Moving

Today I helped one of my "bosses" move his family from this side of town to the other side of town...well a few miles away. Although I am extremely tired and will be sore for the next couple of days, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to help them move. It rained quite a bit today and we ended up riding in the back of a UHaul with the latch open, it was more fun that it sounds most likely. It feels strange that in a matter of 24 hours I will be on my way to Ocala for a couple of days before heading back to Columbia for work and school. Well I'm off to get some free dinner cause I helped move and then I've got a few notes to write for the people here. Tomorrow I will have my car packed in the morning, work a little, then we're going to dinner at Chili's for one last get together before I have to say goodbye. I hope that this will not be a final goodbye and that I will have these people be a part of my life for quite some time. To me, TWLOHA means family.

Checking Out

I'm sitting here filling out the summer internship survey and I've already completed my self evaluation from yesterday and today. It's weird that I'm checking myself out of this crazy trip and I'm a little scared to go back to what life was before the internship. I feel purpose here and at home I'm working towards the purpose I feel that God has put within my heart. I've seen love, hope, trust, and community her in Cocoa and I don't want to loose it when I'm working two jobs and busy with school. I look forward to returning to Columbia to see everyone, but it's hard to return after you've been exposed to all the hurt there is among the people in this world and you know that there is a team trying to reach those who feel helpless. The hearts of these people have helped me through some stressful times and I pray that we can all help those who are near and far from us walk through our crazy lives. I've seen healing among the lives around me and I see so much promise in their lives. God has given most of us second and third and fourth and so on chances, it's just what or how we choose to respond to those chances that will define who we are. Although your actions don't make up who you are, they sure do express what you hold near and dear to your heart.

don't want to leave

Yeah I really don't want to leave Cocoa on Friday, but I must because I have commitments that I have to keep for the Fall semester. I have purpose being here and I care so much more about To Write Love than I did two months ago. Love is possible even in a fallen world. Community is the best thing that one can be apart of. If you get the chance please try to live in community with the people around you because you will learn so much from people.

AGAIN I REALLY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE

*mixed emotions about leaving*

Well tonight is mandatory game night and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Since I'm feeling a little ill with my cough, I don't know how much energy I'll have to play games. I'm sure I'll be alright, the cough is more annoying than anything. Any way, a lot has been changing recently and I'm starting to feel settled about it. I got a letter from my mom today and she says things with my grandma are going well. It was great to read that my grandma is adjusting nicely to living in an assisted living place cause I was really worried about her. Oh yesterday when we went to pick up the mail from the post office we (TWLOHA) received a package and I wondered what was in the package until we got all the way back to the bungalow. Once we got back we opened it and inside was a hand made quilt with the sayings of TWLOHA with a note telling of this girl's story. It was a great way to start the day. Once we've taken pictures of it, I'll make sure to post one. Things are going well this week and I look forward to making memories over the next week that will last me a life time or until I see these people again. Thank you for sticking with me through this journey. Well I'm off to take a quick nap before we have game night at 8:00. Oh one more thing, I get to see my brother tomorrow!!!

Goodbyes Suck

Today started the long list of goodbyes as people are leaving to go to events on the west coast and Olivia flew back to the UK. Although the guys are coming back to Cocoa in a couple of weeks, I will be back in Columbia. Today I am emotionally drained from goodbyes. I'm trying not to focus on the goodbyes and trying to look at it as a see you later and we'll keep in touch. That's the great thing about technology these days, you can be really far away and still talk to the ones that you love. Yeah I said it the people that I have met here I truly care and love deeply. They have taught me so much about this world and how everyone is connected through their stories. I wish that I could stay a little long, but that would probably make the goodbyes even harder. We've been through tough times and great times and I will always remember the times we have shared. Crazy videos, laughing at all hours of the day, and even all the drama that comes with such a large amount of people living in one house. The people here have become a part of my family and I plan on traveling to visit them over the next year. There are so many people to visit and I'm looking forward to seeing new places and possibly flying again. :-)

Lake Aurora

Well I'm sitting here at a camp in Lake Aurora and am amazed at how much the kids here want to get involved, either by buying a shirt or supporting us through donation, and we've had a few express interest in wanting to help from where they are living. Last night there was a message about love and what "love is." I think it's amazing that Renee was able to speak freely about how her faith helped her get through the rough times over the past few years and how she's working towards healing and redemption. It was also cool to learn that Renee and I have more in common in our stories than I thought we did. That's something I've learned over my time here, that although we all come from different walks of life we all are bonded together through our brokenness and need to be whole through Christ. I love the message that is being presented to those who we are trying to reach. You are not alone. You are loved. There is hope. Rescue is possible. I believe that we all need to hear all of these things no matter where we are in our walks of life. We all need some sense of purpose and with purpose (in my opinion) comes hope in things to come. That's all I've got for now, but I have a post that is developing while I process a few things. There's something to look forward to (I guess).

This experience is amazing and I'm so glad that God has given me the chance to come to work with TWLOHA. I keep having to remind myself to live in the moment and not let this whole experience fly by without be being to process what's happening around me. Over the past week I had a conversation with my cousin up in Charleston about how difficult it is being here and reading people's stories via email or myspace and how it's taking a toll on me emotionally. I've just got to remember that I was on the other side of those emails a year and a half ago and if I can't provide some hope for those dealing with what I have dealt with and more, then where will they find hope? I've had a lot on my mind lately and it has been eating away at my heart. I feel that my heart is splitting in two and it's frustrating. When I was in Ocala all I could think of is how much I was missing people from Columbia and how I was missing people from Cocoa.