back in the states

Hi y'all.  I'm back here, in my living room in Memphis.  It's a drastic difference.  I've gotten use to spending the evening sweating/recovering from some hard labor.  Now, my apartment is air conditioned and empty...except for me.  It's strange.  This whole reconditioning back to this environment challenges me.  And, I was only in Nicaragua for eight days.  But, it's like a second home now.  It's easy to adjust to life there and hard to get back to this life.  Perhaps I should spend more time figuring out why that is.  

I'll be posting pictures soon.  The team was awesome.  We were able to build a house and do a lot of work around the orphanage.  And, best of all, I got to spend some quality time with my boys, Josue and David.  It's been awesome to see how much they've grown and to know that they're doing well.  And, I stood on the edge of an active volcano.  How cool is that?

history lesson

I'm not a scholar.  In fact, I feel that my affinity for working at a liberal arts college is a true reflection of my varying interests and hobbies.  I like a lot of different things.  I read (for pleasure) fiction, biographies, books on the philosophy of leadership and more.  I watch classic black and white movies and modern, mind-numbing comedies (Baby Mama was great.)  I see the beauty in classical music and visiting museums and find peace in taking pictures.  (The one to the right is a postcard image of Nicaragua.)

So, here's my brief and touristic version of the history of Nicaragua.  It's a poor country.  The streets in the capital city, Managua, have no names.  (And, I'm pretty sure that U2 song wasn't about Managua.)  The drinking water is contaminated--even though a company from Japan came in and built the foundation for some purification systems.  

Let's go back to the poverty.  Up until about 15-20 years ago, Nicaragua was the poorest country in the western hemisphere.  It has now lost that title to Haiti; however, the 2nd poorest isn't a prize that any country would cherish.  I think what's amazing to me is that Nicaragua receives aid from other countries, but has strange ways of distributing it to the citizens.  They make it very difficult for citizens of the US to adopt their children.  

Remar, a organization that creates orphanages in Spanish speaking countries, opened over a dozen homes in Nicaragua.  On my first trip I learned that many of the kids have parents who put them in the orphanage because they (the parents) know that their children will have a better life than they could provide for them.  Several of the kids at each orphanage don't know a family member.  What I also know is that these kids are the fortunate ones.  A shocking site are the local dumps, where families live in hollowed out cars and eat from the garbage.  It's really too much to handle.  But, I think that's what keeps me coming back.  I'm drawn here.  Nicaragua captured my heart.  Because, there's this beautiful, postcard side.  But, the smile of these kids when you give them a piece of candy is truly the breath taking experience.  Keep your postcard landscapes.  I'll take a hug from a little Nicaraguan kid any day.

packing

I'm a planner.  As much as I appreciate the spontaneous, I still need order in my life.  I balance between sticking to my "to do" list and embracing those moments of unconstructed opportunities to have some fun.

Right now, late on a Friday night, I'm packing.  Well, I'm organizing my stuff to start packing. Who does that?

I'm leaving for Nicaragua early Monday morning.  So, needless to say, I'm starting my packing process long before I really need to.  But, that gives me comfort.  I can't stay up the night before a trip like my friend Khorey always does.  I also can't get up early the morning before to pack...mainly because I wouldn't sleep knowing that I might be rushed the morning before.  So, it's necessary for me to plan this early so that I can maintain my peace of mind.  

As for Nicaragua, I would covet your prayers for our trip.  This will be my first trip back to Vera Cruz in 2.5 years.  I'm excited to see the kids at the orphanage.  I'm really excited to see some immediate impact of my actions, as we build a house for a deserving family.

On a random note, this is a picture of me and James Dean.  For some reason, the crazy man from Graceland Too had this cut out of James Dean.  He said that Elvis was suppose to be the rebel in "Rebel Without A Cause."  I'm glad it was James.  He was definitely more attractive. And, these are my friends Jane, Khorey and Amy.  We shared this terrifying experience.  And, I would like to think that we're better people because of it! 

the message

I recently purchased The Message translation of the Bible.  It's got this cool fake-suede, blue cover.  So, this guy, Eugene Patterson, set out a few years ago to bring the core values of the Bible to a modern generation with a Message that transcends vernacular and lingo and slang.

