what would you have done?

I find it hard explaining to people why I came to Amsterdam.  But I know why I'm here.  Does that make sense?  Of course it doesn't.  Just the ramblings of a scatterbrained adventurer.

What I mean is that God is up to so much, and I know I'll be seeing the puzzle pieces fit together.

And one of those pieces is human trafficking, which you will be hearing a lot more about in the future.

But for now, I'd like to give you a glimpse into the "sheltered" life to which I'm quickly adapting!

I live in a staff house with like 35 other crazy people.  It can be a little hectic when it comes to sharing the kitchen or doing our chores, but I am in love with each of these people.  It's the kind of community that I know we're meant to live in, yet rarely able to find.  They encourage each other, bless each other, cook for, clean up after, worship with, cry with, dance with each other.  It's a beautiful place where broken people come together to make a gorgeous mosaic of love for Jesus.

I have two roommates.  Rebekah, the Brit, and Nicola, the German.  Our room is the best, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!  I sleep on a top bunk, so it feels a little bit like being in college again. 

The house is like a 10 minute bike ride from the hostel.  Biking here feels a bit like playing crazy taxi.

I'm typing this blog up from the reception desk.  I'm starting to feel very comfortable behind this desk, but tomorrow I'll leave my comfort zone again and have my first cafe shift!  I was excited about cafe when I thought it would be Starbucks-esque, but I've learned enough to know that involves quite a lot more cooking!  Since I'm only proficient in making grilled cheese sandwiches, this whole hostel is in for a fun surprise!!  Holland is playing Argentina right now, and I don't need to watch the game to know every single time something exciting is happening in the game.  The entire city holds its breath when someone might score.  It's so much fun to watch the World Cup from here.

Twice a week we have Ministry Training Program.  Today's MTP was about leading Bible Discussions, which we have in the hostel every night. 

I love Amsterdam because everything is so accessible.  If I want pizza, I can just walk down the street until I see some.  Besides that, the entire city is steeped in culture, history, beauty.  I love the canals.  I hate biking.  I love stroopwoffels.  I hate the red light district.  I love hagelslag.  I hate coffee shops. I love people. 

I finally got over to the Anne Frank Huis last night.  (Finally might seem off since I've only been here a week, but the house is literally a five minute walk from the hostel.)  The house was a lot bigger than I thought.  Still, it was a very emotional experience to think of so many people in hiding and so many in concentration camps or dead.  Still, the number hardly compares to the 27 million in slavery today, but we hardly talk about it.  Why is that?  Is it just easier to talk about problems we used to have than problems we have now?  Is this the truth of every generation - that it is so easy for us to say we would have hidden jews or we would have freed the slaves, if we had been alive in that time?  But when it comes to the reality of today, we close our eyes.  Because the truh is more than we can bear.  To find justice in all of it, we would have to sacrifice so much.  Or we could turn the other way, and that's so much more attractive of an option, isn't it? 

Because the would-haves of a different time mean nothing for today.  We both know that today has its own problems, tragedies, and injustices.  In 50 or 100 years people will look back and say, "If I had been alive in that time, I would have ..."  But you're the one that's here now.  And would you have?  Would you?  Are you?

So the question is the same as it always has been and always will be.  What's your life about?  What would you do if you were alive now?

planes, trains, and bikes

What a whirlwind these past few days have been!  I finished saying goodbye to friends in KY on Sunday, and I arrived at the Amsterdam airport on Monday.  My flight was delayed, but the 8 hour flight went by faster than I expected.  It seems like every single person speaks English, but the signs are all in Dutch!  So the airport was interesting, but not too bad.  I took a train to Central Station, and some girls I work with were waiting at the Starbucks with a sign.  It was adorable.

So far, things have been crazy, trying to figure everything out and get to know everyone.  Yesterday, I biked for the first time in forever.  It was insanely stressful, but at least I didn't crash!  I'm starting to know my way around the city a little bit.   I had my first training shift at the reception desk yesterday.  I love it.  I think reception is going to be super fun.

Well, that's short, but I have MTP (Ministry Training Program) here in a minute.

So tell me, what would you like to learn about Amsterdam and Youth Hostel Ministry?

~P.S.  I wrote a lot of blogs my last few days in Haiti, but if you only read one of them it should be - my baptism .

Thanks! =]

reverse culture shock, fundraising, partying, and the rest

Well, these 6 weeks have been such a whirlwind, and I'm so ready to move on!  I've enjoyed being in 10 cities in 6 states and seeing countless friends.  It's always strange to see how people have changed, grown up, moved on, and filled the place in their lives that you once were.

Doing all this running around, I can tell you that reverse culture shock is real, but I haven't found it to be as affecting as I might have anticipated.  I think it would be a lot harder if I were moving to the states right now.  The main shock is that nobody is paying attention to me.  As a white person in Haiti, you can expect a lot of attention all the time.  It's weird to be back here and see everyone going about their business, oblivious to those around them.  The second thing is that there are too many options.  "Should I get a chocolate milk or juice?  Or wait, what about soda?  No, I should get a Starbucks thing.  Wait, that's too expensive.  So is the orange juice.  Maybe a Snapple?  Wait, am I really even thirsty?  Is there a water fountain?  Wait, I should just get one.  I'm sure I'd like any of them.  Or none of them."  And that's why shopping in America gets difficult!

I used to be somewhat frustrated that fundraising only got me what I needed for the time, even though I've never need much (relative to other missionaries, I need 1/12 or 1/20th as much funding).  So why does it seem like it's just as hard for me to get a few thousand dollars a year as it is for them to get a 50 k a year?  I know so many people with stories about how God provided thousands of dollars at the last minute, or how they got a check for the exact amount, down to the penny, when they had told no one they needed funding?  So thinking of all these amazing stories, I said to God,

"Why doesn't that ever happen for me?"

And God, almost sarcastically, as He sometimes is in my own mind, said, "Good question.  Tell me about all the times I called you to something and didn't provide what you needed."

"Oh... right."   The truth is that I never have come up short in the end.  I never cancelled or postponed because of a lack of support.  I've been blessed financially over and over, and I've never felt afraid that God wouldn't provide in the end.

Speaking of which, I'm fully funded!  (Which means, you can reasonably expect me not to ask you for money until at least July 2015!)  But on a serious note, I am so thankful to each of you.  Whether you gave $5, $500, or just committed to praying for me in Amsterdam, it means the world to me!!  I'd like to give a special thanks to Greenhill UMC in Bowling Green, KY; Stevensons Chapel in Russellville, KY; and Catalyst Christian Church in Nicholasville, KY.  I am in awe of your neverending support and happy to be partnering with you in ministry!

These past 6 weeks have been challenging in some ways, refreshing in others, and exhausting in terms of hopping around from couch to floor to air mattress!  Coming back to the states, you find lots of people who have forgotten about you, but you also find lots of people who are there for you just as beautifully as they always were.  For each of you, I am thankful!

If you wanted to give, but didn't get the chance to, feel free to get me an Amazon gift card.  I'm trying to build up a good library of books on human trafficking to read this year!

Love to all!!

Prayer Requests:
That I don't get lost in the airport or train station this Sunday/Monday!
That the staff will work well together, build each other up, and strengthen one another.
That the kids in Haiti will be well taken care of.
That the hostel will see many people this year begin a relationship with Jesus!