Dove & Beauty

Prof. Gerry Breshears tipped me off to this video. It isn't a surprise at all how much media "enhances" their images but yet, how often do I find myself falling for their trap? Having worked with elementary school students and junior high students as well, it is shameful the way media has such an impact on our psyche and distorts our self-image. I personally think the Dove campaign for real beauty is great. Check out their website for really useful material to use with your daughters or youth group kids.

Friday, March 30th

Morning assignments had us splitting into four different groups. Evan, Corbin, Charith, and Bethany loaded the food trucks for afternoon deliveries. Chris and Leanne went to the Dream Center Academy to help tutor the kids. Lindsey and Dot were originally going to do “marketing” but that was cancelled and they joined a group going to Skid Row. Tiana, Meg, and I went to the Metro Kidz office. The food truck group was done early and went walking around and found a Japanese umbrella on the ground which resulted in a series of photos. Chris and Leanne deserve some major props; Chris is our science expert being a biology major, Leanne a math wiz and education major so they were requested as tutors, there wasn’t a lot of free choice on their part. They were both rather hesitant about tutoring the students at DC Academy which are teens that have been put in the program by the courts and don’t want to be there or kids that have been kicked out of all other schools. The program is all online self-paced with a ‘teacher’ in each room to help when needed or proctor. There are advantages to this program but many disadvantages as well. Many of the students were only a year or two younger than Chris and Leanne but they did a fantastic job of working with the students. At lunch Chris was totally jazzed about how he connected with the guys and been able to really help them get the science assignment by coming up with analogies the students could relate to; he was also very burdened by the need for positive male role models for the guys in the DC Academy program. I wouldn’t be surprised if Chris’ future goals and plans are tweaked by this experience.

The Metro Kidz office was interesting in that we got a behind the scenes peek into how extensive and large scale the program is on a weekly and monthly basis. We put together about 50 Easter baskets that will be given away at the church service. Every kid, about 150, will go home with an Easter basket on Sunday – EVERY KID! What makes it more impressive is that not much is donated, Metro Kidz has a huge budget and buys most of their supplies and give aways, and the do good give aways. When I went out on Wednesday they gave away four board games. For the street programs during the week every truck will have about ten baskets to give away as prizes and each kid will get a brown lunch sack chock-a-block full of stuff – candy, protein bars, a toy. They needed about a thousand bags or so. Again, all of the stuff in the bags is bought, not donated. Impressive if you think they only do this for major holidays but they do a “party” every month! The magnitude of the supplies needed to put together a thousand goodie bags every month was made more real when we helped unload pallets of boxes of candy and filled their small storage room. It is really an impressive operation and intimidates me all the more in regards to starting a Portland branch. Yikes!

The afternoon was spent with one of the food trucks. We weren’t told where we were going just to follow the green truck which was a challenge as it wove around local streets. I was intent on keeping up with the truck (yes, I was driving) and when it came to making our way back to the Dream Center, well, we took the scenic route as no one was paying attention to just how we got were we did or how to get back, but we made it. People were already lined up when we arrived at the sidewalk next to an elementary school, mostly Asian women, who were very eager to help. Three of the women were given plastic grocery bags to open and get ready to be filled. I was working on bagging up potatoes with another gal but I guess we were not doing it fast enough because a fellow came along and helped us in hyper speed. As bags of food were being handed out I started breaking down boxes and started talking to Mathias, a food truck regular worker. This ended up being a highlight for me. And it isn’t because Mathias is Swedish, a pastor, 32 years old, and adorable with his freckles and red hair and bushy beard that reminded me of an Ewok. Okay, maybe a little, but I won’t admit it! So if I won’t admit his appeal was the highlight, what was? Well it boils down to this: I walked away from our conversation which basically was comparing notes about the un-Christian-ness of Europe, particularly Sweden and Czech, with the strong sense and peace that it is okay to have a heart for Europe and want to return to minister there. This is something I’ve been really struggling with lately. There is so much hurt and need in Asia and Africa, especially in regards to kids at risk, that I feel a sense of obligation to do something in that arena. Yet my heart keeps calling me back to Europe and that is where I envision myself. It has been a tug-o-war in my heart and mind as I think about my future and trying to sort out where God is calling me. Whether right or wrong I had been thinking that Europe has so much and doesn’t have “need” like most areas of the world; it was kind of like Europe wasn’t as deserving in my mind. But after talking with Mathias and his burden for his country and the needs he sees in Sweden and Europe in general it was as if God was validating my desire to work in Europe that God needs people to serve Him there just as much as in Thailand, or India or Uganda. I don't know where God is directing my steps but at least now I don't have an accompanying sense of guilt when I consider Europe.

We arrive back at the Dream Center with over an hour before dinner. Sheer utter exhaustion from the lack of sleep all week finally allows me to nap, if only for a short 20 minutes and I woke up feeling rather awful and had to admit – I was sick. Lindsay had started the trip with a cold and it had made the rounds through several members of the team. I was thinking that I was going to be exempt but I couldn’t deny it any longer, it wasn’t allergies, it wasn’t smoke from the brush fire on the other side of the Hollywood hills, I had the team cold, and I was miserable.

