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this weekend was crazy!

Friday:

I slept in (most of the interns hiked Mt. Beardstadt which is a fourteener...I figured I would probably die...so I didn't go) then prepared for the Cardboard Campout. I picked up 6 boxes (2/person) from the Subway at Walmart, some ductape, and some sharpies...we (Amy, Kristen, Erin, Stephanie, Josh, and I) headed to Thorton, CO to the middle of nowhere....which has a chuch...Northern Hills Christian Church...they were expected 150 to show up for the campout but only 30 came....

It was amazing. Steph, Erin, and I were the three interns that decided to stay for the night and actually sleep on and in cardboard...Mike Garza (a case manager with the STAR program) gave his powerful testimony...he lived on the streets for a number of years in both California and Denver...he panhandled, was an alcoholic that started detoxing with a BAC of 0.2 (0.4 will kill you), he ended up getting stabbed in front of the DRML which eventually led to him graduating the New Life Program then transfering and graduating from the STAR Program...going to college....getting married....and working at the Crossing...amazing the power of Christ!

so....didn't really sleep well that night...but that was kinda the point...got up around 530am for breakfast and a debrief of the night for those that participated...

Saturday:

ran Kids Club...only 5 kids...sad times...but I was exhausted so that was okay...

took a nap then went to Heavenfest. 12,000+ people were at the same church as the Cardboard Campout....70+ artists events...it was intense....but it was amazing too! helped answer questions about volunteering and interning at the DRM booth...pretty cool...

Saw Jeremy Camp in concert. Sweet.

Decided that the next day I would be spontaneous with two other girls (Jeanna and Heather)...

Sunday:

left the Crossing at 5am for a 6 hour drive to South Dakota to see some Presidents carved into a mountain. We went to Mount Rushmore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was amazing! We drove through Wyoming and some of SD to get there. Let me tell you that Wyoming is it's own kind of beauty...with nothing around for miles and miles and miles except trains. and it really is the place where the "deer and the antelope play" and "the skies are not cloudy all day..." we also saw buffalo!!! and a fox but he was in Denver on the on-ramp to I-70...hahaha. South Dakota has the black hills which are gorgeous....and of course, George, Thomas, Teddy, and Abraham (Lincoln that is)...amazing!

got back last night around 9:30 and went to bed! that was amazing too....sleep was so good!

3 more full days here and then I head back to the south (where sweet tea is all a person really needs) on friday....

I'm really starting to feel the drain and strain of this last stretch...but I know that before I know it I'll want to be back here....so I'll just make the most of it all....

61+8=home

So. these are out of order...ooops...and that's not nearly all...but I had some time and thought some visuals would be nice! enjoy!



Well hello there....from the top of Pike's Peak.

The Group...potty break before the drive up Pike's Peak
Stapleton Park...where we took the kids...AMAZING...hightech park!

Dr. Howard!!!!! Saw the bike in CoSprings...it made me think of you!!
CoSprings...
BEAUTIFUL
So cool....they were marching around...we watched...and waved...haha
Where I've been!

The longest road in the country
Denver...
Coors Field...went to a game...the Rockies won!
CRUSH! game....dancing toilet? remember?
curvy road at Pike's Peak....kinda scary!

more of Stapleton's park....I got really dizzy here...tons of spinning things...
hahaha. that's my roommate Kristen...after the van brokedown at Pike's Peak
That's the CEO of the DRM Brad Meuli looking at a van...whattaguy!
wow. still can't believe I've been here

so...this weekend is the Cardboard Campout/Heavenfest...I'm pumped...I'm searching for some cardboard....the kitchen will probably have some...I'm really excited to see how tomorrow nights presentation and testimonials of those involved with the DRM will affect the awareness of homelessness...

this week's VBS is over...it went really well! Grace Presbyterian from Houston, TX did an amazing job and went all out! All the kids got CD's of the music and T-Shirts...(so did the interns...holla!) really exciting!

8 more days to make the most of an amazing opportunity and summer. it's not quite real that i'm leaving next friday....so i'll just pretend i'm not :)

will post more pics and such probably when I get home....

