Life Lessons from the UPS Guy!!!

So with everyday working at LOGAN Hope School comes another experience or story that makes my week entertaining. Whether it is something funny a kid said or the amazing art work the students produce, I always enjoy these moments. But there was one moment recently that stood out as the highlight of my week:

So I was subbing in the kindergarten class and of course because all kids love to draw, we were all coloring together. Then the UPS guy came into the classroom to have me sign for a package. This particular UPS guy probably delivers packages a few times a week, so I've gotten to know him a little and he is really nice and friendly!
When he walked into the classroom, one of the african american kindergardeners looked at him and said in the happiest voice, "WOW! your black!!!"
He laughed and said, " Ya and your brown!!!!"
Then one of the little cambodian boys stood up excitedly and said, "I'm brown too!!!!!!"
And a little white girl stood up and said, "and i'm white!!!!"
So the UPS guy pulls up a chair, sits down at the table, and grabs the box of crayons. He holds up a blue crayon and ask what color it was. Then he holds up a red one. and then a purple and a yellow. The kids happily shout out each color. Then he says, "See how many different color crayons there are!!! But even though they are all different colors, they are still crayons!!  It is the same with people. Some are brown, some are white, and some are black, but they are all people!" The kids all smiled and shook their heads in agreement!
Everything the UPS guy said was so true! and I loved how he made it so relatable to the kids!!! It was an awesome moment! One that i will remember forever.

HERE IS A PICTURE OF SOME OF THE K AND 1ST GRADERS!! THEY ARE HOLDING UP THEIR ABSTRACT SELF PORTRAITS!!! THEY'VE BEEN LEARNING ABOUT ABSTRACT ART FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND THEY ALL CALL IT ASTRO ART

OUR ABSTRACT ART WALL!!!!

SOME OF THE KIDS ENJOYING FALL DURING RECESS!

ANOTHER AWESOME ABSTRACT SELF PORTRAIT!!!!

Abbeys and Protests.

So most of these pictures are either from when all my roommates and I went and hung out at an abbey for a saturday or from when we were in downtown philly checking out the protests. Both were really beautiful and insightful experiences. At the abbey, I had the amazing opportunity to get outside the city for a while and enjoy the BEAUTY of fall! I've never experienced leaves that change color! The whole area was filled with trees, lush grass, streams, and flowers. It was a breath of fresh air! (literally...haha). The protest on the other hand was a completely different feel. Tents filled the area next to city hall. People stood with signs and ambition for change as they marched in the streets. We went to hang out there for a little bit, not really to participate in the protest, but rather to see what it was all about and gain a better understanding of why they were there. It was interesting because every seemed to stand for their own issue. Each person fell under the umbrella category of "corporate greed and white collar crime", but  each individual was protesting some sort of variation of that title. Also, everyone had a lot of life. You could feel the passion and excitement in the air as drum circles, cheering, and speeches echoed through the streets! I'm definitely glad I had the chance to check it out!!! 

a

One of the drawings a 7th grader did in my art class last week! 

elizabeth and I in a coffee shop!!

The protest at center city!

Some of the signs from the protest!

Some pictures from a beautiful abby where I got to spend the whole day!! So beautiful!

I LOVE fall!!! my first time ever experiencing it!

eating gelato with my roomies!

Life in Philly.

Hanging out with me team at orientation!

meet esther! she is on the houston team, but she's from philly! 

on a beautiful rooftop in Chicago

coffee shop and board games??? i think yess!!!! notice how happy josh is about it too! 

we met this wonderful lady during our city scavenger hunt! she made us bubble Tea!

The security guard was so concerned when we were pretending to hit the liberty bell!

A pyramid in fairmount park!!

Not really a good explanation for this one. it was also during our scavenger hunt and we we're at the 30th street station in the subway!! umm ya we got some weird looks! haha

RUNNING ON THE ROCKY STEPS!!!!! awesome...even though i left my gray workout suit at home!

Apparently this was one of the first drinking fountains!   and apparently we were pretty tired from running around the city all day long! but i still thought it was cool!

These are just a few pictures from the last few weeks!!! I did start work at LOGAN Hope school two weeks ago and I am the official art teacher for the school! I teach 6 classes ages  k-8th!! its gonna be a LOT of work but I am really excited!!! The kids are AMAZING!! i already have fallen in love with all of them!
As for the neighborhood, I am starting to get more familiar with it! I'm starting to get to know the people on my block and to make a few friends!! And I'm always surprised when someone remembers my name and calls out to me to say hi as I walk home from work! But i love it! Also I have decided that I am going to be friends with the people who run the corner store near my house!  I really do love philly and the people in it! it's becoming more and more my home! :)

Fundraiser at Preach316.com!

