What's a duck to do?

I've taken so many photos recently that choosing just one per day is a daunting task. However, I was driving around in one of the larger business districts today and spotted the perfect photo opportunity. I watched this little guy cross a busy two-way street, waddle past several onlookers, and head straight for the Target entrance. Seems he's more adept at maneuvering in the city than I am.

When all is said and done....

Foto del Dia:

Some of the girls enjoying ice cream during the women's cupcake class at Sylvania Heights Baptist Church. Many thanks for all their church's support and generosity!

All in a day's work..

Yesterday I had the priviledge of attending a Rape Aggression Defense class at the local Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence. The class, which is taught by the Stafford Sheriff's Department, was offered for several area non-profits that work with Latino families and women on a regular basis. I was sent as a LUCHA representative to determine if the class would be appropriate for the female youth and women in our program. I believe that the class offers some awesome knowledge for younger women (especially those leaving for college or living alone for the first time). The full length class lasts for a total of twelve hours held across a span of four weeks and offers both a physical and informative component. I can't wait to see if any of our girls are interested.

GPS discoveries...

I love randomly selecting the historical/landmark option on the GPS.

Quantico National Cemetery:

Best internship EVER!

The last few days have flown by at warp speed. On Friday I went with the Olde Forge children's program to the YMCA water park as a chaperone. Around thirty-five children and several leaders had a great afternoon in the pool followed by pizza and watermelon in the park.

Saturday was spent with my host family and several of their ministry colleagues. We were invited to a couple's riverfront home for dinner (which was delicious) and fellowship (which was a whole lot of fun). I met and re-met several wonderful people from the Olde Forge program and many others representing their local ministries.

Today I finally got to meet several of the youth involved in the LUCHA program, and we all went swimming for the afternoon. Afterwards, we had a group meeting which allowed everyone to give input as to what they would like to do during the summer. Some great ideas were mentioned including: a trip to the Holocaust Museum in DC, weekly trips to the pool, dance parties, pizza and cupcake making classes, and visits to local colleges. My excitement for this summer continues to grow and exceed my expectations!

Marshmallow Peep Christians

I've decided that my adopted theme this summer is going to be, "Sure, why not?" This new mantra of mine has already led me to some exciting, scary, uncomfortable (and not to mention awkward) moments. At first, I was hesitant about my assignment, but I now have a bit more understanding of my dual purpose in Virginia. First and foremost, I am here to serve Christ and others. However, I believe that Christ is using this opportunity to transform me from a "bland, regular old pew-sitter" into a confident, self-aware Christ-follower who's focused on an end-goal and specific purpose. Excuse the food analogy, but it's like a regular Stay-Puft Marshmallow becoming an Easter Marshmallow Peep. You can use a generic marshmallow for anything, which is wonderful. But, being open to challenges and accepting Christ's will in your life can lead you to some pretty amazing places and experiences. Those awkward and scary moments can make you aware of your talents, gifts, and ultimately how Christ desires that you serve Him.



Photo of the Day: My trip to my host family's church on Father's Day.

Where I've been...

It's been a couple of interesting, satisfying days. My first full day consisted of a city tour and getting familiar with the LUCHA office, the food bank, and streets in downtown Fredericksburg. The second day, Kyle (the youth programs intern) and I went to the food bank to shop on behalf of four latino families in the area. After dropping off the food to the families, we spent the afternoon taking inventory of the remaining school supplies from last year's school supply drive. But with the World Cup playing in the background, counting 350 single subject notebooks really wasn't like work at all.

Day three found me running my first solo errand with a single, latina mother of three. Together, we filled out her paper work for food stamps and visited the social services office to make sure that everything was in order.

Kyle joined me for the second part of the day in order to take a mother and her son to the dentist. During the visit, a couple of translating fails occurred, and there was no Spanish/English dictionary in sight. After much debating over the word for 'tooth plaque' in Spanish, the boy's mother finally explained to us that 'placas' in Spanish means dentures (not plaque). After realizing that we had been trying to convince her that her 10 year-old son wore dentures, a good laugh was shared on all accounts.



Below: Photo of the day featuring my lovely, temporary home.

Along the way...

Pulled over to grab a quick picture at a scenic overlook in Virginia.

Leaving the familiar..

Leaving Cape and headed to Barboursville, West Virginia, for the night.

Another adventure... Huzzah!

This summer I will be interning with Student.Go Ministries through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. My assignment through CBF is in Fredericksburg, Virginia (just a commuter's drive from DC). From June 14 to the second week in August I will be working for a Hispanic immigrant assistance program called LUCHA Ministries. I won't go into detail, but for those of you who want to learn more....here you go.

http://www.luchaministries.org/

The Student.Go staff have requested that their interns update them throughout the summer via blog. So, I will be posting a 'Photo of the Day' on my blog (and possibly Facebook) for my updates. Hope you all enjoy!