Mentors

I've been fortunate to recently get connected to many youth leaders, ministers, and officers over the short bit of time that I have been in California. To top that off I've also been quited blessed to be able to attend this year's US western territory's Boot Camp down in the Malibu Hills - where they filmed the opening scene from M.A.S.H. I can't say that Malibu was all that it's cracked up to be since there was torrential rain the whole time and we had to be evacuated the last day because of flooding - yipes.

That's the bridge we drove across to get into camp - Picture taken morning of Day 2

Day 5 Evacuation...we had to go out a back route.

Boot camp was great though - got to hear from some great speakers i.e. Dr. Kara Powell, Jim Burns, Larry Acosta, Etc.... as well as make new friends - may even get to take some youth over to Revolution Hawaii - kinda like 6:14's Ingite, but in Hawaii. Yeah, I'm sure that will be a big seller to the kids but man are they totally in for the most depressing view of Hawaii.

By the way, did I mention that the Salvation Army has waaay tooo much over here in Cali? I'm so blown away by it and although thankful, am finding the excessiveness hard to swallow. Just look at the tent we had for our main services....It cost a pretty penny too...

I really am thankful for the opportunity to have been there and on top of that - I got reconnected with my music camp counsellor from when I was back at Jackson's Divisional! Lisa Walters - now married to Ricardo and they have a beautiful son named Zachary. I reconized her face the first day at boot camp and couldn't place the how or who - but then the second day it hit me. She was my cabin counsellor. Crazy - and they came all the way from South Africa too. So glad to be reunited with her again!

The thing that I came back thinking of the most when I left was that I have been mentorless and peerless since I've been here. It is something I really need and my mentors back home are hard to get in touch with all the time and I wish I had something more tangible here. Luckily, there are some peeps out here in the bay area that I've gotten to know and look forward to picking their brains and hearing about their ministries. It's hard for me to talk to my officers because sometimes I just want to say what I want to say without it affecting my job...does that make any sense?

Also, I miss having peers that I could call last minute to hang out with, grab a bite, a movie, a coffee, and just walk through a bit of life together knowing I am not the only crazy one. Andrew's here, yes, but he's so busy I barely get to see him. Plus I'm carless so unless someone wants to double ride on my bike, we're not going anywhere =P. Helen Unnie (June's mom) & my girls - I miss you!

I'm just praying now for a mentor and peers - I crave to have people my age around me and in my church where Andrew and I are the only 20 somethings. Please keep it in your prayers for me too!