The new Hans Christian Anderson.

Today is Monday, March 10th - the day that I've been looking forward to all last week. I can't say that last week was a good week...planning for the trip into Vancouver that I just did with 50 students was not going smoothly. My car broke down in the middle of it all...so not only was I coordinating this trip, I was coordinating how to get to and from work each day, and doing "emergency" planning in case the mechanic's verdict was not good.

However, God is gracious.

Thursday afternoon at 3:15, I was coordinating all the students who were meeting to leave for Vancouver - which included two unexpected additions (go figure) - when my cell phone rang. It was my friendly mechanic, Scott, letting me know that my car was ready...and with inexpensive repairs. I let out a huge breath of relief...and headed into Vancouver with my students.

This weekend was another great eye-opener, not just for the students, but for me as well. This weekend, due to some difficulties in finding leaders, I ended up leading my own team, as well as running the 5 teams that were there. It was slightly chaotic, but my team was great, and understood when I had to run off, or answer my phone mid-sentence...

Let me share with you a highlight of the weekend (which I think was also a highlight for my team)...

Saturday night, we were scheduled to go to Union Gospel Mission's Maurice McElrea Place - a subsidized social housing initiative on Hastings, which has been running for a few years, and which is always a treat to go and hang out at. We made lasagna and ate dinner and watched a movie with few of the residents...which is always fun. However, this Saturday, we were blessed to meet Ross. Ross has lived in the building for a while, and has a great sense of humour and overall just a warm heart. He had been chatting with a couple of the guys on my team, and after we had cleaned up and kinda finished the "event" for the evening, he invited all 10 of us up to his little apartment for some story-telling.

Now, one never knows what this all will entail. Sure, a guy says he writes children's stories...but what will that look like? Will they be any good? Will it be an awkward few minutes in his apartment as he shares? Will we have to feign interest and approval of his stories? (I was slightly nervous as to how this would all work out.)

I was blown away.

Ross is a gifted story-teller. We sat in his apartment for over an hour, as he shared tale after tale. My tiredness lifted, and I sat with a smile on my face as Ross's eyes lit up, and his stories came alive as he told them.

Ross carried us into his imagination and his passion. He put on his story-telling voice. We were swept into the life of a bumble bee who convinced an elderly lady to play her trumpet again and share her love of jazz with others....we got caught up in the investigation of a lobster detective as he tried to locate a missing "Pink Pearl", the daughter of a loud-mouthed oyster...Ross led us even further into the depths of his imagination, as we witnessed the theft of leprechaun-protected gold by pirates, and the story of the dream fairy and her broken dream-making machine.

I loved every minute of it.

It was hard to leave, for the team to pull away and return to our hostel for the night. And it was hard for Ross to let us go. We had connected through his stories. He thanked us...he had not felt so at ease in his apartment before, especially with 10 people there...and I felt blessed. I love human connection. I love learning what makes the human heart passionate, and being able to relate to that passion for even an hour of an evening.

And with that, I have lived through organizing and leading four "Urban Mission Adventures" into Vancouver this school year. I am happy.

Props to my co-leader Jason for being truly awesome, and to my team for making this weekend a fun time...

anxiety

About this time each year, I get anxious. I start planning my summer - heading to Costa Rica - and try to make it work financially in my head. It doesn't. It never does. But somehow...it always works out. I know the provision will come...but my human mind still suffers the anxiety, knowing that it doesn't "make sense".

In other news, read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" - you will be thankful.

The thing about roses...

I've finished with UMA #3...and have come out better for it.

My mind has been swimming all day, the last three days, with thoughts planted by people who work full time downtown Vancouver in various capacities.

Friday afternoon, I was privileged to take about 30 of the students to a workshop by PEERS Vancouver (standing for Prostitutes Empowerment and Educations Resource Society). I bring a group every UMA to hear these ladies (who were once sex-trade workers) share their stories, and the students are always impacted.

These women found themselves in the trade (often by the age of 12 or 13). By grace, they made it out. Someone gave them a way out. And now today they help others do the same.

While this is obviously, by nature, an emotional workshop, something happened on Friday that I still can't put my finger on; somehow, in some way, there was an even stronger connection than the "usual". I noticed that it was not just myself that felt it, as I noticed a number of students lingering...even though we had told them it was time to leave. A number also approached these ladies, thankfulness on their lips, but not exactly sure what else to say, not even sure that there was more to say, asking if they could offer a hug - it just seemed appropriate.

I have been reflecting the last couple of months on the fact that "story" is something that connects and binds us together. We find a united understanding in story. We can relate to story. It resonates in us. It sticks with us. I can't for the life of me remember three-point sermons, or the table of elements, or the description of a trapezoid; I can recite for you other's stories.

On Friday, Cee Jai and Ty shared with us the most precious thing they could - their stories. In amongst Cee Jai's, was the time she was on Pickton's farm, a place where many women lost their lives, and she ran. She ran for her life, and she got it. Today she helps others, and I believe without a doubt that she was saved with purpose.

