Life on the Streets

Life

2007-10-18T19:40:00.000-03:00

We're on Day Twenty without a day off and I count twenty one more days before another one arrives...and by day off I mean a day where I don't have to go to school/placement/a conference/ or go on an outreach...but just sit home in my pyjama's and do homework.

I've started thinking about life in ministry.. and things I like...and things I dislike. I'm also aware of the person I don't want to be and the implications of burnout and stress. So I've set some goals for this year...

-eat healthy
-exercise regularly (Lord help us all)
-regular devotion time
-no insane sleep patterns

.... I'm not gonna set my self up for failure...just some things to keep in mind to work on.

Yay..for a healthy year!

Dance Away.

2007-08-24T23:40:00.000-03:00

This is one of the many people I've met along my journey that I think about often. This is Nicole (my room mate from Victoria) and Sundance. Sundance is a heroin addict who lives on the downtown East Side of Vancouver. Last March Nicole and I took a group of youth through the hi-ways and bi-ways of the rat infested, drug addicted world that is home to so many of Canada's broken. Sundance is an aborinigal man and because of his native spirituality was very open and receptive to Jesus. When we met Sundance he was he the process of applying for funding to get on a methodone treatment program. He asked to return to find him in four weeks. He was optimistic that his funding would come through and that he would be on the road to recovery by April but was certain that with the lifestyle he lived he would be dead within a month.
In March, Sundance's addiction was costing him $300 a day. With an addiction that strong Sundance would go to any means to collect the cash to get his fix for the day. Sundance's home was one of the more elaborate of homeless men I've met in the last year. He'd hung sheets up around a cubby hole to claim his territory and had somehow acquired a foam mattress to sleep on and several blankets. He was dirty and emanciated from years of drug use and street life. Another face on the journey. Here's to Sundance. Dance free my friend, dance free.

Reflection

2007-08-24T23:01:00.000-03:00

I posted a blog earlier in the week asking some questions about "Self promotion" and "Are you a controlling person?" Although my reflections were completley honest, I've deleted them until I can edit them into a more "sensitive" format. I think we as the Church sometimes neglect asking ourselves the harder questions. It hurts to sometimes find out who we really are. Thankfully there's grace and we're all on a journey. Anyways this isn't the point of this blog. That's just a little background information. I've been reflecting on "Self promotion" and "control" for a few months now asking myself questions...recognizing that when I'm free of the need to be accredited for my good deeds I can be a way more effective person for the Kingdom.

A verse that is probably familiar to many (especially if you go to Taylor College) is "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Ephesians 4:11-12...my emphasis added)

So a definition from these verses of evangelist (and in this case apostle and prophet) is "one who prepares God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."
The requirement of an evangelist is basically to get other people ready and encourage them to go out.

See if you can follow me..

Scene 1

Evan the Evangelist- Hey Deb. You should come on an outreach that we're doing.

Doubting Deb- What kind of an outreach?

Evan the Evangelist- We're going to go into the park uptown and feed some of the homeless. We might give away blankets and dry socks. You should really come.

Doubting Deb- Noo.. I don't think I would be good at that. I'm always messing up when I talk to people and I wouldn't know what to say.

Evan the Evangelist- You don't even have to say a thing.

Doubting Deb- Well...

Evan the Evangelist- You can stay with me the whole time. I'll bring the baskets of food. Meet you at 4?

Doubting Deb- Sounds good.

Scene 2

Passionate Pete- Hey Cory I heard that on Saturday mornings you have a bible study going on for street youth. I was wondering if maybe I could come along sometime and you could introduce me to some of your friends.

Controlling Cory- Wellll...my bible study is only for street youth.

Passionate Pete- I wouldn't get the way. Maybe I could bring pizza or something?

Controlling Cory- My mother makes homemade soup for us each week. We probably won't be needing anymore food.

Controlling Cory- Have you ever led a bible study?

Passionate Pete- No. I'd really like to learn how. Maybe you could show me how you do it?

Controlling Cory- The last person I let lead with no experience made a lot of mistakes. They really weren't adequate.

Passionate Pete-Well maybe I could just hang out with the kids. Call me if you ever change your mind.

True Evangelists are people who yes share the good news of Jesus but are people who also sit on the sidelines and cheer you on, "Yes! you can do it.. you can suceed! I will be praying for you. Even when you make a mistake I will be there to help you get up again."

"So that the body of Christ may be built up"....not down.

Conclusion

2007-08-24T22:00:00.000-03:00

My time in Aliquippa is quickly drawing to a close. I'm excited to return to school and to another year of equipping and preparation. I look back at this last year and a half out on placement and I'm kind of overwhelmed at the change I see in my life: I have a new level of respect for people on self-support who after many years of discouragment and plundering still plug away because they are confident that they are walking in the vision God has for them. I think I've developed a firmer backbone. I've discovered that if you don't speak up you will get walked over. I am more confident in confrontation, saying what needs to be said and initiating difficult conversations. I've also learned some hard things...I've learned that ministry isn't all fluffy bunny rabbits and kitty cats. People will talk about you, they will manipulate your story and your intentions and sometimes you will get hurt. I'm learning this unfortunatley is just part of life and definitley am learning to set firmer boundaries in every relationship.
Enough about the hard stuff...I've had really valuable opportunities the last year and I'm really fortunate and thankful for the things I've gotten to experience and learn...things that could never be taught in a classroom.

Running Running, I can't look back,
I've made mistakes
that's a fact.
I'll keep looking forward
and trust in your grace
you and me, we'll finish this race.

You've straighten out my back,
and putten confidence to my walk,
You've taken me across the country,
never a moment was I in lack.

Take my heart of stone...
and make it one of flesh,
Breathe on these dry bones,
Jesus, only you know best.

Gonnnnnnnnnnnna keep rollin' on.

One Summer

2007-08-18T18:05:00.001-03:00

One Summer.

Three Canadians.

Five Australians.

Many Americans.

One Natural Distaser.

One Tetanus Shot.

One Throat Infection.

One Trip to Nashville.

One Ford Explorer...

...And Never Enough Gas.

Sixteen Shopping Trips.

Three Drive-in Movies.

Fifty Three daycamp kids.

One Professional baseball game.

One Hundred and Fifty Three Panini's.

Two trips to the beach.

Seven homes.

And One Unchanging All-powerful God.

Just Walk Across The Room

2007-08-18T16:39:00.001-03:00

I've been reading this book called Just Walk Across the Room... By, Bill Hybels.

My assigned summer reading book was by the same author and I pretty much hated it so I was reluctant to start this one. HOWEVER... this book is friggin awesome. I think it's totally revolutionizing the way I think about evangelism. I'm HOPING that these thoughts/reflections= action.

Anyways...so far the book has just been a culmination of "witnessing" stories from Bill Hybels life. He talked about how throughout his life there has been dozens of "evangelism fads." The Tract Fad. The Televangelist Era. The Bus Ministry Era etc. And then there have been eras focused on saving professionals, saving the rich, saving movie stars, saving the homeless, saving woman etc. I'm sure there will be many more fads..and I'm sure many of them will be fruitful.

However these are the thoughts Bill Hybels has on evangelism: "These days, I'm more convinced than ever that the absolute highest value in personal evangelism is staying attuned to and cooperative with the Holy Spirit." -Bill Hybels.

