i thought it may be nice for you guys to know what we talked about during the camp… this posting is a short discussion of the daily lessons and teachings:
day one: preparation – noah prepared for the flood by listening to god and building an ark. he prepared for the flood w/ his wife, his three sons (ham, shem, and japheth), and their wives. the kids prepared for the flood by packing, listening to the weather, and generally figuring out where they were going.
day two: evacuation – noah evacuated by getting into the ark with two of every animal as well as with is family. the kids evacuated via car, bus, train, plane, and even boat. they went with family, friends, and others. and they went to many different destinations (some more than one destination and others to destinations yet unknown).
day three: transition – noah’s temporary home during the flood was the ark. it was cramped, smelly, and probably loud, but it was temporary. the kids were (or are still) living in temporary housing… it’s cramped, not nice, small, and not very fun at all… but it’s temporary. this is also the tough day where we talked about loss and grief. terrible stories including putting pets down and losing loved ones.
day four: new hope – noah releases the dove and gains hope when it doesn’t return after the third time. it’s a validation of the hope that things are going to change, that life is going to change, and the he’ll be off the ark soon. the kids talk about their hopes and dreams for the future and then discuss the signs that they have in their lives proving that they, too, can have a new hope for the future. in the way that noah gained hope from releasing the dove, the class wrote down our hopes on paper, folded them into paper airplanes, and threw them around the room as our “doves.” i have to admit, seeing those planes all fly at the same time made me cry. they truly understood the concept, when i explained to them that their airplanes were their “doves” they all went “oh man… that’s SO cool!!!” how could i not cry? here were “my kids” and here were “my kids” healing.
day five: a new day – noah finally leaves the ark after almost a whole year and steps on dry ground for the first time. he receives the rainbow from god and starts his new life, revived. the kids are starting to see the new day and the changes that are going to happen in their lives. they receive god’s promise that he’ll never flood the earth again and gain knowledge and comfort to know that none of the weather that occurs is a result of god because of this promise. they discuss more about their hopes and dreams and we close the time by talking about what camp noah did for them this week.
a curriculum that is truly incredible. the only unfortunate thing about it is that the kids BEGGED for us to return next year for the same camp, but this camp is focused on healing from trauma and disasters… i felt terrible that in my mind i kept thinking “if you want us back then have another hurricane.” = )
29 July, 2006
camp noah - a typical day
i thought it might be nice to let all of you know what a typical day was for camp noah!
6:30am – wake up… this is either by hearing everyone rustling around or having mister joe poke your shoulder with one finger and saying “tom, wake up.”
6:40am – shower. this is quite possibly the most scary part of the day. for those of you who have seen the “saw” movies, this shower is DIRECTLY from the movie. it’s in an old locker room in a building behind the place we’re staying. we need to walk to the door via crate flats thru the mud. two days it’s pouring rain while we’re going to the shower.
7:10am – leave for the church, maybe stop at mc’ds on the way.
7:20am – get to the church and start to set-up my room for the day.
7:50am – leave to pick up mister mark’s and my kids from their home.
9:00am – camp noah starts.
9:45am – first session w/ my kids. this lesson is the bible lesson, discussion about the hurricanes in relation to the story, and maybe journal time.
10:30am – snacks and games.
11:00am – second session w/ my kids when we do crafts and anything else discussion-wise.
12:00pm – lunch and games.
12:45pm – third session w/ my kids. this one is mostly clean-up of the morning, anything we didn’t get to complete. also some crafts if mister tom has come up with something.
1:30pm – games and snacks.
2:00pm – fourth session w/ my kids. talk, journal, and general game time.
2:30pm – special afternoon activity, e.g., fireman, stock car, weather man, etc.
3:30pm – closing worship.
4:00pm – mister mark and i drive the kids back home.
5:00pm – debrief at church, clean up room, get ready for tomorrow’s lesson, etc.
6:00pm – free time! most days this involved drinking and eating.
10:00pm – head back to the dorm.
11:00pm – blog, talk to bf on phone, bed.
6:30am – wake up… this is either by hearing everyone rustling around or having mister joe poke your shoulder with one finger and saying “tom, wake up.”