There was also an addition to her story; knowing that we were a group of Christians, Cee Jai shared her experience with Christians when she was on the streets. I have to admit, I was expecting her to share a negative experience that she had had. I guess I'm getting a bit cynical.

Instead, she shared a time in which a couple of youth, probably about the same age as our students, walked up to her one cold night, and offered her a rose. They lit a candle, and offered to pray for her. She said that for this moment, after hours of standing, having pennies thrown at her, being sworn at, and used, she felt that someone had recognized that she was a person, a fellow human being. She was astounded. Some 10 years later, this is still imprinted on her mind.

I shared with my students today, how this moment, this weekend, put me in my place. You see, I doubt the effectiveness of such acts. I pair our students with organizations that hand out sandwiches, and as I send them off, I wonder, "Isn't there a better way?" I do believe there is.

But I also have learnt that in the meantime, not doing anything is not the better way. My first year at CBC, I was one of these people who wandered into the "low end", and handed a rose to a sex-trade worker. I, along with two others, offered to pray for her. And then I went on with life.

Since then, I have recently been known to share with others that I think that was one of the stupidest things we could have done. Wasn't it belittling? Wasn't it pointless? Weren't there better options?

And then there's Cee Jai's story. It humbled me.

Steve Klassen came on Thursday night to open our time in Vancouver. He shared on the first two books of Mark...but before he started he said, "You just never know what God is going to do." As soon as Cee Jai shared the story of the rose, that was all I could hear in my head..."You just never know...You just never know" I felt as though God was saying, "Kathleen, YOU, my dear child, you don't know what I am capable of."

There's a million other things I could write about...but I think this will do for now. I am again, reminded, changed, and blessed.

Eastside Take 3.

Urban Mission Adventure Number Three.

I am exhausted, and I haven't even left yet. But hey...I have to say that I'm really looking forward to taking another group of students downtown Thursday - Sunday. I'm excited to see changes in their perspectives and growth in their attitudes. Who knows what could result in opened eyes...

Mi vida con arroz y frijoles.

Two weeks ago I joined about 35 students in a "Minimum to Survive Fast".

Daily, I'm still reflecting on the lessons that I learned during that experience, and feel the need to share.

For seven days, all we were allowed to eat each day was 2 cups of rice and a 1/2 cup of lentils or beans. We were allowed to drink juice and tea (which I took full advantage of). Each day, we would meet together to get our daily portion and lament the fact that we couldn't add any salt or spice or soy sauce. It was great to do this with others - to recognize the lessons that we were learning corporately...and to grieve the loss of variety.

I have to say that while I typically love rice and beans, I was not so much in love anymore. In fact, I would say that we were fighting, my rice and beans, and I. They tried to convince me that they were good and tasty...and I wasn't so convinced.

But here's the thing. I had planned on doing this fast, and not really talking about it...just going about daily life with less food, less flavour, and less variety. But, obviously I had to tell my housemates as we share meals together. And then, my co-workers, because we like to hang out and eat together. And then, my cousins, who invited me over for dinner. And then, other friends, like Maria, who had made chili and wanted me to come share it with her. How could I tell her "No!" And not explain??

And that's the funny part, which lead to Lesson #1. I realized how much we revolve our lives around food. It is no longer something that we know to be for survival. I would venture to say that in North America, for the majority, it is a recreational tool. We gather to eat. What good college event doesn't provide food? What do you do when someone invites you to their home? You probably bring food to share...and they probably have something waiting for you as well.

Lesson #2 also came in the college setting. I don't know HOW many people I have heard complain about the cafeteria food, myself included. I mean, after 6 years of living on campus, I was tired of the lack of variety...a rotation of "once a month". Variety is what we thrive on...is why we have the Food Channel and numerous talk shows touting advice on your menu for the night. When all you have is rice and beans every day, you start to realize that variety is a privilege...not a right.

Lesson #3 happened on day 4. I was sitting in chapel, and the college's President was sharing about his life. He shared how his wife and himself have recently become vegetarians, and then mentioned that he's learned to appreciate a good Veggie burger. Immediately, I thought, "oh, that sounds good. I should get one for lunch." I promptly recalled that thought - I already had my lunch for the day sitting in the staff fridge - one tupperware of rice and beans! Food is incredibly available to us. In Abbotsford, I can go anywhere within 10 minutes and find some ethnicity, some type of food, and ask someone to provide me with that food. It's that simple. I don't have to plant my grain, or water my crop, or pray for rain, or save my money to buy a cow that I could slaughter...it's all been done for me.

Needless to say, an experience like this one stays with you. I pray that it will continue to stay. I actually regret not trying it for the full two weeks that were presented to me. This coming month is the Rice Raiser here in Abbotsford...a local initiative to raise food and funds for both local and global feeding and teaching projects. While this has been something in my radar since September, I believe in it all the more since doing this fast. I encourage all of you to contact me if you want more info about any of this...I'm willing to spend time talking about this experience and about ways we can get involved in stopping hunger worldwide. It definitely is possible...but it involves us all giving a little...and recognizing that we have TONS.