It was decided that we’d pack up this evening and leave after the nightlife outreach. After dinner instead of packing up I lay back down on my squeaky bottom bunk. The nightlife outreach started at 11pm and was scheduled to return at around 3 am. The team decided they’d leave a little early and head out on our long trip home. Oy! I suggested to Lindsay that they go on the nightlife and let me stay at the Dream Center and sleep, when they were ready to go they could come back and get me and everyone could do a “potty break” before taking off. Thankfully she was willing, my plan B was to sleep in the van while they went on the outreach and I was so glad that I didn’t have to do that. Yes, I felt that awful.

The team came back and picked me up a little after 2 am. I grabbed the one bag I hadn’t put in the van already, used the toilet one last time, and we started the long journey home. The sunrise was lovely. I eavesdropped on a good story Corbin was telling Dot as she drove to keep her awake. Tiana was our power driver star of the trip. I didn’t even know she was qualified to drive but she took over around 4 am and lasted until about 10am. She rocked! We spent an hour in Redding getting our last taste of In-n-Out for lunch. It was a fairly mild drive home as most people slept for a major part of the trip. Not I, alas sleep was ever elusive. I got to be awake for the whole 16 hour drive fully aware of my misery. Thankfully the team really stepped up and I never had to drive. I was so tired I didn’t trust myself to drive. We pulled into George Fox University parking lot a little after 6 pm and finished the trip similar to how I started, borrowing Evan’s pass card to get into LeShana dorms to use the bathroom. I was proud to be a member of the “tiny tank” club that included Charith and Bethany who also required frequent potty breaks. Departing was bittersweet. I could hardly wait to get home and take a shower, a long hot private shower and sleep in my own bed in my quiet bedroom all by myself for however long I wanted to sleep, but I was also sad to be apart from my team, a group of students who had endeared themselves to me in a week’s time of constant companionship. It has been a good week, a great week.

Thursday, March 29th

This morning the Masters Commission students performed their "show" for us. The word show isn't appropriate but I can't think of what else it should be called. It is more akin to a talent show (drumming, break dancing, poetry reading, etc) with a message. Presentation, maybe that is the best word. The students present the message that everyone is divinely made and uniquely gifted and those gifts can be used for God's service. They go all over Southern California and put on this presentation in churches and schools. As the teams were splitting up into their assignments for the morning I slipped out. My team was doing Adopt-a-block again, this time a free car wash. But I had made arrangements to talk with a couple people in the Metro Kidz office. I first had to get my morning jolt of caffeine in the form of coffee. While it was great to have a little cafe on campus to get decent coffee (versus the nasty stuff served in the cafeteria) they had to be some of the slowest, most inefficient people in the service industry. In meeting with the HR person for Metro Kidz I basically wanted to know how do you start Metro Kidz, what training is available, and what, if any, ongoing support. I love the idea and concept of the trucks taking Sunday school to the street where the kids are, but I came to realize in the discussion that it really needs to be done out of a church. It may work to do it as a para-church organization but you'd still need the support of several churches. Anybody else want to help me get it started?

After lunch we went out with Under the Bridge which served lunch to homeless people under the 3rd street bridge and downtown. Dot was driving the van and we had one of the ministry people riding shot-gun to help give directions. While weaving out way downtown to the bridge Dot got a little wild and kissed mirrors with a stopped bus. Thankfully the only damage was a small part of our side view mirror went missing. But it provided a lot of fodder for teasing Dot. Under the 3rd street bridge we set up to serve meals but there were very few people, maybe two dozen, we hand delivered most of them to people. As we walked around there were areas where the stench of urine was almost overpowering and rat droppings were noticeable everywhere. While we were down there a truck came and picked-up one and delivered an empty dumpster, one of the big super-sized construction dumpsters. Apparently it is part of the campaign to clean up downtown. As we were packing up the food to head to the next site a man became very angry and started yelling at one of our team members. He accused us of being prejudice and patronizing, what he really needed was a job- not food. Chris, the ministry leader, went over and talked to him and pulled him away from the rest of us while the other ministry leaders quickly herded us back into the vans. Chris later told us that he knew the guy, he was a 'regular' and told him he was being stupid, that he didn't need to act this way.