6:40am – shower. this is quite possibly the most scary part of the day. for those of you who have seen the “saw” movies, this shower is DIRECTLY from the movie. it’s in an old locker room in a building behind the place we’re staying. we need to walk to the door via crate flats thru the mud. two days it’s pouring rain while we’re going to the shower.
7:10am – leave for the church, maybe stop at mc’ds on the way.
7:20am – get to the church and start to set-up my room for the day.
7:50am – leave to pick up mister mark’s and my kids from their home.
9:00am – camp noah starts.
9:45am – first session w/ my kids. this lesson is the bible lesson, discussion about the hurricanes in relation to the story, and maybe journal time.
10:30am – snacks and games.
11:00am – second session w/ my kids when we do crafts and anything else discussion-wise.
12:00pm – lunch and games.
12:45pm – third session w/ my kids. this one is mostly clean-up of the morning, anything we didn’t get to complete. also some crafts if mister tom has come up with something.
1:30pm – games and snacks.
2:00pm – fourth session w/ my kids. talk, journal, and general game time.
2:30pm – special afternoon activity, e.g., fireman, stock car, weather man, etc.
3:30pm – closing worship.
4:00pm – mister mark and i drive the kids back home.
5:00pm – debrief at church, clean up room, get ready for tomorrow’s lesson, etc.
6:00pm – free time! most days this involved drinking and eating.
10:00pm – head back to the dorm.
11:00pm – blog, talk to bf on phone, bed.
camp noah - days four and five
*** written ½ in houston and ½ on a plane home ***
days four and five have flown by and now i find myself sitting in the hilton hotel in houston, the same place i was a mere six days ago, this time i’m showered, cleaned-up, ready to drink on the 24th floor of the hotel, and i’m headin’ home to the bf… oh man, life is good.
so the highlights from days four and five are as follows:
days four and five have flown by and now i find myself sitting in the hilton hotel in houston, the same place i was a mere six days ago, this time i’m showered, cleaned-up, ready to drink on the 24th floor of the hotel, and i’m headin’ home to the bf… oh man, life is good.
so the highlights from days four and five are as follows:
- day four – the end of the rain – day four was crazy, the kids were out of line but we were told that that would be normal because the first two days the kids would be kinda scared of us day three they’d start testing us to see if we’re trustable, and day four they’d be fully comfortable with us. i can attest to this, the kids were truly comfortable with us.
what a crazy day though, the kids and i had a blast learning more about noah and ourselves, well, THEMselves. everything at camp noah was about noah and his flood compared to their hurricane. my boys are hyper but they continue to amaze me as they rattle off with no hesitation every single thing we’ve talked about this week. huh, we’re getting thru to them! - day five – oh my god it’s the last day. i wake up with tears already in my eyes but don’t have time to think about it, we have to shower and pack by 7am – we plan on leaving for houston directly from the church after camp ends.
the day’s lesson is focused on the rainbow and our hopes and dreams for the future and the signs in our lives that god cares about us. we make rainbow bracelets out of yarn (SO vacation bible school and camp mixed-up) but the kids absolutely love them. lunch is crazy and all mixed-up. our volunteers are not helping and we’re running out of food to serve the kids – i ended-up not eating lunch (i didn’t realize this till about 9pm when i was STARVING and couldn’t figure out why).
the special afternoon activity was a visitor from the fire department (hot, Hot, HOT!!!) although i missed it all together because i ended-up cleaning our room and putting the kid’s crafts and stuff together for their parting.
the closing ceremony was chaotic and crazy, but each class picked a day to talk about to the group and then we led everyone in our favorite camp noah song, my class picked the hippo song. KICK ASS SONG!
in general the kids were absolutely unruly. at one point in the day i mentioned to another counselor that if the kids were trying to make it easy to say good bye to them that they were doing a good job = ) it’s funny though, as hellish as they were, i still cried when i said good bye to each one of them. the little shits.
