Week Numero 2

On to week 2 of training for camp, starting on the 27th. I was a little anxious because I knew that more leaders were coming that evening, and we all know how well I do in crowds (NOT). Luckily, I was able to help Gloria set up for the banquet we were going to have that night to welcome and honor our new summer staff and the continual career staff for riverworks. It was a beautiful banquet. The pastor spoke a powerful message, we were prayed for, had our feet wiped and were anointed. There was such a heavy peace that fell on that room- it was beautiful. Monday was full of worship again, it was tiring but it was good and refreshing. It was awesome to learn about the history of Fox Valley Christian Action and to visit one of the communities that they serve (I got to go to East wood in Aurora). And the ministry planning really started to come together- it is amazing what happens when we get over ourselves and just let God and his Holy Spirit guide us, when we allow our hearts to be in unity and release our pride over to God  We also found out that each of us on staff will have an intercessor for the entire summer- someone who will be praying for me and encouraging me! AND I got to met her, her name is Ms. Jeri. The beginning of the week was alright- nothing super exciting but Wednesday night til Sunday all made up for it. Wednesday night we had one of our many team building activities. Pastor Bob seems to love giving them to us and I enjoy them as well. This time the instructions were like :Stand on a table with no legs that is 1 ½ feet wide, stand in a single file line in height order, rotate through the line until you are back in your original place. I am sure that you can imagine how difficult that was in a group of 15-ish people!! We nearly completed the task; but more importantly we had fun doing it. We learned to listen to one another, to share ideas, and to really work together! GO us! Then came CAT (Community Awareness Training). We could bring 1 shirt, 1 pair of pants, 1 pair of shorts, bible, pen, journal, tooth brush, hair brush, pillow, sheet OR blanket, 4 pair underware, 1 pair of socks and gym shoes. We were given $60 total to buy food, toilet paper, tooth paste, and eating wear for 16 people for 3-ish days. Oh ya, and we were going to one of the communities- I went back to Eastwood. Also, if we tried to bring an item not on the list we were charged .50 cents, it cost .50 cents per person to get a ride in the van, and once we arrived we could be fined for leaving the lights on, not having a clean room, using something we couldn’t use, wasting food and other things. During our time at CAT not only did we have limited resources, we also planned activities for the children, I did some recruiting with Holly, talk to the parents in the community and did more team building activities. I can see how this would not sound like a fun event for a lot of people but I LOVED every minute of it. Learning to rely on each other, take turns with leadership, snuggle up close when it is cold out, endure the hard floor, and eat less for a few days brought our team so close together. Though many of the things I encountered were similar to my travels last year, there was still something to learn. To be reminded that people live in poverty so close to home. I would say 80% of them are unemployed. In our community there were 54 housing units and 160 youth (under 18). Of course it would be easy to dismiss them as being lazy, but how can you get a job when you can’t afford a car- the bus doesn’t run often where they live. The high school students need to take a public bus to get to school, an hour before school starts. They don’t plan on being abandoned by the men in their life, there is no way to even know how many of those children were forced onto them. It is a tough cycle to break out of. So much pain, so much hurt, so much confusion that is passed down from generation to generation. It made me so glad for the work of Fox Valley Christian Action and the community coordinators who, day in and day out, are serving in the communities. Who are teaching the children about Jesus and true love. Who are helping the mothers. Who are helping the teens to break the cycle they have seen all their lives. It is amazing work that they do, and they do it all so humbly.