Sit and stare.

We get in to a rhythm after enough practice.

This rhythm becomes our pulse for a time.

For that time we take for granted the intricacies of the individual relationships we have become a part of.

These relationships grow under our very noses.

Our lack of sight leaves us blind until hindsight arrives.

By the time hindsight arrives we have already stumbled into a mumbled "good-bye".

In that very moment of mumbling "good-bye" the reality of the relationship dawns on us.

At this dawning we realize there is and was something here more so than just everyday "hellos".

In those hellos there was a rhythm.

In that rhythm a pulse.

In that pulse a heart.

In that heart a soul.

For a very brief moment during that "good-bye" we have the chance to behold what another person's soul means to us.

This summer I would get caught up in the rhythm of my work, rest, and relationships a lot.  Fortunately I had a few brief glimpses at myself and others to understand who we all are in relation to one another.  This morning I said good-bye to my supervisor and part of my host family.  I am still in Massachusetts living in a home that is not my own, but the rhythm I have going in my life says that I live here.  I have learned to live in the present.     I thank God for the brief moments.  I thank God for the "good-byes" as well as the "hellos".  To all of you whether I know you or not; may you be blessed this day.

  

I stand Now

Anxiety: 

1. A feeling of worry, unease, nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
2. Desire to do something, typically accompanied with unease.
3. A nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behavior or panic attacks.
    

I have always had a hint of timidity in me, but anxiety is a new one for me.  As I approach my senior year at college I begin to feel some unease.  I said in an earlier post that I did not like the common question "Where do you see yourself in 2-5 years Vince?"  In all honesty I despise that question.  I only get to see myself in a mirror in the present time. Okay I got the cynic out of me.  No, but seriously I have some ideas as to what I may be doing and where I might be geographically but does that really matter that far down the road?  Let me take this past year of my life as an example for you.

One year of my life in review (bullet point style).

• August 2010 travel to Israel.
• September 2010 begin study and life in Israel.
• October 2010 begin to find a belonging of sorts in Israel.
• November 2010 actually feel at home in Jerusalem and make true friends.
• December 2010 fly back to the US. (Ambivalence)
• January 2011 reacquaint myself with Calvin (did not expect this).
• February 2011 begin the busiest most fulfilling semester at Calvin.
• March 2011 commit to coming to Boston for an internship I know little about.
• April 2011 knuckle down on grades and grow in relationships.
• May 2011 conclude semester and come home for a short period of time.
• June 2011 reacquaint myself with people back home.  See friends from Calvin at Meulinks' wedding. Go to Boston.
• July 2011 figure out this whole internship thing and make more true friends.  Grow in leaps and bounds in my walk with the Lord.
• Early August 2011 try and look too far forward without looking back at the ways God has provided.  that is up until now.

Even for a history major it is easy for one to overlook where they have been.  The reason I do not like the question "Where do you see yourself?' is because I'd rather talk about where I've been.  I can tell you that Israel was nothing like what I thought it would have been.  I thank God for that.  I can tell you that the relationships I have at Calvin are not what I thought they'd be when I came back in December.  I thank God for that.  I can tell you that my internship has been more than I could have asked for out of this small church.  I thank God for that.  So yes to a point I am unsure of where I might be, but only because experience has taught me that expectations are always superseded by the provision of God's grace.  I do not know what relationships, work, trials, and joys God has in store for me.  Even tomorrow will be more than I expect.  I am in over my head as it is.  Today I am giving a test to my ESL class.  I have never written a test.  Today I have prayers to pray, scriptures to read, challenges to meet, and relationships to build.  In other words God is the architect and construction worker who is building me.  I only get to guess as to what my floor plan, exterior design, and landscaping might end up looking like.  My job is to stand ready.  I am to keep my eyes open and ears in tune with the whispers of God.  I am called to live a life in the present, because the future is not guaranteed and the past is gone in an instant. 

Writing is therapy for my mind.  Thanks for reading.

Blessings    

Biography (friends from the past)

Yesterday was a big day in my internship.  I was given the opportunity to speak in front of members of the Church.  My presentation (not a sermon that will have to wait for another day) was on Jonathan Edwards arguably the biggest personality to work for the Church in America.  After studying Edwards for about two weeks I found myself being inspired by his life. 