26 July, 2006
camp noah - day three
day three of camp noah was a most eventful day - it started with pouring rain, it ended with pouring rain. we're in the middle of a "tropical wave" which consists of rain for days on end saturating the ground and flooding everything everywhere. we're all wet. our clothes are wet. our souls are soaring, but the're soaked as well... cleansing power of tears.
yeah, i have to take it down a notch here... the tears have been flowing lately.
today i got to talk to my class about loss and grief, specifically around hurricane rita. my class listened to a story of one of the boys having to put his dog to sleep before evacuating because he wouldn't make the trip. another boy told the story i his aunt and uncle and how both died in the storms. the kids are rough and unrefined but they're soft and cuddly. the story i started telling last night before being forced to go to bed was about a group of boys who wrestle all the time and how every once in a while one will break off from the group, come over to me, wrap his arms around me, nestle his head in the crook of my arm, and say "hi mister tom" before quickly leaving to go back to punching some other obnoxious boy. it's enough to make a person tear-up on the spot.
another thing worthy of tears is our living quarters. as if it wasn't bad enough to be sleeping on mattresses one foot apart from each other on the ground in a room with 30+ other junior high boys. but today when we got home from camp and dinner around 9:30 the entier dorm was ripped apart because the facility had recieved 200 bunk beds and everyone was putting them together at once. the music was blaring, our personal belongings were ripped from our previous beds and put on shelves, and what was promising to be an early night to bed turned into a night of hard, sweaty labor putting together the beds. i so badly wanted to sleep but ended up sweating instead... at least i got some good pictures out of it = )
camp noah is exhausting me like i never expected, but it's also making me quite humbled seeing "my boys" and their lives.
i'm going to bed but plan on another post soon... till then.
yeah, i have to take it down a notch here... the tears have been flowing lately.
today i got to talk to my class about loss and grief, specifically around hurricane rita. my class listened to a story of one of the boys having to put his dog to sleep before evacuating because he wouldn't make the trip. another boy told the story i his aunt and uncle and how both died in the storms. the kids are rough and unrefined but they're soft and cuddly. the story i started telling last night before being forced to go to bed was about a group of boys who wrestle all the time and how every once in a while one will break off from the group, come over to me, wrap his arms around me, nestle his head in the crook of my arm, and say "hi mister tom" before quickly leaving to go back to punching some other obnoxious boy. it's enough to make a person tear-up on the spot.
another thing worthy of tears is our living quarters. as if it wasn't bad enough to be sleeping on mattresses one foot apart from each other on the ground in a room with 30+ other junior high boys. but today when we got home from camp and dinner around 9:30 the entier dorm was ripped apart because the facility had recieved 200 bunk beds and everyone was putting them together at once. the music was blaring, our personal belongings were ripped from our previous beds and put on shelves, and what was promising to be an early night to bed turned into a night of hard, sweaty labor putting together the beds. i so badly wanted to sleep but ended up sweating instead... at least i got some good pictures out of it = )
camp noah is exhausting me like i never expected, but it's also making me quite humbled seeing "my boys" and their lives.
i'm going to bed but plan on another post soon... till then.
25 July, 2006
camp noah - day two
it’s raining and has been all day. the water stands wherever it lands because there really isn’t any drainage. looking outside from the foyer of the church looks like you’re looking into a greenhouse – the outsides of the windows are all clouded over and misty from the rain, whenever i walk by one on my way into the building i write my name in the haze.
my group of 4, 5, and 6 graders went from a group of four yesterday morning to six yesterday afternoon and then to sixteen today. i’m the sole leader responsible for these kids and i have two helpers to help me stay sane. i need them like you have no idea.
i’m hoarse from talking loudly, have a headache from yelling at the boys to stop wrestling, and melted from all the girls who keep walking up to give me hugs and say “hi mister tom.”
we took the children to the lake charles children’s museum this afternoon for a pizza party and an afternoon of crazy fun. the museum wasn’t anything like the Minnesota children’s museum in saint paul, but it’s incredible and better in many ways. the whole museum could fit into the LOBBY of the saint paul museum but man those kids had fun.
i’ve been so moved by these children. it’s almost unbearable at times. i hear the stories, see the faces, and i just cry… literally. two things have stuck out to me quite strongly in the last two days (names have been changed).
dammit - i need to go now... some asshole youth leader w/ another group staying in our dorm room decided to tell the entire room of guys (three separate groups) that he's turning out the lights in five mintues. THEN he had the balls to tell us that he undid several lights and that the room will be pitch black (LEGAL ISSUE!).
anyway... gotta post later... adios!
my group of 4, 5, and 6 graders went from a group of four yesterday morning to six yesterday afternoon and then to sixteen today. i’m the sole leader responsible for these kids and i have two helpers to help me stay sane. i need them like you have no idea.
