New Adventures

Friday for lunch we had ETHIOPIAN food. I have had so many different types of cuisine since I arrived in NYC. It has been a good experience, but I would rather just stick to my Mexican, Italian and Chinese food.
This weekend we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. IT IS BEAUTIFUL!! I was in awe before we even went inside. The building is huge. Once we got inside, I am pretty sure that my mouth dropped to the floor. There are so many different exhibits with so much art. I have to say that I really enjoy looking at the religious art. We also decided to go to the Cloisters. It is part of the Met, but at the northernmost tip of Manhattan. The Cloisters is like a European church. Different chapels with religious art from many different centuries. I felt so at peace while walking through the wings. It was a day that several of us got to know each other better. That night, one of my friends' friends came into town, so some of us spent time with him and his friends. It was nice just to relax with my new friends. The Village is just so different that what I am used to. We left around 1.30 and the streets were packed. Night spots are open until 4 am here...that is so late!
Sunday we went to Riverside Church. It is a non denominational church that relates to the American Baptist Association. The service is one that I would not normally want to go to. The minister, Dr. James Forbes, is an amazing preacher, but it was just not the style that I am used to. The church is beautiful, very cathedral looking.
Monday our sessions were conducted by two people from the University of the Poor, which is an extension of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign. I can see myself working for this campaign in the future because poverty transcends race and education.
Tuesday we completed our press releases for different parts of the Church. So look for it on different media outlets of the Church. In the afternoon we met our liaisons for the National Mission Institutions. One of the liaisons told me to contact her after my two years about a teaching job at one of the mission schools and one is in Puerto Rico! I have to keep this job in mind when my placement is finished.
Today we did a scavenger hunt in Chinatown so we could experience a different culture. In the afternoon we traveled to Harlem to learn about community building from the Action for Community Empowerment group. Now I know how to get the community involved in different issues.
We were informed that Kathleen, the Interim Executive Secretary for Young Adult Programs, is taking leave until the new year. Her husband passed away in Nepal a few months ago. He was doing missionary work in the region. She decided to take a leave because she has been working non-stop and hasn't had time to herself. Please pray for her.
It feels so surreal that we are only here for a few more days and then only two weeks at home before we have to leave. This experience has been an experience of a life time and now I can't imagine not being in the US-2 program.
Commisioning is on Sunday, so at 11 EST pray for the US-2 Class of 2006 because we will be official missionaries of the United Methodist Church.

Out and About in New York

Last night some of us went and saw RENT! Even though I have seen the play before, it was amazing to see it in New York City. There were so many parts that I understood better because I have been living in the city. I still like the play better than the movie, but the movie makes the story available to more people. If you haven't seen the movie or the play, then I recommend that you see one of them. Today we went to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA -- pronounced mohmuh), there are some amazing pieces in that museum. I have come to find out that I really enjoy Mark Rothko. One thing that does get on my nerves about modern art is that the artist can paint a piece of canvas blue and it goes in one of the most famous museums and people stand there staring at it. I just don't get it.
This week was a hard week. We had 3 sessions (1 1/2 days) on racism. Those days were the tensest I have been in awhile. But the rest of the week went well. We had a session on immigration and found ways that we can be proponents of immigration through passages in the Bible. Our other biggest session were the self care and transitioning sessions. These sessions helped get us ready for the transition to our new home. We learned suggestions to help get us acclamated to the new community. One of the most important points that we needed to learn (and something that every recent college graduate and really everyone in the work world) is that we need to take time for ourselves. They also had us choose accountability partners, so we can have that person who knows what we are going through and we can call each other when we need something or just need to talk.
Today we went to The Inner Church Center (GBGM) and started to work on our press releases. It is just amazing that we only have one more week here and then we are getting commissioned and then off to our placements.
Tomorrow some of us are going to the Metropolitan Museum and some street fairs. Hopefully, it won't rain torrentially like it did today. I guess we got hit by Tropical Storm Beryl. How weird is that...being in New York and getting hit by a tropical storm.
I guess that is it for now!