I'm sure Bill recognizes that any of the above "fads" would be a decent vechicle for evangelism if a person were in tune and being "co-operative" with the Holy Spirit.

So far this is pretty simple and if you've been to church longer then six minutes this probably makes sense and would probably be your primary understanding/approach for evangelism (responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit).

However what I'm really taking from this book and what really amazes me is the simplicity of it all. So far Bill Hybels has recounted about three or four stories where people have come to faith because he walked across a room (hence the name of the book). Bill Hybels' son Todd played soccer with many of the kids from their church. Usually after the game the parents would "fellowship" (is that what they're calling it these days?) chat etc. After a couple weeks, Bill noticed that the coach would lug heavy bags of gear to the car and pick up all the pylons. So one week he walked over and helped the coach load everything into his car. He made a routine of it from that week on. They started to make small chat...and then an odd series of events landed the coach in one of Bill's baptism preparation classes. The guy came to faith and is active part of the church.

Another story..not a personal one of Bill Hybels.. but one he told in the book.. talks about a American, Muslim business man. He often found himself in awkward social settings. At functions he would often be by himself, alone in the corner, plotting his escape. One particular evening a group of associates were talking at the other end of the room when one of them noticed this man akwardly by himself. He came over and introduced himself. Faith came up- one man being muslim and one being a Christian. The Christian man asked the muslim if he would mind getting together for coffee. The Christian man sincerly wanted to learn about the Muslim man's faith. They met regardly over a period of month's. After six months the tables turned and the muslim man asked the Christian man to teach him about his faith. He came to know Jesus.

"Ten thousand steps.

Rougly, that's the distance you travel sunrise to sunset, each and every day of your life. It adds up to about 115,000 miles in a lifetime- or more then four times around this big blue planet of ours.

With that said, just one question: are you using your steps wisely? Assume the average distance across most rooms is twenty feet-- about ten steps. The question I hope to answer is this: What if ten steps- just one one thousandth of your daily average- could actually impact eternity?

If so, it might well change the way you walk." -Bill Hybels.

2007-08-18T16:13:00.001-03:00

My laptop is back to health! I picked it up from staples this morning after pretty much having a complete summer with inconsistent usage and it seems to be working fairly well. I figured I should put the money into it to get it working for one more school year before I decide to buy a new one.

My summer in Aliquippa is almost complete. I have roughly nine days (...eight hours and nine minutes if you're counting...but who is?). I remember at the beginning of the summer laying on my bed with my calendar and counting backwards from 83 days. That's a long time. Fortunatley, it's been a good time, a growing time and hopefully a fruitful time. I remember distincly when John (our supervisor) asked me what I would like to do this summer, I responded, "I just don't want to serve coffee.." Although serving coffee is meaningful and someone has to do it, what I meant to imply was that I want to learn about people, relationships, and communicating properly. I guess I should be careful what I ask for. Never would I have expected or imagined to spend a month assisting business and home owners in flood recovery. This was the most practical "ministry" experience I've had in a long time. To be able to tell a person that they're worth it...that this community is worth rebuilding regardless of how dirty I look or how tired I am. Restoring hope to this city one individual at a time. Bringing the Kingdom to Aliquippa one flooded basement at a time.

God's up to something.

The Life of a billet

2007-07-23T19:00:00.000-03:00

In the past two months we have stayed in six different places...with the potentil in the next month to stay in six more places. Everytime we go to visit a place we anticipate the list of "rules" we will recieve from our billets while we are guests in their home. Here is the conclusive list so far:

-Be in the house by 11 pm

-30 min. on the phone/day

-No eating on the leather couches

-No overnight guests (like we have friends anyway)

-No smoking in the house

-No guests period.

-Wipe down the bathtub after you use it each time

Thank-you Rick Sandberg

2007-07-12T16:48:00.000-03:00

One thing I learned to ask myself in Victoria that is now ingrained in my head about evangelism and just about life in general:

Am I fulfilling my own needs?

Or

Am I fulfilling the needs of others?

Basically forces me to do a self-evaluation and question my own motives...am I "doing" evangelism because it makes me feel good... or am I really fulfilling a need?

TheCall Nashville

2007-07-12T13:29:00.000-03:00

Jessie, Hilary and I had the opportunity to go to TheCall Nashville last weekend for a day of worship and prayer.

Cleaning Up

2007-07-12T13:27:00.000-03:00

Flood Pictures

2007-07-12T13:25:00.000-03:00

The cafe garden and the basement at the cafe.

The streets of Aliquippa

2007-07-12T13:23:00.000-03:00

Volunteers cars from the Cafe

Inside the Cafe

2007-07-12T13:21:00.000-03:00

The inside of the cafe one week ago today during the flood.

Cleaning out the cave

2007-07-12T13:06:00.000-03:00

Yesterday we went to clean out a basement in a sandwich shop at a business down the street.

My conversation with one of the other volunteers went like this:

E- Is that the basement!?

M- I think so...

E- Oh my gosh I can't breathe...

M- There's no handrails...slide in on your bottom.

E- I can't see anything...where's the power switch?

E- I'm really suffocating..what's down here?

M- Rotting bodies?

E- Probably.

E- Ew...the mud is up over our ankles...

M- K...we need to start cleaning this.

E- Please find the power switch- something is touching me.

Business owner pops head down basement stairwell*

Business owner- We had the utilities cut off when we closed the business. There's no electricity or water.

E- We have to clean a foot of mud out of here with no light and no water? You have got to be kidding me....seriously....

M- Let's climb out of here... maybe we can run an extension cord?

E- We can haul buckets of water from the cafe.

E- What a mess.

This was probably one of the grossest experiences of my life. I ended the day covered head to toe in mud (sewage)...it's hard to believe that I'm living this in an urban community right outside of Pittsburgh. Who needs to go to Mexico?

Flood Update

2007-07-10T16:46:00.000-03:00

I spent the morning working on John's website... no making fun all you techies...

http://www.stanleysusa.homestead.com/

click on Aliquippa Floods for some fun videos and such

Grace Y'all

2007-07-10T16:36:00.000-03:00

I'm a roadie

Bringing the Blog Back

2007-07-09T21:50:00.000-03:00

It's been awhile- so long in fact that I had to re-set my password because I had forgotten it.

Current Status- Alive

2007-03-29T19:54:00.000-03:00

I did indeed get to spend some time working in Vancouvers downtown East side last week. As well, I got to visit Street Hope Abbotsford and the Global Harvest Church. More stories later!

2007-03-29T19:50:00.000-03:00

I need Jesus more than ever before...

2007-03-29T19:29:00.000-03:00

Let's face it...as Christians we mess up. Sometimes our hearts are full of deceit. We lie, cheat, steal, lust, envy etc.

"I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time...." Romans 7

I've come through a time.. well I'm still in it where I feel like I've really messed up (okay a little heart exposed.. but I really want to share what I've learned). I've been walking around in this guilt and shame and put this distancing between myself and God because I felt like I "had too much sin"...and was too ashamed to even face God. I was chatting with Rick the other day and he totally nailed it on the head for me.

"There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8

I have always known this verse...but the revelation that came with it was that by continuing to walk in guilt and shame and condemnation- I'm "de-valuing" what Jesus did on the cross for me. I'm saying that the crucifixion wasn't good enough to pay for my sin. I do of course need to come to a place of repentance and turn away from my sin.. but I need to understand that Jesus' death was sufficient for all of my sin...past and present. I never knew that would be so hard for me to get a hold of.