i’m hoarse from talking loudly, have a headache from yelling at the boys to stop wrestling, and melted from all the girls who keep walking up to give me hugs and say “hi mister tom.”
we took the children to the lake charles children’s museum this afternoon for a pizza party and an afternoon of crazy fun. the museum wasn’t anything like the Minnesota children’s museum in saint paul, but it’s incredible and better in many ways. the whole museum could fit into the LOBBY of the saint paul museum but man those kids had fun.
i’ve been so moved by these children. it’s almost unbearable at times. i hear the stories, see the faces, and i just cry… literally. two things have stuck out to me quite strongly in the last two days (names have been changed).
- billy is 12. he’s laying on the ground like all the rest of the class… we’re writing out names vertically on a piece of paper and then writing a word or phrase that begins with each of the letters of our names to describe ourselves – billy has chosen the word “invisible” for his “i” word. i’ve watched him spell it i-n-y and then scribble it out. next he tried i-n-u and then he scribbled that out as well. then i watched him stare at the letters i-n for a minute or more. i finally came over to him and asked if he needed any help. his response? whispering so the other kids in the class couldn’t hear, he said “mister tom, i can’t remember how to make a ‘v’.” it took a bit to choke back the tears… here’s my darling, adorable billy, 12 years old, and he can’t make a ‘v’. this is typical of kids who have been thru trauma, they regress by years – there are many kids in my 4/5/6th grade class who can’t read.
- wrestling boys huggin me.
dammit - i need to go now... some asshole youth leader w/ another group staying in our dorm room decided to tell the entire room of guys (three separate groups) that he's turning out the lights in five mintues. THEN he had the balls to tell us that he undid several lights and that the room will be pitch black (LEGAL ISSUE!).
anyway... gotta post later... adios!
24 July, 2006
camp noah - day one
well, today was the first day of camp noah. it was an extremely emotional day of meeting kids and seeing for the first time the trauma they went thru. we also got to go to cameron, louisiana to see where hurricaine rita hit the hardest. not only is this place shattered from the damage but one of my kids is from this town... i got to see where she lived and was completely dumbfounded. words can't even begin to describe the knot in my stomach seeing her w/ her family in their new surroundings.
the most amazing thing, though, was how peaceful and quiet it was in cameron. there was a moist cool breeze coming from the golf and the air was refreshing. amidst all this damage and reminders of a hellish-nightmare was peace. what a surreal experience.
this post is coming to you quite late because my group finished camp around 4:30 today, then went off to an authentic southern fried chicken dinner, then drove 40+ mi1nutes to cameron. my group didn't get back to the "dorms" till approx 11:10pm.
THANKFULLY though, the dorms finally got their ethernet connection up and running and i'm able to 1) post yesterday's post that didn't get out and 2) write this one up and give you an update. it's been a very busy day so i apologize terribly if i wasn't able to get to you all.
vicki - sorry i haven't called, the dorms have 30+ guys in them sleeping right now and i can't talk cause my battery is WAY low. i promise i'll call tomorrow to catch up on things.
bf - i miss you terribly. your text message in the middle of the day made me smile for the rest of the day. i really wish i could have spoken to you before i went to bed but see vicki's note above... i know you'll understand. i can't wait to see you on saturday though and sleep in a normal bed that's normal sized that doesn't have plastic on it and (the most important part) with my boyfriend next to me.
SO many more stories to tell... i think a group of us are stopping at a mcd's tomorrow morning for breakfast so i'll be able to send out another blog on their wireless network... till then!
the most amazing thing, though, was how peaceful and quiet it was in cameron. there was a moist cool breeze coming from the golf and the air was refreshing. amidst all this damage and reminders of a hellish-nightmare was peace. what a surreal experience.
this post is coming to you quite late because my group finished camp around 4:30 today, then went off to an authentic southern fried chicken dinner, then drove 40+ mi1nutes to cameron. my group didn't get back to the "dorms" till approx 11:10pm.