The Church that stands in Northampton now.

Edwards grew up in a large family.  He was one of eleven children.  He was the fifth child and the only son.  I cannot imagine what that would be like.  He was also a very curious boy (something I can relate to).  From an early age Jonathan showed academic promise and at age 13 he enrolled at Yale.  He graduated from Yale at the top of his class and stayed to study theology.  In 1727 Jonathan 24 at the time was invited by his grandfather Solomon Stoddard (also a person worth looking in to) to become an assistant pastor at the Northampton Congregationalist Church.  Jonathan became known as the “scholar-pastor” for his 13 hour long days at the church studying, writing, and other scholarly activities.  Two years later Stoddard passed away leaving the 26 year old Jonathan as the sole overseer of one the largest and most widely known congregations in the Massachusetts area.  No big deal right?  It probably would have been easy enough if Jonathan wanted simply keep the status quo.  Jonathan wasn’t geared that way though.  He had this deep desire to se people more biblical lives (this ought to be the aim of every single pastor, elder, deacon, and teacher) and with this desire he began to pursue genuine conversion in people.  At the time the youth in the region were absorbed in the idea of spiritual independence.  In a nutshell this idea led most to believe that to be sinful meant to be morally impoverished and salvation was simply living in accord with Christ’s moral teachings.  Jonathan confronted this idea with a series of Calvinists sermons.  By 1733 the congregation had been so affected by the Holy Spirit that it began to experience a revival that was to last until 1735 and bring in 300 new members.  After a period of quiet the congregation again exploded into revival and this time it spilled in to other parts of the colonies.  The First Great Awakening had begun.  Methodists and Baptists began to evangelize in the west.  Presbyterians and Reformers worked in the New England cities.  People began to learn and be converted to Christ.  In all this Jonathan was still pursuing a more devote life from his congregation.  This pursuit eventually became too much for the congregation and they voted him out of the church, a decision most of that council came to regret later.

Jonathan was invited to numerous different places after leaving Northampton, but he was led to the most humble.  Instead of going to NYC or even to Scotland Jonathan was brought to the Housatonic Indians in western Massachusetts.  He had to preach and council through an interpreter.  He had to become one of the only Indian advocates in the area.  He served the Indians faithfully for 8 years. 

This is just a glance at a life for Christ.  Jonathan Edwards was not perfect, but he strove to be more faithful to Christ.  His soft spoken yet powerful sermons aimed to show the truth of God’s nature. 

I had the opportunity to share all this and a little more to about 15 people from the congregation yesterday.  We drove about 2 hours to the Northampton Church that now stands where the one stood that Jonathan Edwards preached in for 23 years.  One of the readings I was given this summer emphasized the power of Christians reading Christian’s biographies.  I can say Christian biography has left an impression on me and I have not even read that much of it.  I begin to realize that what I am doing has already been done by those who came before me.  I just have the opportunity to do it for my generation. 

Me rambling on and on......look at that nose haha!

On the way back from the field trip I was asked what do you think you want to do next.  I said I want to work for the Church but maybe seminary is where I belong for a time?  The question remains at what time do I do this?  Then a man shared some insights with me.  Doors will open where God wants them to be open.  It is up to us to step up.  He experienced this in his own life.  Sometimes we think the door is open but it is actually locked for the time being.  You’d never know this if you never touched the door knob.  Amazing how common sense works.  I am at the point where I am choosing which door knob to touch first.  Exciting, daunting, and thrilling.  I pray God speaks in your life as he has in mine and others.  I pray you find someone like Jonathan Edwards who can inspire you to a deeper faith.

Blessings!    

Rolling Paths and Pudding in your Face

Yes! I get to write you all again while music plays! Current track is "20 Years" by The Civil Wars.  Ok let's get this going.

Last time I wrote to you all I was in a good place even if the post did not exactly read that way.  You see some more things have become apparent to me.  First off I have a deep desire to walk this path as a leader even though this path is not the desired path of faith.  I do not do this hesitantly just cautiously.  Understand?  Cool.  So let me explain myself a bit by giving you an outline of my recent tales.