2007-03-17T22:39:00.000-03:00

Hi friends,

It's been a long time with no post.. I'll do my best to fill you all in on the last two months. I have no access to internet right now, so my updates will continue to be sporadic.

Nothing terribly significant has been going on. I finished my full time work at the youth shelter and am now now just working weekends and as relief staff. I have moved in with a Salvation Army student who does a lot of work with the homeless and has very similar visions and goals as myself. This has proved to be a very positive move and certainly just at the right time! It's been awesome to be able to talk with someone about things that work and don't work and more or less just have a friend. I truly understand and recognize the need to be with people and to be part of a worshipping, praying community that supports each other in their personal missions- I've just had a hard time finding that. I don't think we're designed to make it on our own.

I enjoyed a much needed week home to New Brunswick in February where I visited with many friends and family.. and I think celebrated my birthday all week long. I am blessed to belong to such a great community on the East Coast. Shortly after I had a friend from the East Coast visit me here in Victoria for a week. We did a lot of the tourist things I hadn't done, visited some cool beaches and I showed her around the street a bit as well.

I've developed a lot of great relationships with the kids on the street. I love spending time with them each day and hearing their stories. Continue to pray for unique opportunities to share Jesus and for healing and restoration to come into their lives. Sometimes I feel kinda depressed when I walk around. There is so much addiction and so much hurt. I just try and stay hopeful and try and see Jesus in the small things. This world REALLY needs Jesus.

On a lighter note, I might have the opportunity to go with a team of people and serve in the downtown East Side of Vancouver this week. The East Side of Van has some of the toughest addiction and prostitution stories. It should be an eyeopener, but hopefully a blessing as well. I'm hoping to visit Streethope Abbotsford later on in the week. Still waiting to hear though.

Other than that, I'm ploughing through essays, anticipating my mothers visit easter weekend and looking to go home for good April 26th. I will be going on placement with a team from the college to Aliquippa PA, USA starting June 1st. The Lord is faithful.

Peace of the Lord,
Erin

2007-01-22T21:16:00.000-04:00

I was asked to write a reflection for some Church Army newsletter...here's a taste.

Family Time
StreetHope Reflection By- Erin Stevenson

Growing up I remember times when there would be huge storms and after playing outside for the afternoon we would spend the evening watching movies, eating popcorn and drinking diet soda. I remember feeling like I belonged somewhere, a sense of security and a deep knowing inside of me that I was truly loved.

Finding my place in Victoria among people has been difficult. Knowing my time here is only short I have not wanted to make the emotional connetion with people that I would if I were here longer.

Last week it snowed. They say it's the most bewildering weather Victoria has seen in years. I enjoyed the snow. It reminded me of home; the fresh, crisp air made my nose pink and I finally saw my breath when I was outside. It was absolutley wonderful. We started showing movies at the shoebox during the snow and cold so that the kids could have more time inside. I think we watched "Radio" last week... or one of those movies that moves you to be inspired to do something to better the world you live in and love the people around you a little more. I remember looking up at one point and seeing kids everywhere. Some were asleep, one was patching his pants, one was sketching in her art book, one girl was eating raviolli. It reminded me of home. As it started to get dark, I felt God's peace and a real deep sense of love for each person in the room. I would do anything for them. I probably will never know what it's like to live on the streets but I do know what it's like to be apart of this family.

Some people say evangelism is spelt out "R-I-S-K." I completely agree. It takes faith and boldness to share your faith, to lead someone to Jesus and to pray the sick healed. Sometimes I think it's almost a greater risk to share your life with someone. Where some may look funny, and certainly smell different. Where they run across the street when there's cars coming, where they always eat with their hands, when ten cents is worth the world and dry socks are a coveted treasure.

I'm risking it all and in return I'm gaining more then I could have ever asked for. Family.

Lovin' the beach in January

2007-01-16T00:14:00.000-04:00

Day at the beach

2007-01-16T00:06:00.000-04:00

Taking a break

2006-12-30T18:58:00.000-04:00

Hi team internet..

I'm going to be off msn, myspace, blogger, facebook (yes..I'm an internet junkie)... for a little while. I will be checking and responding to e-mails. Cheers!

From one Podunk to another.

2006-12-30T04:53:00.000-04:00

Lord of all creation
Of the water, earth and sky
The Heavens are your Tabernacle
Glory To the Lord on high

God of wonders
Beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe
Declares your majesty
You are holy, holy

Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
And when I stumble into darkness
I will call your name by night

God of wonders
Beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe
Declares your majesty
You are holy, holy

Hallelujah (to the lord of heaven and earth)
Hallelujah (to the lord of heaven and earth)
Hallelujah (to the lord of heaven and earth)

Holy, holy
Holy, holy

God of wonders
Beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy

Precious Lord,
Reveal your heart to me
Father hold me, hold me

The Universe
Declares your majesty
You are Holy, Holy
Holy, Holy

Bonnie, Shawn and I drove across the Eastern part of Saskatchewan tonight. I was listening to some great worship songs when this song came on and I began to think about how awesome God's creation is-- all the way from the west coast to the east coast. God is crazy. We got the chance to see a little bit of the northern lights on our drive back. Check out pictures of our little day trip on Shawn's blog, www.shawnbranch.blogs.com.

REALLY BAD PICTURES AT CHRISTMAS!

2006-12-25T09:38:00.000-04:00

Me driving in downtown Victoria traffic on Christmas Eve...wooooo

Meanwhile back on the Ranch Christmas goes on...

2006-12-25T09:27:00.000-04:00

my brothers celebrating on Christmas Eve....without me..haha

More of 2004...

2006-12-23T14:43:00.000-04:00

Wow... I found this super old picture as well. The female staff from 2004. I look super angry. Must be because everyone peed in the pool all summer :)

2006-12-22T23:51:00.000-04:00

Aw, my mum... she sends me stuff. Got a love her.

2006-12-22T05:36:00.000-04:00

You know it's winter... when all I can think about is the beach...

Happy Camp Staff Party

2006-12-22T05:32:00.000-04:00

Have a happy gathering tonight kids. I couldn't find a picture of the 2006 staff...so 2004 will have to do. Eat lots of food.. and know that I'm thinking about you!

Life on the bus

2006-12-19T17:57:00.000-04:00

Here are a few "unofficial" guidelines that I have observed from enjoying Victoria's fine public (note "public" Mike Caines) transportation system.

- Don't talk on your cell phone- it annoys the crap out of everyone else.

-For long bus rides, books and head phones are mandatory or else you are forced to make conversation with the person sitting next to you.

-Don't stare, it weirds people out.

-If you're riding on a double decker bus and you're young and "cool" you ride upstairs- that's where the party is.

-If a boy gets on the bus and sees a girl who he thinks is pretty it's proper bus etiquette for him to sit with her.

-If the bus is full and you're young and mobile you must stand and let other people who are older or who have children sit down.

-Don't use the entrance door as an exit- sometimes the bus driver will yell at you.

-Don't make annoying body sounds.

-Don't roll joints.

-Don't turn your discman up really loud so the whole bus can hear and then sing a long.

-Offer the front seat of the top of the double decker to the tourists- they always want to take pictures.

-Don't make out with your girlfriend...it scares the old ladies.

-Don't fall asleep, you'll probably miss your stop.