THANKFULLY though, the dorms finally got their ethernet connection up and running and i'm able to 1) post yesterday's post that didn't get out and 2) write this one up and give you an update. it's been a very busy day so i apologize terribly if i wasn't able to get to you all.
vicki - sorry i haven't called, the dorms have 30+ guys in them sleeping right now and i can't talk cause my battery is WAY low. i promise i'll call tomorrow to catch up on things.
bf - i miss you terribly. your text message in the middle of the day made me smile for the rest of the day. i really wish i could have spoken to you before i went to bed but see vicki's note above... i know you'll understand. i can't wait to see you on saturday though and sleep in a normal bed that's normal sized that doesn't have plastic on it and (the most important part) with my boyfriend next to me.
SO many more stories to tell... i think a group of us are stopping at a mcd's tomorrow morning for breakfast so i'll be able to send out another blog on their wireless network... till then!
camp noah - welcome to louisiana
*** written at 10:15pm on sunday night and posted later cause there’s no wireless in sight. ***
“alligators in the water” signs, bayou anything, scary bridges, no catholic churches, one lutheran church, waffle houses EVERYWHERE, and walmarts on every street corner… welcome to louisiana folks.
i had a very nice restful sleep-in this morning as i waited for the travel mate that missed the flight yesterday. when he got to houston a group of us left for a leisurely trip to lake charles via waffle house.
the air was so thick and the heat was almost unbearable… we spent a mere five minutes outside taking pictures by the “alligators in the water” sign and i got sunburnt – FIVE MINUTES! oi vey. what’s a white boy to do?
our sleeping facilities are nothing short of a dorm. well, really, it’s quite short of a dorm. it’s a renovated middle school and the guys dorm is the floor of the old library. the floor is a patchwork of plastic covered mattresses, when i say patchwork i mean 54 of them. what’s even cooler is that we’re the first volunteers to stay in this facility, a youth group of 30 is coming in tonight, and another youth group of 55 is coming in tomorrow. it’s like being at camp again only now I’m way older and way gayer. there’s junior high boys running around playing hackey sack in the hallways and the bathroom stall doors don’t have locks on them. the showers are communal and they’re in a detached building behind the main middle school. i think this is going to be a really cool experience.
we stopped by the church today to do an opening session of camp noah with some kids and their parents – we have our official start to the camp noah week tomorrow morning. the parents looked tired and the kids looked hungry for fun and attention. the church had just this day rededicated their sanctuary, it’s roof was torn off during hurricane rita. it’s really different down here – everything seems so rural and “back woodsie.” and i mean that in a completely non derogatory way, it’s just that things are so different from the cosmopolitan twin cities area. it’s a completely different world down here.
well, it’s quarter-till 11 now and i’m exhausted. we have to make a 25 minute trek tomorrow to the church to be there by 7:30 for the beginning of camp noah day one. it’s time for bed.
till tomorrow…
“alligators in the water” signs, bayou anything, scary bridges, no catholic churches, one lutheran church, waffle houses EVERYWHERE, and walmarts on every street corner… welcome to louisiana folks.
i had a very nice restful sleep-in this morning as i waited for the travel mate that missed the flight yesterday. when he got to houston a group of us left for a leisurely trip to lake charles via waffle house.
the air was so thick and the heat was almost unbearable… we spent a mere five minutes outside taking pictures by the “alligators in the water” sign and i got sunburnt – FIVE MINUTES! oi vey. what’s a white boy to do?
our sleeping facilities are nothing short of a dorm. well, really, it’s quite short of a dorm. it’s a renovated middle school and the guys dorm is the floor of the old library. the floor is a patchwork of plastic covered mattresses, when i say patchwork i mean 54 of them. what’s even cooler is that we’re the first volunteers to stay in this facility, a youth group of 30 is coming in tonight, and another youth group of 55 is coming in tomorrow. it’s like being at camp again only now I’m way older and way gayer. there’s junior high boys running around playing hackey sack in the hallways and the bathroom stall doors don’t have locks on them. the showers are communal and they’re in a detached building behind the main middle school. i think this is going to be a really cool experience.
we stopped by the church today to do an opening session of camp noah with some kids and their parents – we have our official start to the camp noah week tomorrow morning. the parents looked tired and the kids looked hungry for fun and attention. the church had just this day rededicated their sanctuary, it’s roof was torn off during hurricane rita. it’s really different down here – everything seems so rural and “back woodsie.” and i mean that in a completely non derogatory way, it’s just that things are so different from the cosmopolitan twin cities area. it’s a completely different world down here.
well, it’s quarter-till 11 now and i’m exhausted. we have to make a 25 minute trek tomorrow to the church to be there by 7:30 for the beginning of camp noah day one. it’s time for bed.
till tomorrow…
23 July, 2006
camp noah - camp "happy tom"
if you ask you shall receive.
blog readers, meet bf.
bf, meet the blog readers.
and yes, he IS that much taller than me. so happy...
blog readers, meet bf.
bf, meet the blog readers.
and yes, he IS that much taller than me. so happy...
