After the first week with the kids and first Friday Experience

Zechariah 7:10". . . . In your heart do not think evil of each other."

So I thought I'd have a lot more time for this blog, but after the first week I found out how truly busy I will be. This week was so good though. Our kids were angels on Thursday which makes waiting on Monday to get here hard, but we've got a full packed weekend. So, it'll fly by I'm sure.

Between the last time I blogged and thursday, I learned so much about each of the kids. And, I also learned I love the kids that get in trouble the most. Weird. But, through all of my one-on-one time with the "trouble-makers" they have really started to confide in me. It blows my mind how trusting kids can be. Or maybe, it blows my mind how trusting others is so hard for me . I would have never told some of their stories to an adult, to anyone. But, I am so glad that I get to be someone the confide in during this summer. I do not know what I'm going to do when August comes, telling them all, 'Bye, see you next summer!" might be one of the hardet things I will ever have to do, until next summer, when there won't be a "next summer."

Some of the stories I was told ranged from having four siblings and a mom in jail, the loss of a baby brother when you were only three that still brought you to tears, and the fact that if kids don't stop being mean to you, you'll be forced to go back to karate-which you hate. The thing is, none of the kids choose this life. Yet, they have to wake up with these burdens each and every day. That's heartbreaking.

Yesterday, at our Friday Experience, we all just packed up and went to Dallas. When we got there, we found out that we would just be reflecting over the first week. Doesn't sound that hard, right? Going from station to station, it was so moving. One station you were suppose to write down your biggest fear about your call.. The others, you finger painted, you could watch a video and then journal about it, pick a photo of another intern and take it with you to pray about them through the rest of the summer. It was so cool to just be in a room with 98 other people who had a similar last week as yours, a last two weeks. There were so many tears, tears of joy.

"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the worlds deep hunger meet" -- frederick buechner