2006-12-12T03:36:00.000-04:00

I was reading Jen's blog tonight regarding the meaning of her name...which led me to want to look into my name a little further. I didn't learn anything much that I didn't already know.. but a couple of websites produced meanings that I had never heard before. Erin which is of Gaelic origin means "from Ireland" literally or Peace. In more recent baby name books I have been seeing "western Island" and Liberty; all really neat meanings. Tracy is an English name. It means, brave, bold, or one who reaps or harvests. Rock on.

Three Months In

2006-12-10T17:22:00.000-04:00

Hi,

I realize I haven't posted anything directly about what I am doing or any kind of an update for quite some time. Part of that pertains to the predicament of not having proper access to internet for some time and part of it lies within my heart; not knowing how to express what’s going on inside of me or how to appropriately identify what God is teaching me through the process of it all.
In the past month there have been some significant changes. I have moved from East Saanich (about 45 min by bus) to Vic West (about a 6 min bus ride to downtown). This has been an incredibly positive, yet challenging change for me. I feel like life is coming back to me. I realize (three months later) how unfocused I have been, and how little parts of me fell asleep or died. Perhaps this is the vision for the 12 month placement(not that I should be asleep); but to be sent to an area, transitioned and then fully released and operating in my gifts and abilities. I’ve let too much time slide by, my transitioning needs to be over. I need to be fully awakened and walking in the things that I know that God has put inside of me. “This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life.” Ezk 37
I’m in a place where I see broken people everyday. I spend my lunch time with between 10-12 young street people who have serious addictions, have never had a loving, trusting relationship and have had more “life experiences” then you and me put together. I am also the residential supervisor in a housing project for young girls who are just off the street or are out of foster care. Abortion, sex, drugs, alcoholism, manipulation- this is all they know. I know a lot of broken people. I’ve come to a place just recently, where I’ve decided that these people just plain need Jesus. I know there’s many wonderful people who labor for years and years doing ministry on the streets and to the homeless but after three months my sentiments are there’s nothing in this world we can possibly do for these people. It’s Jesus and Jesus alone. I’ve been re-focusing in that, I want to start believing God for healing and deliverances. I’m going to take some time to fast and pray this month. I really want to search out the way in which God has called me to do evangelism and I want to be available to step into it. I don’t know what this means…but I believe that life with the Holy Spirit is an adventure.
I believe that things are coming back to life in me. Life here has definitely been a journey. Victoria feels like home now and I have met a few awesome treasured people who are dear friends and encouragers. God knew! The one thing I wrestle with is the dang ole spirit of isolation. It’s hard to press in in prayer... when you’re alone, it’s hard to get motivated to study the word of God….when you’re alone. I’ve drawn back and back and it’s brought yuckiness. However, when I am unfaithful- yet God proves Himself faithful, and this fortunately for my sake is all about learning. So today I’m thankful for a renewing of my mind, for God’s faithfulness and for life. I’m on a journey.
In other news, I won’t be home for Christmas, I’m going to visit with Bonnie and Shawn in Saskatchewan for a week. Rock on Maritimers.

First Christmas

2006-12-10T17:16:00.000-04:00

I'm venturing into adulthood. This is my first Christmas away from home. Feel free to share some first Christmas away from home stories or thoughts.

2006-12-09T23:10:00.000-04:00

Street Puppies...belong to some new friends of mine that hitched from Ontario..

I be jammin' on the Island with...Christian?!?!!

2006-12-09T22:58:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time...Christian came to town. It was a good afternoon with Christmas cards, Joyce Meyer, and boat horns.

2006-12-09T03:59:00.000-04:00

Dear Shawn,

Thank you for being my hero. You are a star shining in the universe.

Erin

PS- you know I'm going to delete this?

I MISS YOU NEW BRUNSWICK!

2006-12-09T03:49:00.000-04:00

Young adults weekend at Camp Columbia

2006-12-09T03:45:00.000-04:00

a couple of pictures from the weekend... car road home.. and "frisbee golf"...fyi, I better stick to the pool..it's not my sport.

more fish

2006-12-09T03:40:00.000-04:00

These photos are from a recent trip to Gold stream (?) on a pleasantly moist Victoria day. Many dead fish...need I say more..

playing with dead fish

2006-12-09T03:27:00.000-04:00

2006-12-08T23:25:00.000-04:00

been listening to this song a lot lately...

I’ve been calling you to go to the city
I’ve been watching you every day
Now I’m paying for a one way ticket
for a ship that sails the opposite way

And you laugh and you cry
and you live and you die
cause you don’t really know who you are
all alone in this world
orphan boy, orphan girl
cause you don’t really know who you are

Run baby run
my hands release you
baby run baby run
just as fast as you can
run till your legs lead your heart to the real truth
you’re my daughter, my son,
so run baby run baby run

Hear me laughing as you run from your calling
see me crying, see me crying in the storms that rage
one way or another, you will be going
to obey is such an easier way

almost great enough for a postcard...thanks Ryan..

2006-12-03T18:51:00.000-04:00

2006-11-29T16:56:00.000-04:00

hey- I know I haven't posted in awhile. I just moved and I now have no internet. Bah!

Pretty

2006-11-17T02:36:00.000-04:00

I have a pretty blog.

Hope Church would be proud

2006-11-16T18:41:00.000-04:00

I'm now a coffee drinker..

2006-11-15T02:39:00.000-04:00

This is a thought I was having today...and it's totally not developed so feel free to comment or whatever. My placement supervisor (thanks Rick) has got me thinking about this whole good works issue. I know it's important to maintain a standard and to have integrity in everything that we do.. so I'm definitly not saying that we should have sex before marriage, lie, steal, etc. What I have been thinking about is the amount of young people my age who have decided not to follow Christ because there are too many "rules" and they couldn't measure up.

Is this an excuse for a deeper issue?

Is the church enforcing a good works (you must keep these rules to be a good Christian) Christianity instead of love and grace? If so.. should there be a balance?

How does Holy Living (Holiness Movement) play into all of this? As Christians we want to live Holy lives...stay pure etc. how can this be done without falling into the good works trap?

How can person A have a conviction about a certain issue (ie: secular music, casual drinking etc.) and still function in the same body with person B who doesn't have the same convictions and not bring condemnation on them to the point where they don't believe they measure up?

Hopefully this makes sense.

2006-11-12T23:03:00.000-04:00

I've realized I need people more then ever before. We're not designed to make it on our own.

We Maritimers rock!!

2006-11-03T02:01:00.000-04:00

You know you're a Maritimer when....

1.Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the highway.
2."Vacation" means going to Moncton for the weekend.
3. You measure distance in hours.
4. You know several people who have hit a deer.
5. Your Grandparents drive 100 km through 13 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching.
6. You see people wearing hunting clothes at social events.
7. You install security lights on both your house and garage and go and leave both unlocked.
8. You think of the major food groups as: Meat, Fish and Tim Hortons.
9. You carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them.
10. There are seven empty cars running in the parking lot of the Canadian Tire store at any given time.
11. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
12. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
13. Your lingerie consists of tube socks and flannel pajamas.
14. You know all 4 seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter and Construction.
15. It takes three hours to go to the store for one item, even when you're in a hurry because you have to stop and talk to everybody in town.