This week the church has hosted VBS in the mornings and ESL in the evenings.  For me this means coming to work at about 8 am to set up for the 20 or so kids that will be arriving at 9:30.  I play guitar for the singing portion of VBS which is always fun because we do take requests (practice has been consistent).  Then at about 10:20 we take the kids outside to play games.  Now this is where job descriptions fail.  I do not remember discussing the possibility or theological implications of a child throwing pudding in my face.  Needless to say it happened and I loved it (yet to find a picture of this though....sad).  We then have a craft and snack which needs to be monitored.  The boys like to be loud and boisterous (sounds a lot like me when I was little).  To keep the peace we talk about Star Wars and baseball between activities.  We end the day with the kids with a few more songs and a recital of the day's memory verse.  It is 1 pm by the time I have fulfilled my responsibilities and can begin to focus on ESL.  I usually eat lunch, take some time to reflect on the day or conversations I have had, and then make sure the night's lesson is ready.  Today was particularly good though.  I made another discovery as to what a pastor is.  A pastor is an evangelist.

You see today I ran into a pamphlet for Arab World Ministries on one of the tables in the church today.  It has a petition for more missionaries to work for their ministries.  Maybe I just really miss Israel and the Middle East in general a lot, because I spent a good hour of my day checking out the opportunities this and other ministries had in the region.  I even looked up the price of an Arabic language learning program.  Then I was reminded of the work I already have here in Waltham.  There are 20 some kids who are learning what it means to serve rather than be served.  There are kids who have more time before them than I do.  These kids have opportunities before them I did not.  These kids are the future of the Church.  I get to be a small part of that.  Then there are 6 immigrant students in my ESL class.  They have opportunities here in this country they wouldn't have had back in their home country.  Teaching them English is a way in which more of those opportunities become available to them.  Maybe they have not been to college and desire to go?  Maybe they will raise a family and within a generation or so they will have an English professor for a child or grandchild?  Maybe one of these kids or students will come to know Christ?  That's enough to make me concentrate on the here and now.  I want people to know Christ.  I want to call people brother and sister.  I am content, but not passive.

Pastors are evangelists to the extent by which they live their faith in their community.  A pastor who knows his community ought to be known by his community, because he is involved in the community.  A pastor ought to encourage evangelism in the Church by evangelizing himself.

I may not make it to the Middle east as a long term missionary, but that does not mean I will not be evangelizing.

Blessings in your active contentment!      

Not the Desired Path

During a conversation I was asked if I was supported by family and friends in my calling to be a leader in the Church.  For a second the question caught me off guard not because I don't have support but because of the type of support I have.  You see my family is my first ring of support and well my family is very wise.  I asked my parents a few years back what they thought of my aim to be a pastor or chaplain in an evangelical setting.  I was told they'd have never wished it upon me.  Interesting answer to say the least, but they were sincere and I began to understand the reasoning used to come to this conclusion.  I believe the main inspiration for my parents' response to my question is James 3:1.

The passage reads, "Not too many of you should presume to be teachers my brothers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." (NIV)

Teachers are more strictly judged.  It is spelled out for you in the verse.  In the Greek it would best translate "My brothers not many of you will/should become teachers because we [James is teacher thus the 1st plural indicating teachers] will receive greater/mighty/much more judgment."   And yes it is a blunt warning to any who desire to teach the in the Church.  This is not fine print that one might miss when they decide they might want to try their hand at teaching in the Church.  No this is the reality teachers in the Church live.  In my own life this blunt truth serves as a reminder of the responsibility I am beginning to receive.  If one denies the justice in God then one should not teach lest he experience the fullness of that justice in the day of Christ's return.

The cost of faith is great already, and they become greater still for a leader in the Church.  We are all called to live an authentic life as a testimony to our faith in Christ.  For culture at large the litmus test for seeing if the Church is authentic is to look at its leadership.  Why do you think Paul spends so much time explaining to Timothy the importance of appointing righteous men as overseers and deacons?  These men are to be the core of the congregation.  Inevitably if the core shifts away from faith the majority of the congregation will.  That is a fact of nature.  Teachers, specifically senior pastors who have the authority to recommend elder appointees have the task of finding righteous men.  If these pastors are not themselves righteous men how could they appoint a righteous man?  As it is commonly said, "it takes one to know one" I believe that sums it up nicely.

