Picture Time

Naturally, I had to get a picture of
the first San Antonio Spurs flag
I saw when I arrived. After
backing the team a few games
before the finals (just because
I was moving here) to
following them to victory, has
definitely sealed my allegiance!

San Antonio Spurs - MBA

We met Rob Muler, the pastor of Divine
Redeemer PCUSA. He showed us
around a bit and introduced us to
every person we came across.
A random connection with Rob
arose when we realized we
both knew my mother, seems to
happen a lot to me these days.

Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church USA

Julius Lorenzi is a housemate of mine who has had the privilege of growing up in San Antonio all his life. When we first arrived, he said, "Westside is the poorest part of San Antonio, but it is also the richest." Our portion of the city has the most murals, we find them everywhere: the community garden, the playground, the bathroom door!

Finally, I leave you with this; a quote on service. I don't know who it's by, but it was posted on the refrigerator at Divine Redeemer, and I loved it so much, I had to take a picture in order remember and reflect on it again and again. Sometimes, we need a reminder like this.

First Impressions

     Yesterday, after a long day of travel, all seven of us has made it to our house in San Antonio!

     I'm not even sure everything has hit me yet, but it's real! I've walked in the house, I've eaten the food, I've faced a slight language barrier just ordering tacos, which are apparently a breakfast food. (My life has been a lie!)

     Today, I had my first meeting with Andrew, the director of MEYO, with all sorts of information on my job title for the coming year. MEYO encompasses two different after-school programs: Peace Pals (1st-5th grade) and House of Teens (6th through 12th grade.)

     The program has four main pillars: Personal Development, Community Service, Character Development, and Post High School Graduate Preparation. MEYO does a lot of work from within the community to promote helping others, developing good health and study habits, and working to become caring, responsible adults.

     My first impression was definitely a good one. After 10 years, this program has developed a pretty great system at accomplishing their goals, and I am very glad to be joining the team!

Passover Remembered

     It’s hard to express this past week in words… But the feelings I have and the friends I’ve made are not likely to fade any time soon.

     I have been filled in a way that is unlike any time before. And I think a lot of this is attributed to the fact that friendships weren’t made through small talk or the kind of music we enjoy, but the discussion of real issues around the world and what we are called to do as followers of Christ.

     Every night, right before bed, we were left with these words: our call. Every time they were read, they found a deeper place in my heart. I invite you to read them aloud to yourself. It is my hope that hearing this will help you better understand the year to come.

Passover Remembered

By Alla Renee Bozarth

Pack nothing.

Bring only your determination to serve

and your willingness to be free.

     Don’t wait for the bread to rise.

     Take nourishment for the journey,

     but eat standing.

     Be ready to move at a moment’s notice.

Do not hesitate to leave your old ways behind--Fear, silence, submission.

     Only surrender to the need of the time:

     to love justice and walk humbly with your God.

Do not take time to explain to the neighbors,

Tell only a few trusted friends and family members.

     Then begin quickly, before you have time to sink back into the old ways.

Set out in the dark.

I will send fire to warm and encourage you.

I will be with you in the fire,

and I will be with you in the cloud.

      You will learn to eat new food and find refuge in new places.

      I will give you dreams in the desert

     to guide you safely home to that place

      you have not yet seen.

The stories you will tell one another around the fires in the dark will make you strong and wise.

Outsiders will attack you and some will follow you,

and at times you will get weary

and turn on each other

from fear fatigue and blind forgetfulness.

You have been preparing for this for hundreds of years.

I am sending you into the wilderness to make a new way

and to learn my ways more deeply.

     Some of you are so changed

     by weathers and wanderings

     that even your  closest friends

     will have to learn your features

     as though for the first time.

     Some of you are not changed at all.

     Some are abandoned by your dearest loves

     and misunderstood by those

     who have known you since birth.

     Some find new friendships

     in unlikely faces, and old friends

     as faithful and true

     as the pillar of God’s flame.

Sing songs as you go,

and hold close together.

You may at times grow confused

and lose your way.

Continue to call each other

by the names I’ve given you,

to help you remember who you are.

Touch each other and keep telling the stories.

     Make maps as you go

     remembering the way back

     from before you were born.

So you will be only the first

of many waves of deliverance on these desert seas.

It is the first of many beginnings--your Paschaltide.

Remain true to this mystery.

     Pass on the whole story.

Do not go back.

     I am with you now

     and I am waiting for you.

Update from Stony Point, NY

     The last two days have been a whirlwind of information, all good things!

     I am currently at Stony Point, NY, the place of my birth, oddly enough, to embark on the birth of a new journey, one that will take me far from home.

     In just five days, I will be heading to San Antonio, Texas, and it's all becoming so real! An entire year of my life is about to be offered up to the work of God, and I'm almost in awe...

     Yesterday, we took a seven hour class on the racism still very prevalent in the United States, and during this class, we talked a lot about privilege. The privilege we have simply based on how we are perceived, from gender to skin color to socio economic status. The fact that we are privileged enough to give up an entire year of gainful employment for a placement in an unfamiliar place with little to no pay. We are truly a group of blessed individuals...

     As I was reflecting with my small group, I found that many people had a thought process similar to my own, racism isn't really a big issue anymore. But the more they spoke, the more I realized that this issue is an underlying part of our everyday life.

     One statistic that really popped out to me: 1 in 3 black men can expect to be in prison sometime in their life. For white men, the statistic is 1 in 17! Upon further research, I found that 30% of the United States population is made up by people of color, but they account for 60% of those imprisoned in jails today!

     I honestly, can't wrap my mind around it!

     How many intentional conversations do we have to have before this issue is resolved? I don't have the answer to that, but I do believe that if people are educated on this, and not only become aware of the issue but also actively speak up against it, we will all be surprised at the power our words can have.

Peace be with you all,
Abby