New beginnings

Tonight I attended a special event for a new program at The Campus called HPRP- Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program. This particular program gets certain individuals into housing quickly and helps them to develop long-term skills to keep their housing.

One struggle formerly homeless people face when they move into housing is the loss of community. Therefore, HPRP includes a component to help to create a sense of community among the participants in the program. Tonight, thirteen men and women who have been recently housed or will soon be housed came for great food, fellowship, and fun. It was such a joy to see the excitement on their faces as they received household goods to take with them; to laugh together as we shared funny stories and random facts about ourselves; and to see the bonds beginning to form among the people present. As dinner was passed around, and I made a comment about the "nice" plates, one man replied, "Wow, do you know how long it's been since I've eaten off a real plate? I don't even remember." New beginnings can start with something as simple as kitchenware.

I drove home in the rainy weather. I looked up, and right in front of me was a beautiful rainbow over the city of Nashville. It was a physical reminder of the spirit of hope that was contagiously present in that dining room tonight.

Photos of San Francisco

Here are some pictures of my weekend in California!

San Francisco

Last weekend, I had the privilege to travel to San Francisco, California, to take part in a Volunteers Exploring Vocation conference, funded by the Fund for Theological Education. I gathered there at San Francisco Theological Seminary for four wonderful days of sightseeing, worship, lectures from seminary professors, and spending time with over fifty volunteers from various programs all over the country. It was such a positive experience, and best of all, completely free!

I found this conference beneficial for me in several ways. First of all, taking a few days off work to travel and be spoiled a little was much needed at this point in the year. I am learning more and more how important self care is, especially in direct service. If I do not take care of myself and make sure that I am finding ways to rejuvenate, then I am not going to be able to serve others to the best of my ability. This realization is one I do not want to forget or forgo.

It was also such a wonderful gift to spend time with other volunteers and share our experiences with one another. We talked about our struggles during this year of service, as well as the “high points” we have had along the way. Spending time with other people who are passionate about similar things was so energizing. I was able to imagine the future of the church when I was surrounded by other people my age who were considering the call to ministry, and it was exciting. I cannot wait to see what the church can become!

I also had a lot of time to reflect personally on my own service at the Campus. I feel extremely blessed to love my job and consider it meaningful work. It gave me something to think about as I discern my next step. I will keep you updated on what that is going to be when I know for sure! Until then, I feel at peace that God is going to lead me to where I need to be next, and that God will open doors in order to make possible whatever is supposed to happen. Thank you for your continued support!