most Cheetos on the hat in 30 seconds. Then we sang "Who Is the King (of the Jungle)", "Leaning on the Lord's Side", and "Trading My Sorrows." Then we had a message about championship and why David was called a man after God's own heart, and Samson wasn't. We had just finished the lesson when the rain started pouring. So we packed up and had to go, but not before throwing out candy. So we got back to the church, unpacked the sound system, dried it all off, and put our clothes in the washer and dryer. And now we're just chilling (literally) and hanging out. But we were happy that we at least got to give a message. I think this summer is going to be a good one.
Friday, June 12, 2009
First Updates from Chicago!
Well, I promised to blog about my experiences here in Chicago. I've been here for two full days, and haven't really done a whole lot, but mom made me promise to blog at least every day or so, even if it's just to say I cleaned a toilet. So, here it is.
Yesterday was mostly a chill day to just settle in, get to know the other interns, and prepare for the next two months. Mom and I went to go find something to load pictures from my camera to the computer (so generously loaned out to me by Pastor Bob, thank you again, by the way). That was an interesting experience. We had looked for a Best Buy and found a location on the internet, got directions, lost the directions, got lost, drove on an island, and finally found an Office Max. Then when we finally found the USB thingies, they only had two and neither of them worked for my camera, and when we were about to leave, the sales associate found a thing for my memory card that would take the pictures straight from my memory card, which was pretty cool. Then mom decided that I needed a lap desk, a mouse pad, stationery, pens, and a sweatshirt. I'm thinking I should do this kind of thing more often, if mom is so willing to buy me stuff! We were going to get me a sweatshirt, but the only one they had at the thrift store was a 3X Chicago Bears swearshirt that mom wouldn't let me get. I would have worn it, too. So we left, and went to lunch at Red Lobster. Then Pastor Tim called, and said that he was there (which was what we were waiting for), so we went back to the church and got the rest of my stuff settled, and after what seemed like an eternity of hugs and kisses mom left. Then me and the other interns all went to Pastor Tim's house and hung out until we were given instructions for the supplies we're supposed to use. So we got back to the church where we're staying and started to make dinner, and everyone else decided on spaghetti. Joy. After that we all just kind of chilled in the lounge and watched "A Walk to Remember" and "One Night with the King."
Today we had our orientation and learned what we were going to be doing today and the next few months in regards to the outreaches. Then we went through all the candy and prizes, and ate lunch, and here I am now, writing this.
Care packages can be sent and will be gladly welcomed, especially ones bearing food, such as cookies. I'll have to send the address to my dad, unless my mom has the address, in which case, you can ask her, because I have no idea what the address is.
I am missing you all so much! Love you all!
Yesterday was mostly a chill day to just settle in, get to know the other interns, and prepare for the next two months. Mom and I went to go find something to load pictures from my camera to the computer (so generously loaned out to me by Pastor Bob, thank you again, by the way). That was an interesting experience. We had looked for a Best Buy and found a location on the internet, got directions, lost the directions, got lost, drove on an island, and finally found an Office Max. Then when we finally found the USB thingies, they only had two and neither of them worked for my camera, and when we were about to leave, the sales associate found a thing for my memory card that would take the pictures straight from my memory card, which was pretty cool. Then mom decided that I needed a lap desk, a mouse pad, stationery, pens, and a sweatshirt. I'm thinking I should do this kind of thing more often, if mom is so willing to buy me stuff! We were going to get me a sweatshirt, but the only one they had at the thrift store was a 3X Chicago Bears swearshirt that mom wouldn't let me get. I would have worn it, too. So we left, and went to lunch at Red Lobster. Then Pastor Tim called, and said that he was there (which was what we were waiting for), so we went back to the church and got the rest of my stuff settled, and after what seemed like an eternity of hugs and kisses mom left. Then me and the other interns all went to Pastor Tim's house and hung out until we were given instructions for the supplies we're supposed to use. So we got back to the church where we're staying and started to make dinner, and everyone else decided on spaghetti. Joy. After that we all just kind of chilled in the lounge and watched "A Walk to Remember" and "One Night with the King."
Today we had our orientation and learned what we were going to be doing today and the next few months in regards to the outreaches. Then we went through all the candy and prizes, and ate lunch, and here I am now, writing this.
Care packages can be sent and will be gladly welcomed, especially ones bearing food, such as cookies. I'll have to send the address to my dad, unless my mom has the address, in which case, you can ask her, because I have no idea what the address is.
I am missing you all so much! Love you all!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Ramblings
Some of you have seen my most recent Facebook status, so here is my promised blog. My status says, "Corrie Oberg is wondering why the church has made the cross some sort of power symbol." and I have been asked to elaborate on this thought. I realize I may not have been very clear in my meaning. The church has made the cross more than it should, I think. For centuries, the cross was hated, feared, and used as a scare tactic. The Romans used it as a method of capital punishment. It does symbolize love, courage, and hope. But that's all it does. It SYMBOLIZES it. JESUS is the one on whom we need to focus. We wear the cross and decorate with it as a reminder of Christ's love for us. But Christians people using it as a means of power is not okay in my opinion.
Maybe I'm over analyzing things, which I tend to do sometimes, but I get a little... cautious when people tell me to "look to the cross" or "choose the cross". I choose to look to JESUS and choose JESUS to save me. The cross can also symbolize persecution. No one CHOOSES persecution, but when they choose Jesus, they unavoidably have the risk of persecution. No one wants to be persecuted, but when it comes Jesus will give us joy to withstand it, and count it a blessing to be persecuted for the Name of Jesus.