My pastor from a church in South Carolina ended every sermon with a passage from Ephesians: "And I ask Him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love.  Reach out and experience the breadth!  Test the length!  Plumb the depths!  Rise to the heights!  Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."

the sweetest thing

I enjoy this week.  At Rhodes, we call it Senior Week.  It's that precious time between the end of exams and graduation.  It's a time when many of the stresses of my job disappear and are replaced by the sweet moments of reflection and contemplation from the graduating class.  It's a unique blend of joy and sorrow.  

I'm fortunate for being here.  The Lord brought me to Rhodes 2 1/2 years ago for reasons like this week.  To have lunch with kids who are so amazing and don't even realize it.  To chat with the future CEOs and cancer-curers and advocates for the forgotten.  To know a glimpse of who they are now and how this experience at Rhodes will lead them on to great futures.  To listen to students talk about how priorities have changed in four years from being popular and involved in a lot of things to doing a few things and doing them well...and doing them because they hold a purpose for yourself.  To redefining what success truly is.  And, to discovering that ONE thing.

Yesterday I went to the Zoo.  It's across the street.  There are great animals.  Lots of them.  I'm not sure how I feel about these animals being put on display for the enjoyment of others.  That's something that I'm still considering.  In the mean time, here's a 

picture for you!

Graceland Too

This past Saturday night, my friends and I drove down to Holly Springs, Mississippi in mission to fulfill an item from our "To Do List in Memphis." Our destination was Graceland Too...a house dedicated to everything Elvis Aaron Presley. Um, it was scary. So scary, that we escaped by running out of the house while the guy that lives there was distracted. On the way out of the house, we had to remove the padlock on the front door...yes, he locked us in.


So, afterwards, my friend Khorey and I made some rules for going to Graceland Too:

1. You can go in a group of no less than 4 people
2. You must have a man with you, because the guy at the house likes to pat/touch the women
3. If he asks you to agree with him on a random and absurd statement, you must do so...otherwise he threatens harm to himself. (like when he said he would kill himself if we said his son didn't look like Elvis...his son looked nothing like Elvis...but we agreed because we didn't want him to kill himself)
4. You should really go during daylight hours, as we feel this provides more protection. However, there is great adventure in going at night. You get bonus points for going between 2 and 4 am.


All in all, it was fun. My friend Amy had nightmares about this man's teeth chasing her, as his false teeth nearly fell out of his mouth every time he spoke.

forgetful

I forget to post information on here. Sometimes, I get pretty caught up in answering emails, checking Facebook and reading the blogs of others. In fact, I'm actually really good at being inconsistent with posting on here. Perhaps, that could be considered a spiritual gift.

I have, however, worked with my employer, Rhodes College, to launch a blog for the Residence Life Office. We're seeking to reach our students in new ways. Putting up signs and posters is a little too passive for me. So, we've launched this blog (http://connect.rhodes.edu/blog/category/res-life/). Next. we're starting a YouTube channel. I like that I actually get to blend some of my college degree work in Mass Communications with my actual work life. Plus, I think this is the new way to start connecting to this next generation. (I would be in the Generation X, where as most of the people with whom I work...the students...are in the group labeled as the Millennial Generation.)

So, here's a brief recap of the past six weeks: Went to Mexico to build houses; went to NC for Easter and got to hang out with my friends Gretchen and Scott (got this awesome chocolate bunny); went to Atlanta for work and got to see the Braves and friends; came back to Memphis; stopped living out of a suitcase; we hosted a large concert last weekend; and had two random encounters with people from Campbell University (who don't live in Memphis) at a place called Gus's Fried Chicken. Not too bad.