going mental, going mobile (part 2)

Here i am, in Southern California. I am on a mobile trip, the second one i've ever been on. (see previous posts for details of the first.)
Megan, Luke and I were all, how do you say, left behind, when everyone from our base decided to go off and have amazing adventures over-seas and change the world. But we get to do this. we get to share our passion with colleges, high schools, youth groups and churches. we have been handing out buttons like mad, and people really are responding. we have been praying that God would lead us to specific people, so it should come as no surprise when people keep saying things like "man, God has really been speaking to me about missions. i wonder if this means something. hmm."
People are slightly weirded out that we came ALL the way from oregon (as if it were another country) to come and talk about what we are doing and why. my common response is because i love it. i love the challenge, the adventure, the freedom, and the knowledge that i am making a difference. a real difference.
Its been a good week so far. we are here for another two, and tomorrow we pick up my most amazing norwegian friend from the airport in ontario. (she had to renew her visa in mexico. yeah, beautiful naive norwegian blonde, alone in mexico. I dont know how she is still alive. she's crazy.)
mostly, i love hanging out with college age studenst who have so much passion, but have no idea what to do with it. we get to give them some ideas, some options, and their response is so fresh. they really do want to change things.
the best part is, we get to be in the sun. alot. mostly because we set up our huge promo booth outside at some random college. and this is So Cal, and it is hot. us oregonians just aren't used to it. we are baking like toasted cheesers.
oh, and megan got a rash. a really bad rash covering her arms. we believe she is allergic to the sun. yup. amidst the white and freckly-ness of her skin, you can now see bulbous red lumps starting to creep their way up her skin. it would be really funny if it didnt itch so much. tonight, we are sharing at a youth group. we are doing a full set, meaning we speaking, showing a DVD, doing monologues and then i am playing a song i wrote. im nervous. we have not done this yet. but i think it is going to be good.
ok. i will keep you posted about how things are going.
oh! we also got to go to the huge displace me even held by the "invisible children" people here in LA. We slept in cardboard boxes alongside 6,000 other people. look it up online, you might just see us.

the times they are a-change'n.

My team is gone. three weeks ago i said goodbye as the students that i have had the privilege to disciple, stepped onto a plane and left for Cambodia/Thailand for the next two months. and i am so proud. I eagerly await the stories of the miraculous, the bus rides, the scary food, the squatty potties and of course, the stories of God's amazing ability to break your heart for the things that break his.
these last two weeks, i have been working in the registrar, practicing my professional phone voice while recruiting new students for the upcoming schools, while preparing with my team (Luke and Megan) to head down to california for the next three weeks to spread the passion we have for missions. I got to test my Art skills on some ludicrously cool buttons (they are white with a robot on them, then a red line going across him to symbolizing that you shouldnt be a robot, but the child of god you are called to be. it actually fits nicely into our program) and then i had fun creating our official flier that we will pass out in our "pastor packs" when we hit up different churches.
needless to say, its been busy but exciting. I realized lately that nothing is ever solid in my life. everything is always changing, and i am learning to love it. I am learning to love the fact that most of my friends come from countries that i have never been to, or ever really thought about before i met them. i love that i am always saying hello, though it still stings every time i have to say goodbye. Nothing is constant except the drive to reach the nations, to have adventures, and of course, Christs love, whether he speaks it in whispers or yells it through the sunlight that is pouring through the clouds overlooking the most beautiful meadow i have ever seen. other than that, the foundations are shaky. but i am not standing alone. how could i?