3

3 hour naps are great. Just to let you know.

So...this past week was pretty chill. This next week...probably not so much...

This coming week is our last VBS week of the summer...and since Jenna (supervisor) and Crystal and Luke are all away at KAA (Kid's Across America) camp in Missouri this week...it should be pretty interesting...interns unite! hahaha...

12 more days. yikes.

21

well...I'm 21 now...weird.

we went to Hard Rock Cafe last night and it was a blast...it felt good to hold to my convictions and not feel pressure to drink...so basically I'm 21 and I'm okay with the fact that I don't drink.

my granparents started calling me at 5am yesterday and then 6 and 7 and my mom called on the half hours...it was ridiculous...my roommate Kaila and Stephanie made me a poster and filled my bed with balloons...it was great!!! ...Devin hit me with a water balloon...not so great...hahaa

my mom sent me flowers and many people called and wrote on my wall on facebook...

so pretty much it was a great day and I feel very blessed!

today is my supervisor's birthday! happy birthday Jenna!

that's pretty much all for now....things have been pretty chill this week...

hollaatchalater!

7

***warning: long post***



first off....I have a deep desire to praise the Lord for the work He is doing through the DRM....

here's the story:

Monday: a family of 7 (dad, mom, 5 kids ages 3-16) came to the Crossing because they no longer had any money to stay one more day at the motel they were living in...literally not a cent...so this family came with all of their stuff and waited till 2pm to find out if at room was available. My roommate Kaila works with FSHI (Family and Senior Homeless Initiative) so she was able to secure them a weeks worth of rent voucher and meal vouchers...amazing...

T-R: the kids became involved with our programs and we made connections with them...the mom is a firm believer in the power of the Lord...and by Wednesday they found out they qualified for the FSHI program...

so that brings the story to today...the family is moving into their own house tomorrow! I just spoke with the mom and she is unbelievably thrilled...and praising the Lord the entire time!

it's stories (and realities) like these that make me fall in love with the work being done here...

anyway...

last thursday we served dinner at the DRML--the downtown men's shelter/soup kitchen/clinic

talk about an experience I will never forget...and an experience that I have a desire to repeat again and again...

the DRML (Denver Rescue Mission: Lawrence St) is in the middle of "Triangle Park" which is an area that has the DRML, Samaritan House, and another shelter all in the same area which means tons of homeless...

I was told to look at the people we were serving...you may think 'bum' or 'hobo' and granted there were definitely those types...and those that were pretty well on their way to a nice hangover...but also those that were decently dressed...families...as well as younger men that seemed to just have left work...it's an intense moment of awe when your presuppositions are challenged.

I know that families I work with at the Crossing and some of their stories...but the DRML just added to picture of homelessness and its effects. also. the food there is really good...they serve about 200 meals in 45 minutes. talk about intense...

then...came the weekend and the 4th of July. the holiday that made me really want to be home where I know the people their take it seriously and the F-15s do a fly over...and there are amazing fireworks and flags on every lightpole. not so much in Denver. it took us 30 minutes just to find the American flags at Wal-Mart on the 3rd. the "parade" we went to was nothing more that personal pride in the fact that it was an entirely 'green' parade...but that's another story.

that night we did find fireworks downtown and it was amazing to see the reflections on the buildings and see towns miles away shooting off fireworks because it's pretty flat out here...

the rest of the weekend was spent resting and enjoying the use of my supervisors house as she was away for the weekend and we were house sitting...

then came this week...a group from the John 3:16 Mission in Tulsa, OK came and did a 4 day VBS....wow...talk about amazing.

the group was 13 highschoolers and 2 leaders. the most mature highschoolers i've ever met. they are our kids just grown up. they are being discipled and it is evident the work that has been done in their lives...amazing leaders and a blast to work with! they knew the best kid's songs and the kid's loved it...as did the interns...can't get them out of our heads...hahaha...and their leader/pastor Rich paid for the 6 interns to go to Eliches today (6 flags over Denver...actually more in Denver...) It was a blast...not as good as Atlanta but still fun to ride rides and hang out with the John 3 crew one more time before they leave tomorrow...:(

