Habi-nings, Community Life, and Trip to Mexico

A much needed update is in store, as I have not written a blog since February!!  We have been quite busy, so here is my best attempt to catch up without writing a book in this post.

Shortly after Easter, Karl and I decided that we will be moving to Decatur, GA after this YAV year.  Karl applied for seminary at McCormick (Chicago), San Francisco and Columbia (Decatur) and got into all three of those choices.  That meant that we had some decision making to do, and after weighing a lot of pros and cons and speaking with numerous people from those areas, we settled on Columbia.  Between the faculty at Columbia, friends living there, "small town" feel of the city, and the job prospects for me, Decatur seemed like a great fit.

Working at Habitat has been absolutely perfect for me, and I think that I have found my vocational call through this organization.  I love the mission of Habitat and love that I can use my critical thinking and problem solving skills while working in a relational, human services environment.  I have started pursuing some different positions with Habitat affiliates in the Atlanta area, and hopefully I will be able to find a good fit for next year.

Habitat Photo Shoot

Work has been great over the past few months.  I have been keeping busy with a number of special "A Brush with Kindness" build days.  We most recently hosted 425 Home Depot Volunteers for a huge neighborhood improvement day.  In the course of 6 hours, we worked with 4 families to clean their yards and paint their homes, we framed 2 new construction houses, built roof trusses for 2 new homes, cleaned up common spaces in the neighborhood, abated graffiti, finished the last details of a new home and dedicated it to a family.

Besides "Habilife," things are going really well with our community and house life.  Our backyard continues to keep us busy with fun projects, thanks to the initiative of Karl and his creativity and determination.  Our chickens are doing well, supplying us with about 60 eggs a week, our gardens are starting to spring up and will hopefully be yielding fruit soon, and we have purchased the  materials to build an outdoor shower.  Not only is the physical state of our house flourishing, our community life is blossoming too.  We are in the middle of a book study, reading "The Heart of Christianity", which has resulted in deep, enriching discussions about our thoughts on God, Christ, the Bible and what they mean to us as individuals and as part of the greater body of Christianity.  If you haven't read the book, I highly recommend it!

Habi-crew at our new office!

Promoting Habitat for Humanity Tucson on Facebook

Home Depot Volunteers

Lastly, I want to share about an experience Karl and I had this past weekend.  We traveled to Douglas, AZ and Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico last weekend to learn about Frontera de Cristo, a borderlands ministry sponsored by the PC(USA) church.  Frontera de Cristo works with partner organizations in both the US and Mexico to offer support in six areas  of ministry:  Church Development, Health Ministry, Family Ministry, the New Hope Community Center, Mission Education and the Just Trade Center.

During our time at the border, the director of Frontera de Cristo took us along the wall running for about 10 miles, dividing the towns of Douglas, AZ and Agua Prieta, Sonora.  When we were standing there looking at the elaborate system of trenching, barbed wire, and 18 foot long bollards, my mind was racing as I felt an onslaught of emotions - confusion, anger, sadness, perplexity, shock, woefulness.  As we stood on one side of the wall, we were literally fifteen feet away from homes on both side of the border.  This community that used to coexist, has now been divided by a dreadful eyesore and symbol of animosity.

I understand that the "problem" of immigration is very complex and that there are many layers to its solution.  One thing I do know though is that we, meaning Mexicans and Americans, are not that different when you look at the human side of things.  Yes, we may have learned a different language as a child, were born in a different medical center, went to different schools, ate different food or shopped at different stores.  But a hug feels the same, whether it is from someone who speaks Spanish or English, and tears come from the same place, laughter is still contagious, hearts still ache with pain and love still carries on.  My eyes and heart were opened to the hurt that is experienced at the borders of our country this weekend, and I hope that as I continue living daily life, removed from those locations, that I do not forget those feelings I felt and continue to hold those people and places in my heart and prayers.

Alone in the Wilderness

My apologies for my absence from blogging since before Christmas!  Life as a YAV in Tucson is going well, and I am continuing to love the work I am involved in at Habitat for Humanity.  We have been putting a lot of time and energy into meeting neighborhood residents and fulfilling desires of the community.  Our latest neighborhood happening was a "Neighborhood Dumping Day" in which we helped community residents clean garbage and junk from their yards to avoid debris citations from the city.  If you want more information about the work I am doing, you can read about our Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative services here and can read about the latest A Brush with Kindness service day here. 