And Finally: You know you live in the Maritimes when...
16. You actually understand these jokes

Mr. Noodles on Friday.. three course meal on Sunday

2006-10-29T20:30:00.000-04:00

Update on my double life... this is most difficult part of my week. I had this crazy time on outreach on Friday night meeting with some of the cities most broken and hungry people. Today however- I was wined and dined ( I didn't drink wine ;))... two forks, two spoons, three courses.. three drinks, as part of a welcoming and get to know you lunch for Pam and myself at St. Mary's. The conversation was ridiculous.. and the whole time I thought about how so many people have nothing. I think this is something I'm going to have to learn to deal with.. meeting with all kinds of people, and engaging myself in all kinds of conversation. This is real training.

2006-10-28T19:59:00.000-03:00

I got to try something new tonight. There's a ministry in town called Cart's. It's run by two sisters and they have like five huge wagons and a bunch of carts. Every Friday night the two sisters and about ten volunteers gather in a parking lot and load the wagons up with sandwhiches, hot chocolate, juice, fruit, blankets, socks, yoguart and whatever else happens to be donated and then they hit the streets. It's an awesome sight to see, a train of wagons and people giving out food to homeless people. They have a specific route that they take every week and most people will try and be at a certain location at a certain time so they don't miss out. We hit up the needle exchange (heroin addicts), streetlink (an emergency shelter), the train station (where quite a few people sleep), and other busy streets. It was huge for me to see the difference between day time street life and night time street life. This is only the second night I'd been downtown after five o'clock. I saw one of the frequent shoebox streetkids passed out on the street. The medics were standing beside trying to ask him questions while they waited for the paddy wagon. I stopped and chatted and told them his name. They asked about medical conditions and if I knew his drug preference. I don't know what his deal was.. but needless to say it'll be a few days before I see my friend D_____ again. So yeah.. night time is crazy, Carts was fun, I got to call 911 twice. We witnessed a street brawl, one kid jumped another and then started smashing him with his skateboard. He got arrested. Turned the corner, was talking to a homeless man and he started to have a seizure.. good times. He was drunk and diabetic. Woooooooo

God is totally ruining me. I constantly smell pot, my hands always feel dirty...but yet I am super broken. I was watching this man seizure on the street tonight- Two of the people sat with him while I talked to 911 and then the man started to cry...dang it! My heart broke. This man is like 60, addicted to probably everything going, has had a miserable life and I'm watching him seize on the street...Oh God, couldn't you change this man's life?!

I read Jackie Pullinger's "Chasing the Dragon" the whole way home and cried between chapters... how the heck do I bring hope to such a broken, miserable world?

Friday's

2006-10-27T21:36:00.000-03:00

Friday's are definitley my favorite day of the week...and not because it's the end of the week. Rick comes to the shoebox on Friday's and we do that scene and then we usually meet up with Rick's friend Dez and walk around downtown together. Nothing "unusal" happened today. I had my first encounter with a vulgar, sexually agressive homeless man. That was interesting. The funny part was that the rest of the street kids around me were telling him to get lost and leave me alone.

So yeah Friday's...my favorite day.. at around two o'clock a couple of cars showed up at the shoebox.. we had around fifty shoeboxes donated today! I guess churches decided it was getting cold and felt bad for the street kids and decided to do something! Thank you Church!

Moral crisis of the day

2006-10-26T22:43:00.000-03:00

Sooo I'm still pretty new to Victoria. It's getting towards the end of the month and word on the street has it you need to get your bus pass for the next month as early as you can. So I went to the Thrifty's grocery store today, my billet told me to ask for a "two zone bus pass." Got it covered. Done. The lady asks, "Are you a student?" Of course I am. I got a student loan to prove it. So I pay the lady (noting that the price seemed a little cheaper then last month) and went on my way. I started to read the back of the card... it's for "students" ages 18 and under...dang. I'm appreciative that she thinks I look eighteen however what do I do now? I compared the card to this months ( which cost me $30 more) and is the real big girl bus pass...urgh

Street 101

2006-10-26T03:11:00.000-03:00

snowball- cocaine and heroin mixed together

squat- a place where a homeless person stays from night to night (abandoned warehouse, to someone's couch etc)

hooped- done in for

farmed- stolen

A-bomb- marijuana cigarette with heroin

a breath of fresh air..

2006-10-26T02:50:00.000-03:00

I need a retreat from the city. Too many drugs, so much chaos, swearing, homelessness, dirt, flith and swearing.

Take me to the country...

This one is for you Adam

2006-10-22T13:16:00.000-03:00

Summer camping trip with the LDP's...mmmmm beans

I Miss Camp

2006-10-22T13:14:00.000-03:00

2006-10-22T13:12:00.000-03:00

Found this picture from the summer on Mallory's msn myspace. I didn't know it exsisted. Haha..

2006-10-20T04:51:00.000-03:00

Does anyone else hear better with the light on?

The up's and down's

2006-10-20T01:17:00.000-03:00

My ministry has bipolar disorder (hope no one is seriously offended by that). I'm living in two worlds. On the one hand we have StreetHope, a ministry to homeless youth and teens. It's unpredictable, it's different every day. Some days are boring and dull, other days you get sworn at. I see all kinds of crazy things (people shooting up, very addicted people, beggers, arrests, etc). I also get to see how God moves in and through all this crazy chaos and it's been really awesome thus far!

On the flip side I'm teaching Sunday School and helping out with a youth group at your run of the mill Anglican Church. There's like ten people under the age of sixty and it's BCP sung communion pretty much every Sunday.

The hilarious thing is- both of these things are an incredible stretch for me. I didn't know much about street culture or how to minister to street kids before I got here (still learning).. so each day has definetly been a new adventure. I've had a lot of frustration in the past with the Anglican Church, so I'm really learning patience, and learning how to listen.

Sometimes I feel like I meet with God more on the streets, in the people I meet and in the experiences we share together- instead of in the church. This makes me sad. But I guess in hindsight we are the Church!

2006-10-19T17:16:00.000-03:00

I am feeling much better! The antibiotics are clearing up ear/throat infections. Blood test came back...I have mono.

Feeling good though.

2006-10-18T20:37:00.000-03:00

I am sick.

2006-10-17T20:06:00.000-03:00

I lied... the top picture is downtown.. the bottom one is like a five minute bike ride from my house in Saanichton

downtown pictures

2006-10-17T19:18:00.000-03:00

the water is on the other side of a fence... bah... I will have to cross the highway and investigate the shore line someday!

The Vision

2006-10-17T00:09:00.000-03:00

Trapped in my bed sick I've been doing a lot of reading- I'm reading "Red Moon Rising"...can't think who it's by right now. It's about how the 24/7 prayer movement was established. The guy that wrote the book (Pete something) had a vision about an army of young people that would rise up to pray and he wrote a poem about it. I think Jordan had shared this with me before, but it's really powerful.

The Vision - by Pete Greig

So this guy comes up to me and says:
“what’s the vision? What’s the big idea?”
I open my mouth and words come out like this:
The vision?
The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.

The vision is an army of young people.
You see bones? I see an army.
And they are FREE from materialism.

They laugh at 9-5 little prisons.
They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday.
They wouldn’t even notice.
They know the meaning of the Matrix, the way the west was won.

They are mobile like the wind, they belong to the nations.
They need no passport.
People write their addresses in pencil and wonder at their strange existence.
They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and dirty and dying.

What is the vision ?

The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes.
It makes children laugh and adults angry.
It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars.
It scorns the good and strains for the best.
It is dangerously pure.