It's hard to believe I only have 22 more days here....I think I could stay here if I were already graduated...anyway...

so my birthday is on Tuesday. just to let you know :)

ooooohhhhh! so July 25-26 is going to be amazing! the 25th is a Cardboard Campout to promote awareness of homelessness and then the 26th is Heavenfest. well.......somebody in charge wants the interns at the DRM to help facilitate small group discussion the morning after the campout with those that attended! and then we get in free to Heavenfest which is a huge Christian concert!!! oh. and we also get to promote the work of the DRM at a booth at the concert! I'm so excited!!!!!

well that was a decently long post...this next week will be pretty low key but I think that will be good for us...we need a bit of a break...

i'll leave you with a verse from a VBS song stuck in my head "J is for Jesus...O is for others...and Yyyyyyyy is for you. you. youyouyouyou..." then you dance around....

for those of you that asked:

6090 Smith Rd.
The Crossing
Denver, CO
80216

13,999

haha. so yesterday at Pike's Peak...we took two DRM vans...both filled to capacity...and one made it to the top and one didn't...

i was in the one that didn't we were literally two curves from being at the top when the van just died. hilarious. especially becasue the driver was Brad Meuli (pronounced Miley) head CEO/President of DRM...he's amazing! and very down to earth! It was cool to hear his heart for the homeless and desire to serve even us lowly interns :)

well Pike's Peak...talk about amazing view....it's one of 53 fourteeners (14,000ft) in Colorado...and talk about crazy high...and very thin air...i got a bit dizzy and lightheaded...so i was quite happy to be back at 6,000ft...hahaha...i wonder how i'll adjust when going back to Georgia...which Warner Robins is like 300ft. hahaha...anyway...

well...Josh (intern coordinator) drove the other van to the top and came back down for the second group. Brad waited with the van which we named Lazarus (b/c it kinda came back to life for a while) or Lazi for short. haha. Well since Pike's Peak is in Co Springs and working vans are in Denver, Brad had to wait for a couple hours to finally meet back with us in Manitou Springs at a Mexican restaurant...mmm.

Manitou Springs is very much "hippie" town...including "The Hemp Store" where Erin and I bought some hemp to make necklaces and such...it was humourous anyway....most stores were either reggae-ish or new-agey...it seems like CO is full of these little towns that are...well...different...from Georgian small towns...hahaha. it just makes me realize how much Americans still need Jesus and how alternate life-styles and religions are more common than i thought...

tomorrow is our Pre-Independence Day Partay ("because partay rhymes with day"--Kaylie). I'm super pumped! We are doing a history lesson, songs, crafts, games and school house rock videos! Hopefully the kids will have a blast...i know i would!

Tomorrow night all the interns will be serving dinner at the DRML (Denver Rescue Mission Lawrence St. ) which is the main downtown shelter/soup kitchen...i haven't been there yet so i'm excited to see how the homeless are served and how their needs are met...

****************shout out: Tom ******************

I decided to start including some random stories about people I've met since being here that have impacted me...

Tom is a STAR resident that moved here about 7 months ago as a Respite guy. He's in his 60s. and he is amazing. He says that he came here with a hangover and cataracts and that he'll leave here sober and with Jesus.

Pretty much I see Tom everyday and he always has something encouraging to say. He also has nicknames for everyone...mine was first "Danielle Steel--didja know she has written her 100th book?" then when he found out I was from Georgia it became "the Georgia Peach" haha. One time I was doing devotions for the youth staff meeting and he found out about it and afterward I ran into him and he told me that he prayed for me that morning while he was doing his rosary. Tom is also a very commited Catholic. I was very grateful for his prayers. Tom is pretty much great! He's like the grandpa to the interns...plus he's hilarious...

Pray for Tom:

• renewed relationship with his daughter
• strength to stay sober (alcohol)
• encouragement to continue with and graduate from the STAR program
• encouragement in his walk with Christ

well...Rockin' Readers is about to start...holla!