Vocational discernment has been a huge aspect of this YAV year for me, as I have been able to gain experience in a work environment which allows me to tackle problem solving daily but also allows me to relate to individuals on a personal level.  I have been spending a lot of time thinking and praying about how I can best use my abilities while feeling fed, challenged and impassioned by my work.  From the time I graduated high school, I thought I would become an architectural engineer and design amazing buildings, but in the past 18 months my aspirations have shifted.  Technical work and problem solving are two things I enjoy doing, but I have a deep desire to connect with individuals over issues beyond design solutions.  We'll see what comes of this year's work and where my vocational path will take me next, but for now I am enjoying the road I am on right now.

The YAV program focuses a lot on vocational discernment, but it also has an emphasis on spirituality and personal growth.   To stretch ourselves and intentionally focus on our spirituality, we went on a Lenten Spirituality Retreat for five days in which we experienced the wilderness as a community and in solitude.  The idea behind the retreat was to disconnect ourselves from the distractions of every day life and to spend time in contemplation, reflection and prayer.  So often we get caught up with the actions of living and do not balance our action with contemplation. 

We started the retreat by joining together in morning prayer with the sunrise.  From there, we loaded into the YAV Suburban and set off for Hot Springs Canyon where we spent the next 4.5 days.  We spent the first two days at a base camp, enjoying the company of our YAV community, discussing Lenten practices, relaxing, cooking together over the campfire and sleeping under the stars.  The morning of our 3rd day, we got up early and packed our belongings to head out for a 40 hour (two nights and two days) desert sojourn.  We individually packed food and water for the journey and each were equipped with a sleeping bag, two tarps (one for the ground and one to go above our heads), layers of clothes, a head lamp and any other objects we desired to have with us in our time of solitude.  I chose to bring a novel (as a security blanket, in case my mind really started going crazy in my time alone), my journal and a bible as my extra belongings for the sojourn. 

As soon as we all packed our belongings, we set out hiking up the canyon.  Each half mile or so one of us would split off and set up a camp site to spend the next 40 hours alone in the wilderness.  Some of us were terrified by the thought of the experience, while others were anxiously anticipating it.  Surprisingly, I was feeling quite indifferent as I journeyed up the canyon  to my place of solitude.  When we came to my spot, I was given assistance in setting up my tarps and then the rest of the group carried on.  So there I was, alone.  I spent the first hour or so (I didn't bring a time telling device, so was not sure on the time) settling into my camp - breaking branches away from my walkways, setting up my sleeping bag and unpacking my items.  Once things were settled, I had nothing left to do for the next 39 hours.  What a liberating and terrifying experience all at the same time!  What was I going to do with myself?

Well the 39 hours passed, some slowly others quite fast, and I had a generally positive experience.  I spent time in focused prayer for my family, Karl, our YAV community, my blessings and my tempations.  I spent time thinking about what I really want to do and am passionate about in comparison to what I feel societal and familial pressures to be doing with my life.  I spent time reading the bible, both silently and out loud.  I spent time journaling.  I spent time taking walks.  I spent time sleeping.  I spent time alone with God.  I spent time sitting.  As the sun rose on the final morning, I said my morning prayers and reflected on the past 40 hours.  A poem formed in my mind and I wrote it down:

Alone in the Wilderness

Heart is pumping,

flashing dreams.

Mind is wandering,

internal screams.

Mysterious surroundings,

it's yourself and just you.

Your mind will go crazy

with nothing to do.

The environment familiars,

you move around and explore.

Perhaps your soul might find 

what it's looking for.

Every blow of the wind,

every breath of fresh air.

You're thankful for 

this time that is quite rare.

Your soul comes alive -

the spirit is all around.

You can sense it with every sight,

smell and sound.

Alone in the wilderness.

A frightening time for me?

At time yes,

but mostly just free!

My desert experience was one to remember, and I am happy to have done something like that.  It is probably not an experience I will repeat all too often in life, but I will definitely strive to return to that state of mind and intentionality more often.