I was having a dilemma last weekend, and didn't have anyone here to turn to. It was a situation back home that I wasn't sure how to deal with and I was getting rather frustrated over, and no one in Dallas knew me well enough to tell me what to do. I texted one of my roommates looking for advice and security..but I got so much more. I forgot how well my best friends knew me. I forgot how much I missed Michigan and my best friends.
"And I think they knew. Not anything specific really. They just knew. And I think that’s all you can ever ask from a friend." -StoryPeople
I was struggling with something else a few days later and gave a call to another friend back home and I felt left that conversation feeling so loved. I have hit the jackpot on friends it seems, back in Michigan and here in Texas. :)
On a different note...last week was one interesting one. I'd say one for the books! From day one, things went wrong. Monday, we had a kid who didn't want to behave so he had to sit out for half the day. Although it was a difficult situation, we made it work. We played soccer, climbed on tanks that were at the National Guard station near the trail, and talked about how PT could be improved.
Tuesday of last week we didn't even get to go mountain biking. Chapel Hill was having a special guest presenter come in and talk to the youth about visual arts and photography. She showed them a slideshow, had them draw poses and then everyone took a portrait using a polaroid camera. It was quite an interesting show.
Wednesday was a different kind of struggle. Everything was going fine until the end of our ride when one of the youth started clenching his chest and breathing really hard. He looked like he was in a tremendous amount of pain and everyone rushed to his aid. He said his chest hurt really badly and we were afraid to let him continue, so we cut our ride short and played it safe. SCARY!
This week we also had a murder mystery party! My friends are such great actors :)
Thursday we had to bring one of the youth from Oak Cliff UMC back right after he got there! Everyday we let the kids use some of PT's donated sunscreen...and poor Alex broke out in hives after putting it on. His neck was inflamed and his face had red bumps all over. It was such an itchy situation that I felt nothing but bad for the guy. It was an adventure and a good chance to get to know one of the other interns from Oak Cliff though and it ended up being a fun day overall!
Thursday night... not that I even need to say it, because everyone already knows.... WAS THE HARRY POTTER PREMIER!!! The stories of my childhood... coming to an end in a final movie. A group of us bought tickets the night before...for reasonably cheap... and had the wonderful opportunity to see the movie at 12:01!
Friday Experience last week was an educational one. A spokesperson from Zoe Ministries came in and spoke to us about their organization. Above anything else, he stressed how he wanted us to take away a more critical version of thinking of not for profit organization....and his presentation did just that. Instead of traveling to in-need countries and giving away supplies or services, Zoe Ministries is about teaching orphans how to fend for themselves. The only thing the organization gives orphans in African without them earning it is a hoe, to make land ready to harvest (proper word usage Rachel Goddard? haha). It made me rethink my deep urge to want to travel to Africa and help people over there. What good is it if I just give them things that they don't have? Will they learn to become forever dependent on others? Another question that had been on my heart lately was asked straight up during this Friday Experience.
"What should I do about going home at night to a home, a roof, and everything the people I'm helping don't have?" I have been feeling so guilty lately. Working with kids in urban areas puts my life into such a perspective. It's as small as leaving site everyday to come home to Southern Methodist University (which is too expensive for even me to afford to attend), let alone get to live here for free for the summer, where volunteer churches bring us free dinner every night of the week. My life is so easy compared to these kids, and I didn't do a single thing to deserve it. Let alone, when I leave Dallas for the summer, I'll be flying back to Michigan where I'll be living in my own apartment, going to college, paying for next to nothing by myself. I am so lucky to have parents who support me...emotionally and financially.
After the wonderful eye opening and thoughtful presentation about Zoe Ministries, a bunch of us loaded up to head over to my friend Nic's house in Plano for a pool party! :) We spent so long just hanging out, throwing a football, dunking each other, and just releasing all of our stress from the prior week. It was a absolutely wonderful day, capped off with playing video games, getting to know each other better, and watching movies.
Saturday morning, me and three friends got up early, drank our coffee, and geared up for our 18 mile relay race!! Although it was sooooooo hot and we ran way slower than expected and desired, it was a great time and I'm so glad that I got to compete with "Gabe and the Babes!" :)
Saturday night... one for the books!!! I think last Saturday made my top three favorite nights of the summer. The whole day on Saturday I wasn't feeling well. I hadn't gotten much sleep the past three or four nights and I was emotionally, physically and spiritually exhausted. I layed around...not feeling well.... and I questioned whether I wanted to be social on Saturday night or just sleep. Luckily, my friend Stacey didn't let me cop out of our exciting plans. So I got all dressed up and went to Southern Junction. I learned how to 2-Step and I had an absolute blast!!! I feel inspired to buy cowboy boots and to country dance forever!
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