I think the church has kind of missed the original meaning of the cross. It was not meant to be some sort of magical thing that will automatically give you power. Wearing it on your neck isn't going to tell people you're a Christian. Having it hanging in your church just serves as a reminder. The cross is not going to give you any special power. Power comes from the Holy Spirit.
The cross was meant as a method of execution in Jesus' day. In our day and age, we have numerous methods of execution. If Jesus was killed by a gun, electric chair, lethal injection, or hanging, would we make those things holy and sacred? Would we wear guns on necklaces? Would we decorate with needles? Would we say "Look to the electric chair"? No. We don't like to think of those things. Neither did people in Jesus' day like to think of the cross. Especially after Jesus died. They would associate it with the death of their beloved Savior and shudder at the memory.
So often we forget what Jesus did on the cross and instead turn our attention to the pieces of wood. IT didn't do anything. (Besides, the "t" shape that we use isn't realistic at all. It would have been impossible for Jesus to carry a cross like that all the way to Golgotha. It would have been a tall beam that He carried that was put on top of another beam to form a "T" shape.) If someone claimed to have a piece of the cross, even if it was just a splinter, immediately experts from everywhere would be rushing to test it and religious people from all over would be fainting and crowding where it was just to see it or touch it as if it could heal them just by them touching it. Shouldn't we be putting our needs in God's hands? As humans, I understand that it is easier to believe in something that is visible, tangible, and audible. But that's not what faith is. Hebrews defines faith as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." The church needs to get back to the Bible and start delving into God Himself and revering Him and His Word, and not the things He usesto get our attention. We're all guilty of doing these things time after time. I have an interest in archaeology and anthropology and would be extremely excited if Jesus' robe or even a splinter or something like that were to appear. But that's not what our focus should be. In repetition, it should be GOD and GOD ALONE.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't understand why we idolize the cross. I know that it is something that we need to treat with reverence and respect, but not to idolize or look on as a means of getting power. From looking at the cross we should be reminded of Christ's sacrifice and to have hope that we can be Overcomers in Christ. It doesn't suddenly energize you or revitalize you. Jesus gives you hope and faith and something for which to live.
So now I will get off my soapbox and let you all do with this as you will. If you want to comment, do so. If I've neglected something you want to say, then tell me. I'll post a link on Facebook for all you junkies out there.
This has been yet another peek into the fascinating mind of Corrie. Tune in next time for my over-analyzed, perhaps over-opinionated blog.
Maybe I'm over analyzing things, which I tend to do sometimes, but I get a little... cautious when people tell me to "look to the cross" or "choose the cross". I choose to look to JESUS and choose JESUS to save me. The cross can also symbolize persecution. No one CHOOSES persecution, but when they choose Jesus, they unavoidably have the risk of persecution. No one wants to be persecuted, but when it comes Jesus will give us joy to withstand it, and count it a blessing to be persecuted for the Name of Jesus.
I think the church has kind of missed the original meaning of the cross. It was not meant to be some sort of magical thing that will automatically give you power. Wearing it on your neck isn't going to tell people you're a Christian. Having it hanging in your church just serves as a reminder. The cross is not going to give you any special power. Power comes from the Holy Spirit.
The cross was meant as a method of execution in Jesus' day. In our day and age, we have numerous methods of execution. If Jesus was killed by a gun, electric chair, lethal injection, or hanging, would we make those things holy and sacred? Would we wear guns on necklaces? Would we decorate with needles? Would we say "Look to the electric chair"? No. We don't like to think of those things. Neither did people in Jesus' day like to think of the cross. Especially after Jesus died. They would associate it with the death of their beloved Savior and shudder at the memory.
So often we forget what Jesus did on the cross and instead turn our attention to the pieces of wood. IT didn't do anything. (Besides, the "t" shape that we use isn't realistic at all. It would have been impossible for Jesus to carry a cross like that all the way to Golgotha. It would have been a tall beam that He carried that was put on top of another beam to form a "T" shape.) If someone claimed to have a piece of the cross, even if it was just a splinter, immediately experts from everywhere would be rushing to test it and religious people from all over would be fainting and crowding where it was just to see it or touch it as if it could heal them just by them touching it. Shouldn't we be putting our needs in God's hands? As humans, I understand that it is easier to believe in something that is visible, tangible, and audible. But that's not what faith is. Hebrews defines faith as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." The church needs to get back to the Bible and start delving into God Himself and revering Him and His Word, and not the things He usesto get our attention. We're all guilty of doing these things time after time. I have an interest in archaeology and anthropology and would be extremely excited if Jesus' robe or even a splinter or something like that were to appear. But that's not what our focus should be. In repetition, it should be GOD and GOD ALONE.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't understand why we idolize the cross. I know that it is something that we need to treat with reverence and respect, but not to idolize or look on as a means of getting power. From looking at the cross we should be reminded of Christ's sacrifice and to have hope that we can be Overcomers in Christ. It doesn't suddenly energize you or revitalize you. Jesus gives you hope and faith and something for which to live.
So now I will get off my soapbox and let you all do with this as you will. If you want to comment, do so. If I've neglected something you want to say, then tell me. I'll post a link on Facebook for all you junkies out there.
This has been yet another peek into the fascinating mind of Corrie. Tune in next time for my over-analyzed, perhaps over-opinionated blog.
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