so during our evening debriefs with the groups, we do this excercise.....i saw, i felt, i learned. and with my group from San Clemente a couple weeks ago, it went better than i ever could've dreamed. the students just really responded to the idea, and gave some incredible feedback. so here are the lovely Jenna's thoughts.....
"I saw...a woman excited from a bing prize....a man blessed by a smile...joy. contrast...love....a school with every kind of wall....a drug deal....Christ being the bridge....a park with the deepest congrast...a child's smile. a dumpster full of cardboard...beautiful people...work...a home. peace in the face of greed...a man with no home. a tent as a palace...brokenness....I felt...touched. pain...joy...privileged...the cold concrete...the thick air....the tenderness of a lonely heart...the tears of the people...unworthy of my wealth...ashamed....and a need of compassion....I learned...that brokenness looks like many things...a smile is God's compassion....the nonwealthy are worthy.....to forget myself....to focus on the things inside....to look past dirt, grime, poverty, cardboard, darkness and to see the light."
when Jenna read those words, my heart was moved beyond belief. it was like in that moment, the Lord was reaching into my soul and audibly saying, "Child, I have brought you here for this reason."
reading through their evaluations week after week, listening to their words of encouragement and affirmation, seeing their hearts transforming before my eyes...makes all this worth it. it redeems all the homesickness and loneliness that i've felt the last two months. knowing that Christ is doing a good work in and through me is more than i can ever ask for. and it's what has brought me to the decision to stay for a while longer....i've officially decided to stay for the spring term.....and then i guess we'll go from there :) thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
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