22 July, 2006
camp noah - houston we have a problem...
, there really isn't a problem, but i was just dying to use that phrase SOMETIME on this trip!
hilites from the trip to houston:
ok… I’m outie! till tomorrow!
hilites from the trip to houston:
- don't go poop in an airport bathroom and leave your boarding pass in the stall and notice it when they call last call for boarding and have to run to the bathroom and pray that it's still there.
- metro transit trains that like to break down are not cool. neither is sitting on a plan two minutes from taking off wondering where one of your travel mates is and then noticing that his seat has been filled by a voodoo priestess who sucks her thumb and mumbles to herself midair. (actually she was kinda cool... wish i was able to talk to her, there was someone sitting between us).
- atlanta airport has TONS of hotties... i mean TONS!
- my sister likes chocolate.
- boyfriends are so cool... especially when they give you a card w/ a picture of the two of you in it for when you're going to be gone for a week.
- sitting on the tarmack at houston airport for 40 minutes while waiting for your gate to open up is not a fun experience. hearing the lady sitting across from you telling someone that they're sister is going to have a lonely, empty, family-less life is.
- houston really isn't all that. it's kinda gross actually.
- and finally... any hotel with chihuly chandeliers in the lobby ROCKS!!!
ok… I’m outie! till tomorrow!
camp noah - leaving on a jet plane
3.5 hours and i'll be takin' off towards hotlanta and then off to houston. the bf is showering and i'm making some coffee and doing my last blog before packing the computer. my packing is almost complete (toiletries get packed after my shower) and i just need to put together some last-minute things... do i want some dvds along to watch? do you think the good folks in louisiana would mind if i was watching porn on my computer between camp noah classes? hmmm... i wonder.
last night was a good "last night" w/ the bf before a week-long hiatus. we ate at the aster cafe where my sister works before headin' out to saint sabrina's parlor in purgatory to get me some new ear-bling. and it totally blung too. thanks to the bf for helping me stretch my ears to a 10g.
ok, i'm off. bf is out of the shower and it's time i take this body to get cleansed.
next blog... somewhere down south!!!
last night was a good "last night" w/ the bf before a week-long hiatus. we ate at the aster cafe where my sister works before headin' out to saint sabrina's parlor in purgatory to get me some new ear-bling. and it totally blung too. thanks to the bf for helping me stretch my ears to a 10g.
ok, i'm off. bf is out of the shower and it's time i take this body to get cleansed.
next blog... somewhere down south!!!
21 July, 2006
camp noah - pre thoughts
tomorrow i leave at noon for a one-week trip to lake charles, louisiana to help run camp noah, a day camp for children that have been through traumatizing natural disasters.
the group of 18 adults and youth are heading out to facilitate this camp where about 45 children will attend a week of activities, games, music, food, and healing. the healing part, of course, is the most important part of the week.
i've had my reservations about this trip to be honest with all of you. my spirituality has evolved over the last few years and the idea of evangelical christianity is the equivilant of fingernails on a chalkboard and an x-acto knife through styrofoam all together. *shiver* but once i read into this program i realized that, true, it's a bible-based curriculum but more importantly, it's not an evangelical one. i think, if you read thru the site, you'll see what i was most relieved to see... this camp is to help kids heal from traumas that have left them hopeless, it's NOT a camp to take advantage of their situation to "turn them to jesus." for this reason i am proud of what i'm about to do.
i'm excited, nervous, scared, and unsure of what to expect. i've worked with a lot of kids in my life, i've worked with lots of vacation bible schools in my life, and i've done lots of teaching and leading in my life, but i've never worked with people, or children, who have been thru traumas of any type - i solicit your thoughts and prayers to whomever you pray or chant to. if you do neither, then i will simply accept your praise and money = )
the laptop is coming w/ me so i can keep all of you up to date (hopefully daily) of my adventures in camp noah land!