Light flickers from every secret motive, every private conversation.
It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games.
This is an army that will lay down its life for the cause.
A million times a day its soldiers choose to loose,
that they might one day win
the great ‘Well done’ of faithful sons and daughters.

Such heroes are as radical on Monday morning as Sunday night. They don’t need fame from names. Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again: “COME ON!”

And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history in the making
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is scheming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing…
This is the sound of the underground

And the army is discipl(in)ed.
Young people who beat their bodies into submission.
Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms.
The tattoo on their back boasts “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain”.

Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes.
Winners.
Martyrs.
Who can stop them ?
Can hormones hold them back?
Can failure succeed?
Can fear scare them or death kill them ?

And the generation prays

like a dying man
with groans beyond talking,
with warrior cries, sulphuric tears and
with great barrow loads of laughter!
Waiting. Watching: 24 – 7 – 365.

Whatever it takes they will give: Breaking the rules. Shaking mediocrity from its cosy little hide. Laying down their rights and their precious little wrongs, laughing at labels, fasting essentials. The advertisers cannot mould them. Hollywood cannot hold them. Peer-pressure is powerless to shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries.

They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive

Inside.

On the outside? They hardly care.
They wear clothes like costumes to communicate and celebrate but never to hide.
Would they surrender their image or their popularity?
They would lay down their very lives - swap seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell. A throne for an electric chair.

With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days,
they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them.

Their DNA chooses JESUS. (He breathes out, they breathe in.)
Their subconscious sings. They had a blood transfusion with Jesus.
Their words make demons scream in shopping centres.

Don’t you hear them coming?

Herald the weirdo’s! Summon the losers and the freaks.
Here come the frightened and forgotten with fire in their eyes.
They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of another dimension.
Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden.

And this vision will be.
It will come to pass;
it will come easily;
it will come soon.

How do I know?

Because this is the longing of creation itself,
the groaning of the Spirit,
the very dream of God.

My tomorrow is his today.
My distant hope is his 3D.
And my feeble, whispered, faithless prayer invokes a thunderous, resounding, bone-shaking great ‘Amen!’ from countless angels, from hero’s of the faith, from Christ himself. And he is the original dreamer, the ultimate winner.

Guaranteed.

2006-10-17T00:04:00.000-03:00

I'm a walking health time bomb

one month... the boring version...probably with lots of spelling mistakes

2006-10-12T03:20:00.000-03:00

wow.. I've been here exactly one month ! I figured it was time to tell y'all how I'm doing and what I'm doing etc. Hmmm... Well my days are mostly the same. After three weeks of crazy insomnia I FINALLY adjusted my sleep so that I am going to bed at a reasonable hour, sleeping through the WHOLE night and getting up at a reasonable hour. Woop Woop. In the mornings I usually do school work. I have lots of favorite locations where I love to work...sometimes I like to go to the park and lay in the sun to read... especially my Early Church History text book (because I don't really understand it, and chances are I'll probably fall asleep at the park). When I have to listen to lectures I go downtown where I can get wireless or sometimes I stay home. I haven't figured out yet where I'm going to find a nice quiet place to write essays... that will be next weeks investigation! I don't do much else in the mornings (pretty boring life eh?)- I had been going to physio three mornings a week, but now I'm a physio graduate...somehow I'm not a backpain graduate..go figure?

At noon I catch the bus downtown. I really enjoy riding the bus. When I lived in Saint John I absolutley hated it! I would get sick to my stomach and would have to sit in the front seat. I find my bus rides are like the quiet times of the day... life is sooo busy here.. people are always rushing here, but the bus is quiet. I can think, or read and sometimes clear my head space to pray. So that's a good chunk of an hour. From 1 until 2:30 I hang out at the shoebox place where we give out shoeboxes full of food to the street kids that come by. There's regulars so I've gotten to know quite a few of them and they usually come to stay for the full hour and a half. Usually from three until 4:30ish I go downtown to give out food or hang out with kids..whatever God has in store. It's different everyday. Then I catch the bus home. I'm going to be teaching Sunday School and co-ordinating a youth group at a church here so I imagine my evenings will be spent focused on that- I also joined an evening bible study. I hope to get out and maybe see some tourist type things maybe this month. I'm definitley settled...getting to know some people.. it's not home, but the west coast is a good place.

Billy Gramham Crusade..

2006-10-11T15:34:00.000-03:00

Couldn't get any really great pictures. This is the best I could do. The Save-On- Foods area was packed out..it was probably the equivalent of Harbor station (maybe bigger) for all you maritimers. Salvador was musically good, I'm choosing not to comment about Joy Williams and I loved Tree63! Will Gramham presented the gospel (very old fashioned- probably one of his grandfathers sermons..haha) and kids responded! It was great to see the Church of Victoria gathered together and get behind something..woop.

This is for my mum!

2006-10-11T15:28:00.000-03:00

Here ya go mum... hope you can sleep at night now...

Whale Wall

2006-10-11T15:20:00.000-03:00

This is called the "Whale Wall." It's right on the water and it's where a lot of the street kids hang out. At any given time you can find between five and thirty kids hanging out. I usually come down here a couple times a week to hang out or bring food.

2006-10-09T22:58:00.000-03:00

pray for my back...the car accident was almost two months ago, I'm finished physio but still uncomfortable a lot. I don't want to be 25 and have serious back problems. Thanks Church.

Street Terminology...lesson number one

2006-10-03T22:03:00.000-03:00

I'm not very "in tune" with street culture so I've decided that as I learn new phrases and lingo I will share them with all those in blog land.

Today's word is pretty self-explainatory... "shooting gallery"

Outreach workers and street kids refer to lots of places as "shooting galleries." These are the places were you will find a lot of people shooting up at once. The streethope shoebox place is located right beside an Anglican church- the church had to remove it's fence because a lot of people were gathering there to shoot up because you couldn't be seen from the street.. it was quite the "shooting gallery."

More street 101 later.. haha

some common misconceptions about me and New Brunswick

2006-10-02T16:04:00.000-03:00

- Fredericton is in Nova Scotia

- by coming from "out east" I must "mean" Ontario

- I must be 100% bilingual

- A lot of people have mentioned that I have an accent.. my favorite comment was " I can tell you're from out east, you have that Quebec accent"....I've been to Quebec like four times in my entire life

A simple thought.. in a time of refining...

2006-09-30T18:28:00.000-03:00

Am I going to follow the crowd or am I willing to Stand Alone?

I keep coming back to this...when God gives us a dream, hope or vision it's really easy to go after it when everyone supports you, when you have friends walking it out with you, when you have networks of people etc etc. But are you really willing to go after what God wants Alone? And by "you" clearly I mean "I"...haha... (isn't that the way it always is?). God is refining His people and I choose not to give up!

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Luke 9:23-24

Ignition

2006-09-30T16:48:00.000-03:00

I'm selling out--I'm going to my first "Christian concert" tonight. I'll let you know how it goes. The churches in Victoria have gotten together and invited Salvador, Joy Williams and Tree63 to come and put on a "Christian rock concert." They've opened it up so anyone can go- free tickets, pre-events with free food and lots of free prizes with the hope that lots of young people will come and invite their friends as well. At some point during the evening evangelist Billy Gramham's grandson- Will Gramham will give a message on what it means to have a faith with Jesus Christ and if anything hopefully it will connect young people with churches and encourage them to seek out a mentoring relationship with youth leaders and pastors.