To add to this there is the cost of relationships.  It is common practice for a pastor to also be a counselor to the congregation he serves.  Have you ever listened to a person's grieving heart?  Or how about their slander?  Has someone ever told you a secret they truly expect you to take to your grave?  Do you know what those sorts of conversations do to your relationship not only that person but the other people around you?  On the flip side your number of brothers and sisters grows exponentially when you come to the Church and this is both exciting and daunting to those of us who have biological siblings and those who don't.  Leaders in a sense become the older siblings in the family.  1 Timothy 5:1, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters with absolute purity."  Did you catch those last two words?  Yes, absolute purity.  ABSOLUTE PURITY.  Purity can also be read as holy if that helps (the Greek allows either and even sacredness).  Each brother and sister is precious and sacred in the Church and the first persons to recognize this in them ought be the leaders of the Church!  Even if this was a widely held practice in the Church today so much would change!  I digress though.  If you love people you know how it is difficult to love.

The crux of the issue is discipleship.  Is a teacher making disciples of Christ who in time will also make disciples?  The work of the Church is this to make disciples.  There are no shortcuts to this work.  Lifetimes are spent making disciples.  That is the cost of this path.  A lifetime, but to live is Christ and to die is gain.  I lose nothing in the end.  I pick up this cross now understanding I stumble to my death in this world.  Material wealth will not follow me nor will fame both are desires of this world and cannot come where I am going.  Some of you may be thinking why continue this if it looks so gloomy?  My friends it is obedience.  Leaders are called and obediently answer knowing full well the implications of this obedience.  This is not the desired path for the journey of faith, but a path none the less.  It is the path I find myself a few steps into already.  I do not turn back though.  I close with Philippians 3:13, "Brothers (and Sisters), I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it [the goal or fulfillment Christ has for me].  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead."

May you strain towards obedience.

Blessings

Belonging

Companionship: feeling of friendship or fellowship.

I have been moving around a lot lately.  This past year I have set up residence at four different places.  I can say it is hard to find companionship when you move around so much.  I do keep in touch with people, but it is hard to find someone who has walked with you the entire time.  God has a funny way of working me into friendships.  I don't always go looking for friendship.  I just find it.

Have you ever watched over another person's pet?  It's strange especially if you have your own of the same species.  Here in Waltham my host family has two dogs.  They have a 6 year old Black Lab and an Australian Shepard puppy.  Let me say that the puppy and I did not get along that well the first couple weeks.  He likes to wake up at 6 and whine until someone comes to his kennel.  Now before you blame me for not knowing the needs of a puppy let me explain.  He wakes up at 6 and whines and then when someone does reach his kennel and lets him out he bolts straight to the lab and begins to gnaw on her.  Not your typical morning behavior.  He's a little strange to say the least. Something is changing though.  He's less dominating and more content.  He still wakes up too early in my opinion, but that's not a big deal (he has become my alarm clock).

Chillin' in my basement office

This is probably a poor analogy, but I am going with it anyway.  After being here in Waltham for a month I beginning to feel the same way towards the church here.  Sure I don't share the same views all the time, but we can work together for a common goal.  I am making friendships here. I am getting to know the congregation.  I am letting them know me.  I realize I am an intern and will be back in Grand Rapids in a little over a month, but I don't care.  I'm here now.  One of the best ways to create in myself the love for friends is to pray for the person individually.  Prayer itself is not hard, but remembering all of the people to pray for can be.  Thankfully I work with them weekly and my memory can recall that much.  I noticed that in the bulletin this past Sunday that there was a list of prayer requests on the back.  My name appeared on that list and I did not even submit a prayer request.  I felt like one was looking out for me by seeing that the church cared enough to pray for me even though I did not necessarily ask for it.  In the same way one of my first goals for this internship was to pray for the church each day.  It is a challenge, but also a blessing.  I am making friends.

I am allowing myself to heel a bit and in return I am learning a lot.  I think the best way to put it is we're chilling out nicely together.  May you find companionship in unlikely places.  May the annoying become the friend.  May your pride shatter over and over each day.  May you serve.  May you be blessed.

