from the ghetto

this is coming out from the big, widely diverse, and crazy city of . . . SEATTLE!
it is my first trip to the states, and my first trip to such a big city and it has been an adventure to say the least. where to start? well . . . i guess many of you may not know why i am even here! i am on my spring break at school, and instead of going home i decided to jump on the bandwagon and head out to Seattle to work at the Union Gospel Misson Women's and Children's Shelter. there is 12 of us here from Capernwray, and we are here for a total of 2 and 1/2 weeks. 1 and 1/2 weeks down, one more week to go!
we got here last Thursday night, and got set up in the church where we are staying. it is a fairly small church, but they have been so generous with us - we pretty much have free reign of the whole place - TVs, coffee, Foosball, ping pong, and a huge lawn to run on . . . what more could you want ? we don't get to spend much time there during the week, but we hang out there most of the weekends - playing football or volleyball if it is nice out, or just bumming around inside if it is raining (which it is 90% of the time). the first weekend we got here, we did a bunch of touristy things, and did a little shopping (I'll post some pictures when i get home) it was a blast, and i even got to see the houseboat where "sleepless in Seattle" was filmed and see the heart of downtown with people playing their pianos on the street, and fish being thrown in the market, that kind of stuff. the experience though was just . . . so overwhelming. i am not used to the big city at all, and after being in isolation at capernwray, i am most definitely not used to all the people! but slowly i am adjusting and i am loving it. also on our first weekend, we got to have a tour of the UGM men's shelter, and we got to learn a little bit about the UGM history and whatnot. we also got a tour of the women's shelter where we have been since then . . . it is so much different then the usual shelter - it is very high security, and you have to apply to get in - you can stay for as long as you want up to 31/2 years, its amazing. they provide for all your needs - food, your own apartment, clothes, and you attend classes all day. the program is so well put together - and i am amazed by how smoothly everything runs. it reminds me so much of the community at capernwray - because at the shelter they have daily duties to do, and different responsibilites and what not, and they have to sign out when they leave. our days are really really full - we get up and have breakfast at 8, and clean up our mess at the church - we leave around 9:15, and arrive around 10 and then we are there till around 8 or 8:30. when we first get there in the morning we get to attend what is called "community meeting" it is where all the women meet to have a short bible study, announcments and what are called "self evaluations". sometimes they are staff initiated or self initiated - by either way, it is to either confess to a mistake or wrong they have committed, or to praise a right choice that they have made. it is amazing to listen to, because these women are SO open, and they are not afraid to admit that they are wrong. it is a very humbling experience. after community meeting, we start our work projects. we all have things that we are working on around the building - last week i worked on cleaning and organizing this chaotic sewing room. i just finished today - and its pretty stunning :) i have also been manning the front reception desk, which is where i am now. i get to answer phones and chat with alot of the women throughout the day. its pretty fun :) we get to eat meals with the women - and in the afternoon we get to do tutoring with the kids who live here. i love it - most of the kids are so good. they have experienced so much in their lifetime, and my heart just breaks for them. 2 of the kids that lived here, their mom disappeared last week and never came back, so social services had to come and pick them up. it really affected me because i had been tutoring the one girl - and she already has so many problems in her life, trying to deal with self-worth, and image issues as well as dealing with the baggage of an absent father. many of the children come from abusive homes - or their mother was given to prostitution and addictions . . . and they are just so culturally exposed. these kids pretty much define the word "ghetto" :) in Seattle, there is a huge population of African-Americans, and the shelter is probably about 70% . . . these kids are the R&B, break dancing, basketball playing "thugs" that you see in the movies . . . and they are so great! they are the kind of kids we kind find a music beat in just about everything - one guy today stood up on his chair and started whapping the wall like a drum, and making beatbox noises and it sounded amazing. they are all so talented - i love hanging out with them, seeing life from their eyes - they really have alot of spirit. at night we run kids programs as well - usually just traipsing around the building and playing hide and go seek. its a blast. on Tuesday and Thursday nights i help teach the street evangelism class, and actually go out on the streets for an hour as well. i have never been out on the streets like that . .. and the people i have met, the experiences i have had has changed my life. never have i seen jesus so clearly - never have i so fully understood His love and His mercy. when I'm out there, with people who have nothing - i realize that Jesus is all that I really need. it has been incredible to hear their stories, and be able to pray with them - never have i seen the power of prayer so strongly. these people, who are angry and hurt and confused . . . after you pray with them, they just have this incredible peace that comes over them. i have never experienced anything like it - and i feel so drawn to these people. who really knows them ? who really cares about them ? it seems so cruel that someone could live in this world for 30 years and be all but forgotten by all other population. its just not right - and if God can use me to give them just a little bit of hope, then i'm going to be open and available to what He wants me to do. God has really opened my eyes to the opportunities that are out there - the plans that He has for me in the future. i really believe that He has been preparing my heart for missions in some way . . . I just don't know what His timing will be - but I am SO EXCITED. God is good, and He is constantly revealing Himself to me in new ways. He is so faithful.
anyways - thats all that I have for now - I am going to go hang out with the kids now. i'll continue this update later. pray for me!