Victoria in the autumn... it just isn't like home

2006-09-30T16:25:00.000-03:00

I miss autumn colors... I want to stand on the top floor of George Martin Hall and look out over the entire city of Fredericton and see all the beautiful colors...

You want the truth or the lie?

2006-09-27T01:16:00.000-03:00

It was so beautiful in Victoria today. Shorts and T-shirt weather. I have a lovely burn on my face and shoulders, but I'm certainly not complaining...it's good to have some nice weather because I've been informed that it will start raining soon. So, I'm two weeks in, I feel at home and am excited that I'm starting to finally think straight. I feel like I have vision for so many things... but I constantly need to go to prayer and remind myself that I'm here for one year and that I'm one person. Right now I'm totally just asking God how He wants me to spend my time. I'm really being given a lot of opportunity to explore who I am as a "Godbearer (an evangelist)" in these next few weeks. I had two weeks to walk the streets with Rick and see how he interacts with the kids.. but now I'm working more independently.

Today started out pretty slow. It was a little scary at first..Rick is kinda like my "security." All of the kids know him and they associate me with him. Today I went out on my own so my "safety net" totally felt pulled away. I walked around for a bit.. and was actually starting to get a little discourage because I couldn't even find any of the kids. I went to all the "spots" and there was no one. I think the crazy hot weather must have played a part in the "relocation" of a lot of the kids today. Anways.. just as I was about to give up I spotted a man, not a teen and I pulled up a piece of curb next to him. His name was "Red." Red was almost fifty and has been on the streets most of his life. When I first walked by he asked me for fifty cents. I sat down beside him and asked him what he needed it for. Red said "You want the truth or the lie first?"...
I laughed at him and asked for the truth. Red honestly said that he needed to go buy wine to celebrate with his friend.. (he was only fifty cents short). I said I couldn't give him fifty cents for wine but I did have some granola bars in my book bag. So I sat on the curb on the busiest street in Victoria and ate granola bars. Then Red goes, "They call me knitter man."
I was like, "oh yeah...????"
So he whips out this scarf he's knitting for the winter (it's beautiful I might add) and begins to knit. Now I'm sitting on the busiest curb in Victoria eating granola bars with a homeless knitter. It's a beautiful sight.
Then Red goes, "You wanna learn?" Beautiful. I learned how to knit today. I've wanted to learn how to knit for a long time..and the one person that had all the patience and time and confidence in me was the homeless man.
I have a new friend.

Mountains

2006-09-26T23:31:00.000-03:00

Some pictures of the mountains..you have to look close

2006-09-19T21:26:00.000-03:00

aw...the internet died...more pictures later

This is my journey

2006-09-19T19:45:00.000-03:00

Two more pictures. This is me in the car with my mum on the way to the airport and again another picture of just hours before that-- I had gone for a walk and explored my neighborhood and the places where I had played when I was little ( I highly recommend it to everyone). This is the house that I was brought home to when I was a baby and that I have lived in my entire life (minus school etc.). My mum is looking at selling the property this year while I'm away so this may not be home when I return!

drinking some Star Bucks on a Tuesday afternoon...

2006-09-19T19:37:00.000-03:00

Finally got some pictures downloaded onto my laptop...and am able to get some internet connected to my laptop for a few minutes. I'm on a really pathethic connection so I'm uploading one picture at a time to blogger.. so I'll try and give you a taste of a few things that have been going on in the past couple weeks.

This is the skateboard competition at Stone Church two Sunday's ago. I really hope the school is able to maintain a relationship with the skateboard community. I know God is doing stuff there.

saturday's swirling spiraling spinning sequence of stimulating sentences

2006-09-17T02:12:00.000-03:00

I feel like if I don't blog for a day I disconnect from the whole world. Mah.. not true. Today was a beautiful day off.. the first one that I've had since I've arrive. Instead of doing nothing like I should have I got up super early and rode the bus for a half hour to the tim hortons and read for two hours.. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!!!! The book "Velvet Elvis" by Rob Bell is really changing me. You should read it if you haven't. I met another church army officer today..Ian Gibbs. He picked me up and we drove an hour to a place called Duncan where I met some Anglican youth leaders in the Diocese. I guess they meet with Ian every so often to plan and have lunch and talk. It was funny.. the same old anglican "church stuff" goes on back home as it does here. "Services aren't relevant..there isn't enough money...the priest doesn't support youth ministry." It was a good afternoon though and I was happy to meet some people and have conversations with people other then the bus driver. So things here are going good. I'm going to try out a church tommorrow..I ran into a guy yesterday while I was on a bike ride (God set up or what?) and he had Christian music blasting from his car and I asked him if he knew where a particular church was. It turned out that was his home church. He gave me directions and we chatted and then he prayed for me. It was one of those weird God moments.. I had tears in my eyes cuz I don't think that man knew just how much he had blessed me in that exact moment. Something so simple as a 30 second prayer goes a long way when you're all the way across the country and you know no one and nothing is familiar-- there certainly is peace in knowing you're with the right people and that you have family in the Body. So I'll be checking this church out tomorrow.. I don't know much about it. I listened to some online sermons and have been through their webpage a couple times.

I need sleep..I'm almost finished velvet elvis for the second time for those who know what I'm talking about.. it's messing me up good this time. I'm being remade. Goodnight...

day three

2006-09-14T21:50:00.000-03:00

a little bit of an emotional day...the lack of sleep is catching up to me. I still haven't adjusted to the new time here, still waking up really early and not being able to go back to sleep. My body is upset with me...but it was a good day, PTL!

I ride the bus downtown everyday..it's 40 minutes each way... and coming home today I really started to think ( I don't do it often). A lot of people in downtown Victoria do "outreach." They bring food to the homeless, provide shelter (or try too), toilets and showers, drug clinics and counselling etc. I got to thinking how should evangelism be different then outreach? Or should it? Do they go together? How should an evangelist with a bag of food look/act different then the neighborhood outreach worker down the street with a bag of food? Is it evangelism in a true form without using words? What does the word evangelist mean?

Thoughts?

Day Two..

2006-09-13T23:53:00.000-03:00

I had a really good day today. I'm starting to get a better understanding of what Rick actually does and although it's definitley not limited to any one thing or any two things for that matter I definitley admire his passion for youth and his desire to see them come to faith. I also admire that after many years of ministry and the challenges and struggles that come with ministry he still plugs on as if it were his first day. Wow... so day two, I walked a million miles today and I met lots of new people. I spent the first part of my day hanging out at the shoebox place where a few kids came in for lunch- then I headed downtown where I spent the rest of the day walking the core downtown with Rick, meeting new kids. I think this is what I'm mostly going to be doing. "Street Prowl"....trying to build relationships with the kids. Rick has such a unique relationship with so many of the kids; they really do trust him. We spent a lot of time with a couple of people.. Rick tries to do everything he can to make life easier for the kids. We spent the morning at the shoe box working on birth certificate forms so one girl could go back to school, we took another guy to shoppers to buy supplies for his baby and then we took another guy to payless to buy shoes because his were falling off of his feet. I've come to realize that no day is going to be the same and that hopefully through meeting the needs of others and spending time with them they will meet Jesus. I'm learning. Pictures soon.