Hey Everyone!!!  So my friend George has an awesome webstie called Preach316.com that sells really cool shirts, bumber stickers, bracelets, and more! And for the month of October he is doing a fundraiser where 25% of the proceeds will go to supporting my year in Philadelphia! I am so thankful to him for being so generous! So not only will you get a really cool shirt out of the deal, but you will get a chance to support what God is doing in Philly!!! So check it out!!!!! :)

Preach 316.com!!!!!!

New Perspective.

"For who I am now...shame on my upbringing. For who I am in the future....shame on me."

So I made it to Philly!!! I arrived two weeks ago from today! However I have only been in Philadelphia a little over a week because we all flew to Chicago for orientation for 5 days! Orientation basically introduced us to our cities and talked a lot about living in community, working in our community, racial reconciliation, justice and more. It was really helpful to hear all the speakers and to meet all the other MissionYear teams from around the country!

The quote above was something one of the speakers said and it really resinated with me.  To me, it means that I can't help the way i was raised. I can't help the culture and the view of the world I already have. It isn't my fault that I have grown up oblivious to many things. However, it is my fault if I begin to see injustices in the world and racism in the world and choose not to change. In the future, I CAN help the way i will view the world and I CAN continue to grow and mold my perspective on life!

This is the way I plan to view this year in Philly. I want to learn from those around me who have a completely different life! I hope that every pre-conceived notion i have is torn down and replaced with a more open and clear perspective.

Now, i know all this sounds very idealistic, but i have been pondering this quote for the last two weeks and it has really made a difference on me. So i thought i would share it! :)

THis is me and my roommate, elizabeth, at the airport on our way to chicago! 

I was excited about my new bedroom haha

Our team at orientation! everyone except for the girl on the far left lives in my house with me! Ashley, Elizabeth, Josh, Me, David, and Dave! (left to right)
Hopefully I will have more pictures later!!!! 

Logan Hope.

So I finally found out what I am going to be doing in Philadelphia and I am soooo excited!!!! I talked to my city director yesterday and he informed me that I will be working at a school/after-school program called Logan Hope. (Logan is the name of the community that the school is located in). Logan Hope is a non-profit christian ministry that reaches out mainly to at-risk immigrant and refugee children who have a difficult time in public school. Their focus is to show the love of Christ to the kids as well as provide healthy activities, loving relationships, and a safe positive environment.
It sounds like a really great place and I can't wait to start working there! I will be doing a variety of things at Logan Hope, but I don't know exactly what yet. I'll probably be helping out in the classrooms, tutoring, planning after-school activities for the kids, office work, and more! I'll also be working there with one of my housemates, David.
If you want to know more about where I'll be working for the next year you can check out loganhope.org! :)

Philadelphia Bound.

         There comes a time in a person's life when living in the same town for 20 years, in the same house, working three jobs, and taking 14 units at community college just becomes too much. Too consistent. Too stifling. Too tiring. Too uninspiring.  When this time comes change is needed. For some people it might be trying out a new hobby, for others it might be taking a vacation, but for me it is moving to inner-city Philadelphia.  
            A few weeks ago, I heard of a program called MissionYear. Two of my cousins had separately mentioned the program to me and thought it was right up my alley. It is a program that focuses on inner-city ministry. If accepted, you commit to living in a house with four other people in the inner-city working at various places such as schools, homeless shelters, hospitals, mentorship programs, and more.  The whole focus on the program is to spend time serving others, getting to know your neighbors, and loving God and your community.
         So within 10 days, I applied to the program, had a phone interview, got accepted, committed to going, and was placed in my city! It has been a whirlwind ever since. Things are happening so quickly and my life is changing so fast that I barely have time to process anything that is going on! Trying to comprehend quitting my jobs, stopping dance, packing, and saying goodbye to friends and family all in the next six weeks is one of the most overwhelming feelings I have ever had! However, it's one of those feelings that terrifies me because everything is about to change, but also a feeling of adventure, inspiration, and growth that I wouldn't trade for anything!
          As of right now, I don't know too much about my life for the next year. I do know that I will be arriving in Philly September 2, 2011 and jumping right into life there! Other than that as the next few weeks pass, I will learn more about exactly where and what I will be doing! But, I'm pumped to see what happens!!!!