"Fellobration"

There I am on the left side of the screen. We are on 46th Street and Broadway in NYC!! This is how we spent our Friday night wandering Times Square (TS). TS is so much different in person than on the movie or TV screen. We did get to go to the Toys r Us in TS. It was incredible; I have never seen a bigger toy store. I think sometime we are going to go to FAO Schwartz.
Today we bonded even more by writing action plans for when we are at our placements (personal and group). Fellobration is a word that Tyler made up to describe our worship styles, they are a time of fellowship and celebration. I don't think that I laugh more with anyone other than my family than when I am with my class.
I can't believe that it is already the 15th of July. That means that I am going to be in California in one month and one day. It just seems so amazing that I will be moving and not being at "home." I think what made it hit me was making a doctor's appointment with a new doctor near La Verne. Speaking of La Verne, there are forest fires in Southern California, just keep those people in your prayers.
This is random, but here is my rant of the day...WHY do people wear conversation shirts?? I don't really see a purpose, especially lewd or inappropriate ones. I just don't get it. I guess it gets people attention and that is what they want. I just don't understand why they where them in public.
Tomorrow we are going to some street fairs and then most likely Coney Island in the afternoon. And probably one of the most exciting activities scheduled for next week is some of us are going to go to the Today show on one morning. Hopefully we can get on tv and meet Matt, Al and Anne (too bad Katie isn't there anymore). I will post when we are planning on going to the show so everyone can watch!

One Week

So I have been here one week. It doesn't even feel like it. Yesterday we went to a local church and helped prepare and serve the meal that is served to feed people that are homeless and those who are poverty stricken. Although I have worked with that demographic before, this just seemed different. I was amazed at all of my other classmates at how comfortable we all felt (or at least it seemed that way). Afterwards we got to talk to the Bishop that is pastor at the church. It was nice that he made time to talk to us about our service for the church. Once we got back to the house we had a session of debriefing. Then we had to go around and say one nice thing, or something we admired about each person. This activity just brought us closer together.
For dinner we decided to go uptown for a change of pace and scenery (someone actually asked me for directions when they got off the train -- and I could give them, the correct directions!!) and then decided to go see Pirates of the Caribbean. Although it was a VERY long movie, it was wonderful. I can not wait until the next one comes out!! Riding on the subway after midnight was interesting, there were a lot more people than I thought there would be. I went to bed really late because I had to plan the devotion for this morning, but I think it went well. Margaret and I went to Starbucks to get coffee so we could stay awake during Wesley 101. I was pleasantly pleased that the session was interesting.
For this afternoon's session we went over the Social Principles of the UMC. We were assigned for or against and had to argue about a current event that had to do with topics discussed in the social principles. It was hard trying to come up with ideas for the opposite side of thinking than I have, but it was a good learning experience.
Tomorrow should be a somewhat easy day and then we have a free day all day Saturday. I think we might go to Coney Island. I am trying to save touristy things to do with my family, since that is what family vacations are all about!!!

Today is July 7th, and I have now been in New York for 36 hours. I am so glad that I am here. Today we got to know each other better by sharing our life stories. I feel so much closer to these wonderful people! I know that this is just the second day, but most of us do everything together and I feel that I can talk to everyone. This is just a different group of people than I am used to hanging out with and it is wonderful (not that those that I usually hang out with aren't wonderful, but this is just different). We are diverse, but the same in that God called all of us to become missionaries and do his will for social justice. Today I was talking to Kathleen, a missionary for the Church, but works at the general board, about her years in Africa. She asked me if I ever thought of going abroad to do mission work and it hit me that I would love to go. Maybe when Mama and daddy retire and peter gets out of seminary we can all go there together and be a family of missionaries!! Tomorrow we are mapping the community, what that entails, I don't exactly knows. I know that this is like Chrysalis in that we are supposed to participate not anticipate. We are receiving gifts of agape love and today we each received a leather bound edition of The Message Remix (I have been needing a new Bible, but I don't know if this one fits me yet...I don't really like its version of Hebrews 11:1, but we will see)!!
I guess that is all for now! Remember how blessed you are!

Today is Tuesday July 4th. I am one day away from leaving for New York City for my US-2 Training. I do have to say that this summer has gone by very fast. I worked a little at the restaurant and have already completed Spanish I at TAMU Kingsville. I do have to say that taking that class was an experience. I must also say that I am glad that I have graduated from college, four years was enough for the time being.
Now I am beginning to pack, but that is a slow process as I will be gone for 4 weeks. But it has been a fun process because now I can pack my new laptop, new ipod, new digital camera in my new luggage!!
I am excited to be going finally to see the guys and girls that I met in April at the interviewing process. I have heard that these three weeks are going to be hard because of all that we will be learning, but if it helps with understanding what I have been called for then I am very excited.
Another thing I am excited about is that I will be able to share NYC with my family. They will be coming up at the end of July for my commissioning and then we will spend a week being tourists in the Big Apple!!
I will be updating the blog more often than I have been because now my life will be more exciting!!