One thing I love about community is the opportunities we have to minster to each other. When you get 30 people that have all given a year (or more) of their life to helping young people, you get a pretty amazing group of people. There is always someone to turn to during both hard times and celebration. I have found this especially with other international volunteers as we struggle together with culture shock, homesickness, and the language barrier (and there are a few words that us American don't understand :) ). I have found that some of our most special times are the non-verbal ones, like the impromptu dance party a few of us had, and teaching each other card games from our home countries.
Having that Lutheran heritage has also been fun sharing. Erik, the other ELCA volunteer, and I have had a great time having Lutheran/Catholic discussions with our Catholic neighbors. We are so blessed to be in such an accepting environment - everyone is curious about Lutherans (there are 15 congregations in all of England and Scotland and Wales) and has had really open ears and hearts to what we have to say. It has gone the other way as well - I certainly enjoy hearing the lively discussions and opinions surrounding catholicism, and am learning more and more what it means to be Catholic to different people.
Of the leadership staff, each have 2 or 3 of us that they are supervising. My supervisor's name is Simon, and he is the qualified youth worker. I am very excited to work with him - I think we are a really good match. He has just the right tools and style to challenge my skills working with young people. I will make a comment like 'yea, sometimes it's hard to get them into a circle...' and Simon replies with 'nah, you just have to train them so they know when you stand a certain way to just do it.' And other things like that. I'm really looking forward to it.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
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Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen
When I'm Lost on the Road
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
And the fact that I think I am following
your will does not mean that I am
actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please
you does in fact please you.
And I hope that I have that desire in all
that I am doing.
And I know that if I do this, you
will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death, I will
not fear, for you are ever with me
and you will never leave me
to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton
Risk
This is a poem that was used in our training and we also used in the retreat last week. I feel it is very fitting for this adventure.
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach for another is to risk involvement.
To expose your ideas, your dreams,before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.To believe is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The people who risk nothing, do nothing,have nothing, are nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes they are slaves;
they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach for another is to risk involvement.
To expose your ideas, your dreams,before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.To believe is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The people who risk nothing, do nothing,have nothing, are nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes they are slaves;
they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
Crisp Flavours.
England has an amazing amount and variety of Crisp (chip) Flavours! Here are a few of my favourites (like the English spelling :) )
Ready Salted
Cheese and Onion
Roast Chicken
Prawn Cocktail
Steak and Onion
Worcester Sauce
These are the normal ones that you'd find in a gas station. Crazy, isn't it?!
Ready Salted
Cheese and Onion
Roast Chicken
Prawn Cocktail
Steak and Onion
Worcester Sauce
These are the normal ones that you'd find in a gas station. Crazy, isn't it?!
English Lingo
- Lorry (Semi-Truck)
- Rubber (eraser)
- Ta (Thank You)
- Cheers (Thank you)
- Skip (dumpster)
- Bin (trash can)
- Drink (Tea)
- Brew (Tea)
- Cupper (Tea)
- Chips (Fries)
- Crisps (Chips)
- Biscuit (cookie)
- Chuft (Proud)
- Lie in (sleep in)
- Rubbish (trash)
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