In HIM

Reacting to Authority

Act beyond yourself each day.

Recently I experienced significant change.  I was oriented to a goal.  I am talking about my work as an English teacher to 9 eager students from the greater Boston area.  Friday night was my first true experience as a formal teacher.  All my students are older than me.....There is a good place to start.

It is common for people my age to quote Paul's first epistle to Timothy "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young..." (1 Tim. 4:12).  I pray we do not stop there.  The whole verse is important, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."  It is not in my power to stop one from looking down on me in regards to my stature, but I can strive to live as an example.  

In class I work on my own diction and pronunciation of the readings.  I make sure I smile.  I also try and set a  serious tone when necessary.  All in all I have been given the task of teaching English to this class and I have the most experience with the language.  For the two hours of class I have a goal and the authority to fulfill this goal.  Strange feeling but one I can work with.  

This new feeling has given a new angle to look at my call to ministry.  Under no merit of my own will I receive authority.  I have known this, but I never truly understood it.  Now I realize that just because the authority is not granted to me by my own merits does not mean that there is no authority at all.  Timothy was given authority though he was young.  Paul trusted Timothy and left him instructions.  Most of all Paul told Timothy to keep doing what he had already been doing which was setting an example for believers in speech, life, love, faith, and purity.  The most vital insight I have gained from all of this is that it is not my work that achieves my goal.  Looking at the charge to Timothy I realize the example he or I set is not the goal, but rather the encouragement this work provides to other brothers and sisters is.  That encouragement received by others is not in my control.  I cannot say to someone be encouraged look at what I do.  Though at times I might come off this way to people and for that I am sorry.  No, it is not me, but the Holy Spirit.  I can control the way people will react to me.  I can only control my reaction to the charge given to me to share the good news.  For now I do that with the small authority granted me.  I am thankful to serve.

Everything has its costs and this I have discovered too.  A story for another time though.

Blessings!      

Moody Street

Yesterday I walked Moody street with fliers.
The fliers were advertising a Vacation Bible School at the church.
I passed a handful out but feared going into a store asking if I could post one.
I think people are generally hostile to the Bible.
I think people have been hurt by those thumping a Bible.
I got in the way of my own task.
I walked Moody street with fliers.
Yesterday.

That was my ministry yesterday.  I was a walking distribution center for VBS and I learned so much.  I did not talk much just explained the event to the parents and gave them a flier.  I got better at it as time went on.
I was timid at the beginning but then I realized what I was doing.  I was inviting a parent to enroll their child for a free VBS that lasts 4 days, but may last a life not only for the child, but also the parent.  I know it probably does not happen over night, but children are much more open minded than their parents most of the time.  On my way to a sporting event with my host family I was asked if I think humans are geared to believe in a personal divinity.  Ask the children haha!  Yes, I think there is something inside of us that believes in a greater being.  I do not think one can know the Christian God by this general way that is what scripture reveals.  What I want to say is I am certain of the truth of scripture.  I am certain of the truth of resurrection.  I want to share this! I want to share it with other religions.  I want to share it with those hurt by religion.

The only thing I am unsure of is myself.  That does not go far though, because I know this work in me is not myself.  Within every one of my brothers and sisters is the Holy Spirit waiting to be unchained.  Let the chains break.  Walk the streets with the scriptures in hand.  Read them out loud to all who have ears to hear!  Fall madly in love with our Savior!  Go together because two is better than one, and there is always a third.  Be aware of your environment and find a need you can serve to fill.  Build one another up by listening, eating, resting, and serving each other.  Fill your minds on scripture.  Get in the habit of reading the Bible.  That on its own will stir you.  Do you not realize that this is life?  He rose from the grave!  Dwell on that for a while.  
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We are not merely flesh with an average life span of 70 something years.  No we are much more than that.  We are the good creation of Holy God.  He is inviting you to fulfill your purpose.  Maybe you will walk your Moody street with fliers.  Maybe you will be a convicting speaker.  Maybe you will sit with the wounded quietly weeping alongside them.  Maybe you will invite a neighbor in your life and you both will learn something.  We leave something behind at the cost of these things.  Our privacy, security, old desires, and most of all our pride.  We receive his grace which is more treasured than any earthly thing.  I walked Moody Street yesterday with fliers in hand.  God used me yesterday.  I thank him for that blessing.

