Seananigans

I decided to enact an idea i've been thinking about for along time, but have been unable to do... until now.

I recently acquired a wonderful camera, and I am taking it with me... everywhere. Every Sunday (time permitting) I plan on blogging on my weekly events, complete with pictures. In part to remember, in part to reflect, and in part to share with others my life.

--> A kid drawing during a childrens program the church hosts during the summer that I've been helping out with. Every day we do different fun activities, games, etc..


--> My new friend Brittany who came down here on her own free will (at least the last week) and helped with pretty much everything.


--> One of my Spanish profesors. I think he is propbably wondering what he is going to teach today... he often is not prepared.




Some cool pictures of candles I took when the power went off after Hurricane Dolly hit.








<-- I've decided to try to take pictures of all the U.S. license plates. So far I have about 10. Why not?


Birthday girls

<-- All-spanish Bible Study group. Tu compredes?





The rest are pictures of a prayer vigil in response to the border wall being built. And YES, those are actual pictures of the beginning contruction of the wall that I took today.

Community can do extraordinary things! I have written about some of my experiences with community and it's power (blessing), and I truly believe that this is the most important message that I can think of sharing, and I want to detail out exactly how I think community and faith should play out.

1. Use a small-group (community) to meet the needs of the people, neighborhood, town that are around you.

2. No longer put much belief in the power of government to change things. I could write several pages on this, but I believe this: Who we elect is important (go Obama..), but we should not put our faith in government to change things. Government can only do a little, and it is usually indirect, impersonal, and slow. Small groups (community) has the POWER to do amazing things if only we can come together and be united to do so.

3. Community can incorporate any person. While I have a strong belief (faith) in Jesus Christ, all faiths and all people can and should be included in community. It is not exclusive on race, religion, or creed. In fact, it is the responsibility of the Christian to try to bridge gaps between people of other faiths and work together. However, we (and I put myself in this category) get caught in this Pharisaic attitude of looking down on people of other religions, or desiring to convert them, or thinking we are better. Jesus taught we need to be servants to others, and he interacted and loved people of many different faiths.

4. Prayer is essential. I do not think true ministry can happen without prayer. Prayer is powerful and it allows people to bond in a way not possible without it. It confesses our need for something beyond ourself that we are incapable of doing on our own. It enlightens us to our own needs, the needs of others, and humbles our hearts from being arrogant.

I have been spending this summer in the valley of Texas, about 20 minutes from the Texas-Mexico border (where they are currently building a wall..! :<) This summer has been exciting and very challenging.

I have been blessed to stay with Bob and Donna Clark who are friends of my parents, and now my friends. They have allowed me this unique opportunity to stay with them, while I am taking Spanish courses, and trying to daily practice espanol.

Monday thru Friday I have my morning classes, from 7:45AM-11:00AM. My spanish class hasn't been very educational. Our teacher, while being a nice, younger adult man(young 30's), he has already missed approximately 7 classes of a summer session. He is in a mariachi band, and I think that consumes a lot of his time and energy, and this is just a job that pays the bills.

Anyhow, I am also taking an economics course which I am actually enjoying a lot. My teacher, Alberto Davila, makes economics interesting and shows its importance as a field of study of our lives.

Anyhow, school, overall, is OK. What I feel the most blessed by and what I have enjoyed the most is (besides indoor soccer) the church. Bob is the pastor of two United Methodist churches down here, and the Pharr, Texas church is really doing some amazing things. During the summer, Monday thru Friday, there is a "summer feeding program" where kids under 18 are fed for free (thru government money!). Statistics say that over 40% of kids in that age group are undernourished and go to sleep hungry.

Furthermore, after the food, the kids can hang out there from 1:00-3:30 and there they can play games, do arts and crafts, etc... This is where most of my interaction has been. After I get done with my college stuff, I come to the church and just hang out and play with the kids. We play soccer sometimes, basketball, tag, and do arts and crafts. It has been my pleasure to get to just hang out with these kids. Show interest in their lives, encourage them, play with them, give them hugs, and recieve hugs from them.

Furthermore this church hosts a food pantry during the normal school year, serves as an angelfood distribution center (look this up on google!), collects donated items to help mothers/parents in need, homeless people in search of clothes/food, and much more. They have lots of projects and programs reaching out to hispanic people who often know little to no english, such as padres ayudan padres (parents helping parents), a "Christian basics and fundamentals course" called Alpha in spanish, and lots of other great things. I asked Bob if he had a structure or plan of what he wanted to do with the church when he became the pastor and he said, "no. I just made it a point to get to know the people, listen to them, learn about their needs, and find ways to serve those needs". There was no step program he thought he should impliment. It was all about learning the churches (peoples) and communities needs and trying to find ways the church could meet those. Makes sense to me.

Anyways, I could write a lot more, and I desire to. There has been so much going on down here and in my life that I could write for hours. I just completed my first fast - which was inspired by a book that I read on fasting. Water and juice for three days. Now I fast until at least sunday on fruits and vegetables in the morning and evening. I say this not to boast, but to remember part of my journey. Fasting is not an easy thing..

Until the near future,
Sean