Day one on the streets

2006-09-13T00:03:00.000-03:00

I think this four hour time difference to New Brunswick is going to break my addiction to msn. It's eight o'clock and everyone is in bed at home. I like the sounds of that. Today was my first full day in Victoria. I couldn't sleep after 6:00am (cuz really it was 10:00), so I got up and unpacked and showered and got ready for the day. I explored my new community of Saanich this morning, I found a nice little physio clinic that I think I'm going to become quite familiar with and explored the Baskin Robins and the grocery store. I really enjoy the place where I'm living- I live in a condo complex that has a private pool and tennis court. It's kinda neat. Later tonight I picked pears and peaches from the complexes fruit trees and ate them for a snack. I'd never seen a pear tear! I spent all afternoon downtown Victoria. I took lotsa pictures of the Rockies (when I have internet working to my laptop, I'll post them) and of the ocean. I spent some time at the "shoe box" place meeting volunteers and a couple of the street kids that hang out there and come for food. Later we walked the core section of downtown and Rick showed me all the hotspots for buying and selling Crystal Meth and Coccaine. I met a few of the kids but mostly Rick and I spent the afternoon talking about what I would be doing for the year. I'm excited for this crazy adventure....I have no clue what to expect. I'm totally out of my element. I'm heading for a nap.. later skaters

I've arrived!

2006-09-12T12:30:00.000-03:00

Landed in BC at 3:30am New Brunswick time.. whatever that is in BC time I have no idea. I'm just unpacking and getting settled in, more later!

a slow day

2006-09-07T22:12:00.000-03:00

Everything felt sleepy today..I was late getting up (not that I had anywhere to be)...then I sat around and read most of the morning and afternoon. I saw the doctor this afternoon and took the bus back to Saint John this evening. Everything feels really sleepy and slow. I'm excited for a regular routine and for the pace to pick up a little bit next week. My back is a bit better tonight, thanks for praying y'all.

"In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Be my rock and my refuge, to which I can always go..."

T-minus 4 days

push in

2006-09-06T21:28:00.000-03:00

my back feels wrecked.. travelled home on the bus and it stank... please keep praying, I'm contending.

House D

2006-09-06T21:08:00.000-03:00

Welcome to House D...usually a quiet home. This year four fun femmes from all across Canada live in this residence. Rachel from Ontario (third year student), Susan from Newfoundland (also a third year student), Jessie from New Brunswick (also a third year student), and Hilary from British Columbia (a first year student, yay!), and myself, a residence houseguest for just one week! I really think it's going to be an exciting year in residence.. I'm kinda jealous, but I know that they'll have fun!

where I'm at..

2006-09-06T13:26:00.000-03:00

I'm in Saint John for the week at Taylor College working with George Porter and the rest of the students to do a youth outreach to the skateboarding community. Please pray for my back and neck- I have complete mobility but am quite uncomfortable and can only sit or stand for so long. I have another doctors appointment tomorrow afternoon. Also a lot of you have mentioned you know names of churches I should check out or names of restuarants or beaches I should visit in Victoria.. if you can think of them or any pastor contacts e-mail me (erintracy@hotmail.com) or just leave me a comment.

Thanks!

Take me to those western islands...

2006-09-02T14:44:00.000-03:00

Spent last night downtown enjoying the city! Leave Monday...

picking up pieces

2006-08-31T17:18:00.000-03:00

Alright...getting my focus on. I packed EVERYTHING today...with frequent breaks to lay on a heating pad. I never realized how strange it is to pack your whole life into two suitcases; deciding necessity from non-necessity. I have a larger peace today and a better focus, let's do this thing.

focus

2006-08-30T22:28:00.000-03:00

SO.. things are really weird. I saw the doctor today, I have a torn ligament and a couple of pulled muscles, but nothing major. I'm good to go. Yesterday I was so confused and frustrated with God- but things make a little bit more sense today. I'm seeing how God is taking crappy situations and totally turning them into good.

I don't feel prepared mentally, emotionally or spiritually to take off for twelve months from all that I know to be secure and stable and to totally figure things out for myself. This week has been one test after another. I have no clue what lies ahead, it's exciting and scary all at the same time. I really need God and I really need you to pray for me.

Check out http://www.streethope.org/

this is the ministry where I will be placed with for the year

I fly out the 11th... get a hold of me before then and we'll spend time together..

City of Fredericton:Learn to Drive!!!

2006-08-30T09:17:00.000-03:00

got hit by a drunk driver at one of the worst intersections in the city last night/this morning (1 am)...wrecked my dad's car...BAaaaaaaaHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

class of 2008...dedicated to one I love

2006-08-27T20:14:00.000-03:00

Going to miss you JJ... thanks for being an awesome friend and sister!

a few random thoughts

2006-08-27T20:07:00.000-03:00

Emma (Not Alone) Jason Upton

Don't be afraid baby don't you cry
Daddy's here it'll be all right
You're not alone you're not alone
Don't be afraid when you're cold at night
I will keep you warm, I will hold you tight
You're not alone you're not alone

Look beyond the window there
To the sky above to the open air
Look beyond what you can see
Close your eyes and just believe
The lion roars and the lamb lays down
They live together in a whole new town
They're calling me and they're calling you
From the cold hard facts that we're on our own
To the age old truth that we're not alone

Don't be afraid when you scrap your knee
I've got a bandaid waiting a kiss for free
You're not alone you're not alone
Don't be afraid of your blind belief
Because the more you fly the more you'll see
You're not alone you're not alone

Don't be afraid little warrior bride
Your victory's on the other side
You're not alone you're not alone

I'm finally home.. at least for two weeks. Time to reflect...

This is the song I am choosing to reflect on my summer of ministry. I felt like God was soo far away all summer and I consistently had to remind myself that He hadn't given up on me. This season (or whatever you wanna call it) stirred me to push in a little harder... when God seemed quiet, it made me want to pray harder and listen more attentively to find God. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart." I don't think God had distanced himself, I believe He was stirring me to listen harder for the purpose of refining me and growing greater discipline. When I got home this afternoon, I was unpacking some of my things and I began to sing along to a CD I had playing. I had to stop unpacking and just soak for a bit. God's presence was so good ... I seriously said, "God where have you been all summer?" This Jason Upton song then came on.. and God starting downloading to my heart. I felt like God was saying to me that I need to start walking by faith and not by sight, that I need to live like He is with me all the time, because He is. I also felt like God was saying that this summer was also preparation for what is to come..trusting and walking by faith. So here I am, two weeks from flying to Victoria to do a 12 month internship. I don't have a church out there and I don't know anyone. "Look beyond the window there, to the sky above to the open air, look beyond what you can see, close your eyes and just believe....You're not alone you're not alone." Just trust....

Erin Tracy Stevenson looks after the pool

2006-08-14T15:38:00.000-03:00

Last Monday night the male staff that I work with planned a female staff appreciation night. The night included sailing down the Saint John River and eating snacks prepared by the boys. Upon arriving at our destination (which was the new bridge that crosses the Saint John River)- we were instructed to climb a ladder onto a flat platform where benches and glowsticks had been set up. We enjoyed entertainment for the next hour and very tasty cheesecake! Later we had to sail back up the river in a very nasty thunder storm!

These pictures were taken with me hanging over the platform while the rest of the girls were climbing up the ladder- that's why they're kinda sketchy. I was scared that I might drop my camera into the river. If you fell off the ladder you fell into the river. It was an excellent night had by all.