May you be Blessed.      

Up Tempo

It has been about a week since I have updated you all on my internship and I will attempt to do just that here.

One thing I have learned over the past week is that a pastor's schedule can be like driving a stick shift car in downtown traffic.  You have to react to each day differently.  Some days like this past Saturday you might find yourself staying in just one gear the whole day.  We did construction all day on Saturday from 9 am to 7pm and it was great.  We made so much progress and area nearly ready for a rough inspection by the city's building inspector.  Just so you all know the church is building an elevator-like lift to go between three different floors in the building.  This lift will allow those with mobility problems to more easily traverse the church building which has been an issue for this church for years.  Thursday was a lot like Saturday in that I did just one thing and that was rest.  I spent my day off talking with friends back in Indiana and Michigan so good to hear from you all.  Then I get days like Wednesday where I come in to the church for the morning, go to Fenway park for an early afternoon game which gets rained on and then return the church at 5:30 to resume construction.  I literally changed my hats that day too going from a baseball hat to a hardhat in a matter of seconds.  Sunday was a similar story.  Pastor Reid invited me to join the worship  team for the contemporary songs segment of the service (they still use their old red hymnals too which is awesome!).  Then we went down to Providence Rhode Island to learn about Roger Williams.  Williams was an advocate for Indian rights in the 17th century and was an instrumental churchman in articulating the idea of the separation between Church and State.  I would highly encourage further study on the man if that latter idea interests you or Early American history is something you enjoy.

This morning I have spent a lot of time reading and praying.  At times I feel guilty for doing this during my work time, but I realize this is work and is necessary for work.  I know Bonhoeffer talked about the relationship between work and prayer.  I hope mine is in balance.  This afternoon I will be meeting with the associate pastor primarily talking about a reading he gave me in Bill Hull's Jesus Christ Disciple Maker.  In the book Hull touches on the idea of evangelizing to people by providing them a choice.  In a sense the gospel has always fasicanted people for a time whether they choose to believe it or not.  Hull believes that the best way to reach out to people is to allow their curiosity to bring them into the Church and let them dwell with the scriptures and believers.  After a time teachings and questions will set in and it is then that we can deepen the relationship and establish a more effective dialogue.  Also Pastor Reid has me going through a section of Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor.  Now I have read parts of this book already, but not this portion.  Baxter writes about the necessity of visitations.  Not visitations limited to just hospital or illness visits, but visitations to all the congregation throughout the year.  Baxter argues that the pastor cannot be effective for his congregation until he knows the state of the congregation's faith.  This knowledge of the congregation's faith is given to the pastor through relationships and interactions the pastor and congregants have.  Baxter believes that one the most effective interactions a pastor can have with congregants is a visit to their home.  Now Baxter does have concerns with doing this but for the most part he sees it in the same way a doctor used to visit the home of the ill to make his diagnosis.  Anymore we go to doctors for a diagnosis, but rarely do we see people come to the pastor when they have concerns and almost never see someone who wants to talk about beliefs who is not in some sort of crisis.  In other words few if any would come in for a spiritual check up in the way some go to a physical given by a doctor to a healthy person.  I really do wish more of the Church was accepting of these ideas thereby allowing their priests or pastors to better disciple the congregations.

It has been an excellent internship so far.


Blessings    

One week of MA

It has been one week now since my arrival to Waltham MA, and I can tell you it has been quite interesting. Hope International Church is very small, but very involved. The first day I spent with Pastor Reid we talked about the primary goals of the Church. He emphasized Evangelism so much he had me on the edge of my seat wanting to actually do it! The best part is I will get to in the next week or so.