the group of 18 adults and youth are heading out to facilitate this camp where about 45 children will attend a week of activities, games, music, food, and healing. the healing part, of course, is the most important part of the week.
i've had my reservations about this trip to be honest with all of you. my spirituality has evolved over the last few years and the idea of evangelical christianity is the equivilant of fingernails on a chalkboard and an x-acto knife through styrofoam all together. *shiver* but once i read into this program i realized that, true, it's a bible-based curriculum but more importantly, it's not an evangelical one. i think, if you read thru the site, you'll see what i was most relieved to see... this camp is to help kids heal from traumas that have left them hopeless, it's NOT a camp to take advantage of their situation to "turn them to jesus." for this reason i am proud of what i'm about to do.
i'm excited, nervous, scared, and unsure of what to expect. i've worked with a lot of kids in my life, i've worked with lots of vacation bible schools in my life, and i've done lots of teaching and leading in my life, but i've never worked with people, or children, who have been thru traumas of any type - i solicit your thoughts and prayers to whomever you pray or chant to. if you do neither, then i will simply accept your praise and money = )
the laptop is coming w/ me so i can keep all of you up to date (hopefully daily) of my adventures in camp noah land!
17 July, 2006
tick - tick - tick
time is tickin' away in many areas of my life...
1) in preparation for my trip to louisiana. i leave on saturday.
2) my age. i was reminded the other day by "bf" that i am no longer in my "mid-twenties" but i'm actually in my "LATE-twenties". he got a scowl out of me.
3) to grad school... my first class starts in 15 days.
4) work. my GOD work has been taking me for a ride lately. for instance... it's 8:19pm on monday evening... guess where i am.
ok... gotta go get the bf.
1) in preparation for my trip to louisiana. i leave on saturday.
2) my age. i was reminded the other day by "bf" that i am no longer in my "mid-twenties" but i'm actually in my "LATE-twenties". he got a scowl out of me.
3) to grad school... my first class starts in 15 days.
4) work. my GOD work has been taking me for a ride lately. for instance... it's 8:19pm on monday evening... guess where i am.
ok... gotta go get the bf.
12 July, 2006
bitch - bitch - moan
bitch - it's UNGODLY hot and muggy outside. we need rain like none other but all the moisture is locked-up in the air. walking into work w/ my bf this morning the entire downtown skyline was covered in a grey-icky-muggy haze. blech - the gods hate us.
bitch - there's nothing else to bitch about, i just liked naming my post "bitch - bitch - moan"! life is so super-cool right now (i.e., dude... i'm TOTALY dating again and loving it!).
moan - *blush* see "bitch" #2
07 July, 2006
twisted construction
~5:00am: i'm in deep sleep: the dream
i'm walking down a street and find out that a friend from college died. it's sad but really not that sad because college was more than six years ago and this person is barely an aquaintence anymore. but regardless... they're dead they're cremated and somehow i'm responsible for the cremains (yes, that's the official word for the ashes).
next scene, i'm looking into a box of cremains and am trying to figure out what the hell to do with them... i want to touch them cause i've never seen ashes before but i'm extremely grossed out at the fact that right in the middle of all this ash is a bone, yeah, a bone. blech. what do i do? i take a little snack baggie (not the sandwich ones, the little 1/2 baggies for snacks) and i fill it up w/ ashes. what do i do w/ the ashes? i pour a little water into them, mix it around, and use the resulting paste to build a house. i think it was a house at least.
huh... gives a whole new meaning to being "hard as a brick" *evil-horny-grin*
05 July, 2006
shock -n- awe
OHMYGOD!!! i just got a box of good & plenty candy (ILOVEGOOD&PLENTY!!!) and there was only ONE WHITE PIECE in it!!! totally freaky.
03 July, 2006
dorks -r- us
i've hit another dorky low... at this moment my sister and i are sitting at wilde roast cafe in minneapolis. we both have our laptops w/ us and are having a very limited conversation cause we're so into our computers. what's worse is our computers match... exactly.
i have to poop.
i have to poop.
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