I'm almost ready

I'm back from my final trip to the big city and beyond. I still remain carless and cell phone free as if I'm still travelling. But watch out Nashville, next week I will be a true American with a job, a car, and (kind of) a place to live :)

Dearest airplanes and airports: you will not be missed this year.

Love,
Steph

sweet sweet NYC

I shall see you in a few hours. We will be friends tommorrow. After 36 hours in your airport, I'm sure we'll hit it off great.

p.s. would someone plese go here with me?

Notes from Josh

"God is giving his children all the gifts to kick butt in the spirit realm".

what do you have that you did not recieve? therefore we cannot boast about the gifts we have. scars are trophies of spiritual accomplishment. people with scars have been deeply wounded but allowed God to heal them.

God is setting us up for a journey with him. this doesn't mean was are safe from being beaten, rather we have all the gifts and abilities to pick ourselves up after we've been tread upon.

this weekend i start my journey home. moving back to america means so much more than leaving germany. in fact, i don't even feel as if i'm "leaving" as much as i am "bringing" all these things i've learned, the relationships i've gained, and the knowledge i now have with me. its a new begining, a fresh start to walk into everything God has built up inside of me. i find this time a chance to use all the gifts that have been revealed in me. i'm going to continue to help the poor. i want to continue to encourage others to help the less fourtunate because in doing so, there is a healing done inside of the giver.

but enough about me. may God's kingdom be present wherever we go. may his good work be revealed in time.


i'm on a journey. will you join me?

I went to Italy

it was marvelous

When In Rome

Life could not be more grand.

THE MOVIE

VISIT: http://drawnfromwaterthemovie.com/for more info.

Your products made from slaves?

El Roi

Some of you know a bit about the project Pick a Pocket supports in Mombasa, Kenya. This pre-school is run by a local woman (and good friend) Christine Opereh. We showed up on a Sunday to pay a visit. It was during our vacation week in Kenya so we did not intend on seeing the children, but only wanted to bless Mrs. Opereh with a few supplies for the kids. On our walk to the building with Christine we were greeted by a dozen or so children with faces brightly lit as they got a glimpse at their favorite teacher. It was Sunday and even though there was no class to be had, about 20 of her students caught word she was there and showed up on the steps to greet us. They recited the alphabet and a few songs in English for their new American friends. We got a tour of the one-room building and interviewed her to see what her next steps and needs were.

The pre-school was established to give street children the chance at an education. It is specifically for street kids who have AIDS/HIV. Christine had a dream to start her own school for children who suffer from this disease and had no chance at getting an education. Almost 3 years ago she saved enough money to establish a plan with a small one-room schoolhouse and a few volunteers from her own family. Today there are about 40 kids who attend classes on a daily basis. Because of Kenyan law, every child must have their own books, uniform, and supplies.

Because the children come from families with little to no income, their supplies must come from outside support, or from the pocket of Christine herself. I was able to give $100 to help pay for three children to buy uniforms and to go towards a fund supplying each student with their very own backpack. I know it wasn't much, but I know a little help, encouragment, and prayer can go a long way.

The schools' biggest need at the moment is funding to buy private land and a building. It would only take about $25,000 USD to get this started, and would also allow Christine to have one less worry of rent each month. Pick a Pocket hopes to continue to support these children and to spread the word about small things being done by local people with a huge heart.

"We can do no great things, only small things with great love." - Mother Teresa

Summer is coming

must. have. these. tights....

Chickens, Church, and Change

It's not Africa unless you find yourself on a bus crambed full of people, starring into the eyes of an innocent chicken in the lap of the woman next to you while holding a box carried onto the bus by an elderly woman. This box probably contains her office: a jebula (Ethiopian coffee pot) perhaps, or maybe ambasha (traditional bread), or the fixings for her and her daughters Easter feast of dorrowet and injera (chicken with sauce).

Celebration, joy, and mourning are in the air as we come to the close of Christianity's most important holiday: Easter. With a bit (okay a ton) of relief there is no such thing as a sly pink Easter bunny in these parts, I rest in knowing that because of today I am saved. Easter is only about the sacrafice, pain, suffering, and redemption in the life and resurection of our Christ. It's always seemed to me (in America) that the most important day in everyone's life has sadly (no, devestatingly) turned into another day of superficial stuff without substance. I believe the more I'm away from my country, the more it sickens me to see just how much we have wrong.

It's good friday and were laying everything down at the cross...

Jesus mission was to restore us back to what we were created to be. He is the meaning of prefix: putting things back to where they once stood. Restoring returning repenting reviving.