I have spent a good portion of my first week becoming acquainted with the area. I've gone to two of the three museums in town and walked the more storied streets of Waltham. A little information about this place for you all. Waltham is considered the "poor cousin" of all the small towns surrounding Boston. Keep this in mind as I give you a briefing on its history. In the time fo the American Revolution Waltham was a farming community with a few large estates owning most of the land the town currently resides on. These farms would grow everything and at one point a large portion of the fruit sold in Boston was actually grown here in Waltham. There is a fruit company in the Cambridge area I believe that maintains its title "Waltham Fruit Company" even though the fruit industry here has come and gone. In the 19th century Waltham became an industrial town first with textile mills and then eventually more tedious industries like bicycle and watch making on large scales. The affordability and work found in Waltham has always attracted immigrant communities. French Canadians, Irish, Italians, Greeks, Russians, Vietnamese, Guatemalans, and most recently Ugandans have all made Waltham a very diverse community. Unlike my Midwestern home though Waltham's community is not very stable community. The immigrant community comes and might stay for about a generation, but very few people who are born in Waltham can actually be found in Waltham later in life. The quality of the schools is also low which reduces the chances of young families staying around for very long. Only 8% of Waltham's community is under 18. Try and imagine that. So how does the Church serve this storied transient community?

First the Church becomes a constant in the presence of transience. Pastor Reid has served in the area for 26 years! He knows this place better than most people know their own home. I was getting ready to post a flyer in a Laundromat and he told that if the owner was in I'd probably be escorted out of the place before I got a chance to explain myself much, and it always happens with this guy (thankfully he was not in). The Church can also be a place for initial interaction with American culture. Hope International Church has offered English courses to the community for 23 years running. What better way to fulfill a relevant need to this community than through language courses? In what other way could a Japanese woman, Ugandan man, and a Midwestern kid work together in the same place for a common goal except through the Church?

I have been developing a lesson plan for the first week of classes which starts up in two weeks or so. I am excited to interact with all the student I might have. I know I'll learn jsut as much as they will. God is good and has the grace to include us in his plans.

Blessings!

Starting to Jive

Okay, I have been in my internship for a grand total of four days so far, and already I am beginning to connect with some people. My goals for the internship have been written down and agreed upon by both my supervising pastor and myself. I have begun serious work and I most importantly names and faces are becoming familiar.

I have spent most of my first days working on my own or with Pastor Reid which has been good for an introduction. Wednesday I helped with an ongoing construction project at the church building. It was here that I got to interact with three other men from the church and a woman who made us all dinner. I would give you names, but for now I want to keep them to myself, but know they are all wonderful people. Anyways, today I got to spend more time working with more people from the congregation. Part of my work at the church includes a six week long English course for non-native speakers. Today we went out and posted fliers in grocers and stores to advertise the classes available at the church this summer. I not only became familiar with the downtown area of Waltham, but also some of the congregants. After distributing the fliers we went out to lunch where I actually felt like a part of the group. For me this is amazing because rarely do I ever feel so included instantly in any situation. Prayers have been answered.

One thing I want all of you to know is I am doing more than well here in Massachusetts. I have not journeyed to downtown Boston yet, but that will come. More updates to come, and expect a reflection on the 1st chapter of Daniel before next Wednesday.

Blessings!

Jubilee Day 1

I am on the clock now! That means that I have in fact made it to the Boston area for my internship.

I started my day early by getting dropped off at the airport by my mom. Security at South Bend regional airport is way easier than anything else I've been through recently. I had a layover in Detroit. I slept through both of my flights which was fine with me. I did bring a guitar with me which was not as big of an issue as I thought it might have been. Only forgot a few small things like a hamper for laundry and shampoo for the shower. I have really learned how to pack quickly and efficiently with all the traveling I have been up to. Today was not so much about me though. Today was a day of introductions and first impressions.

At Logan Airport in Boston Pastor Reid picked me up in his pickup truck and brought me to his home. I had met Pastor Reid back in March, and had even been to his home and church. I had not however met his family. I met two of his four sons and his wife. They are all very welcoming in their own ways. It's just beginning to dawn on me that I will be living here with them for 68 days. I pray this continues to go well. I shared two meals with the family already. Lunch and dinner were both good. I thank God he put me here. I share interests with everyone I have met in the family so far. Also the Reid's just recently bought a puppy. There are now two dogs in the house. It'll be great seeing their pup grow up while I'm here. Yes I will take pictures. Tomorrow there is a funeral. I'm not sure how to approach this. The man had gone to the church for over 30 years. More to follow.

Blessings!