We moved several blocks north and set up again. People were already lined up around the corner when we arrived and they were plenty upset that we were late! Isn't that hilarious? Here we had a variety of responses from people being profusely thankful to a couple people who exclaimed "I'm not gonna eat that crap!" Granted it wasn't food that I would want or fix for myself but it was decent food. One of the gals serving made a face at the more vocal lady who was expressing her dislike for the menu that was something of shock. Her comments boiled down to 'you wouldn't eat it so why are feeding it to me.' I made the comment to her, "It's probably what we are having for dinner." I'll admit that is the attitude that continually surprises me. The homeless are living off of handouts and others charity yet they defy the old adage, "Beggars can't be choosers." They don't want to just be feed, they want to be feed well and to their preferences. It was also interesting to see the social structure. There are established rules by the regulars and a couple women came around who did not understand or ignored that there was a line they had to wait in to get food. That got quite the reaction from those patiently waiting their turn. One other interesting thing I observed is that those who did not like something, say the zucchini, after they had ate everything else would toss it onto the sidewalk. In fact most of the people just threw there plate into the gutter or along the sidewalk. As we went around with garbage bags to pick up the debris some were very consciences to give us everything around them that was trash. Someone has left their plate, utensils, and cup in a neat stack on the edge of the sidewalk. I was headed over to pick it up when a man walking towards me went by and kicked it into the street. I wanted to yell, "Dude! that was so unnecessary!" But it illustrates the underlying disrespect that I think is an aspect of homelessness. We went back to the Dream Center and debriefed with Chris who told us some horrifying stories. He talked about how he had seen a women beaten to death one block away from where we were serving downtown a month ago. He also told us that the state of California ceased funding for the state run mental hospitals a couple years ago and those who didn't have family to care for them, they were loaded on buses and dropped off downtown on skid row to fend for themselves. Chris said he sees people still wearing their hospital ID bracelet and or gown. That shocked me, how can anyone, especially a whole state government, act so inhumanely? Since the push to clean-up downtown he says that a lot of homeless have disappeared, or at least are not around Skid Row anymore, but the downside is, they don't know where they are, and if you don't know where they are, how can you minister to them? And without them being in a concentrated area it is very difficult to minister to the homeless population. He is quoted in an LA TImes article about the homeless migration, that about half of the regulars are gone. He has heard stories of some being arrested or detained on minor charges and when they are released they are driven out to the desert and left. I kinda question the validity of that story. At least, I don't want to believe it.

After dinner five of us decided to go out on bus pick-up. Meg, Dot, and I went on a bus to a Hispanic neighborhood with a lot of kids while Lindsay and Tiana went on the bus to Skid Row. We had two gals from Master's Commission on the bus with us who have been going to this neighborhood each week and they told us of all the troubles they had been having with several of the teens, being only 18 and 19 themselves, they didn't have the authority needed to deal with the situation well. But the stories made me a bit nervous. As the kids started filing onto the bus Dot quickly hit it off with a group of young boys about ages 6-8 who were going to have a rock band one day and decided that Dot could be their manager or groupie or something. Meg befriended two girls who sat behind her, I think they were twins. And I got to meet the sweetest little girl named Diana. When I first started talking with her I couldn't get much of an answer and what little she did say was so quiet and muffled I could understand her. But through pestering her with questions I finally got her to start talking. Unfortunately she asked if I would be on the bus next week and it broke my heart to tell her no, that I'd be back home. I could literally see her withdraw from me at that point. When I had met in the morning with Andrea about Metro Kidz she suggested that I observe the kids program at church that evening so I asked my little friend Diana if she would show me where the kids program meets. When the bus stopped the kids rushed to get off and so I waited my turn but I could see Diana waiting on the steps of the building for me. It was so sweet. I was turned away from the kids program - no one is allowed who hasn't been through orientation - understandably but I was bummed. More so because I hadn't been able to say 'good-bye' to Diana.

I found the rest of my team inside the main auditorium for church. I still can't quite get over the "showiness" of the church and especially the worship. A Christian mosh pit during church worship??? Hey if it brings people in and reaches their target audience - sweet! I wouldn't choose it personally. The pastor was introducing all the groups at the Dream Center. He made a big to-do over the England team and challenged them to a soccer game the next day. Of course they got up and started singing as usual. Then Canada was introduced and they got up on stage and sang the Canadian anthem. Everyone laughed. Team Colorado was up next and Pastor Matt requested a song from them as well, they suggested the US anthem at which point Pastor Matt had all of the American teams come up and sing. It was all quite amusing. Then the guest speaker got up and started his talk with a story about a parrot who kept saying, "Whoopee Charlie! Let the good times roll!" which ended up being his them for the whole talk. After church we walked back to the Dream Center and played games - Mafia and Mao. Don't let Corbin play Mao.

Wednesday, March 28th

I'll try to be less wordy...

Today our morning assignment was “Adopt-a-Block” with the Idaho team. We walked, and walked, and walked from the Dream Center to Sunset Boulevard. We set up “shop” at an intersection of Sunset to pass out cookies. Yup! We passed out cookies to people as they stopped for the red light. We waited at three different corners, one person holding a sign that read, “Do you want a cookie?” and the rest passing out cookies parceled out two to a sandwich bag. It was actually really fun. Meg and Tiana got really aggressive in handing out cookies and waving people down. As the light didn’t turn red all that often or for long we started waving to people wishing them a good day. We got a lot of strange looks. A LOT of strange inquisitive looks! When we passed out the last of the cookies we were given trash bags and instructed to pick up garbage as we walked back to the Dream Center. Charith, Bethany, Tiana, Meg and I took one side, but soon Meg and I found ourselves lagging behind. Then we realized we couldn’t see anyone else we knew, I guess we were being too diligent in picking up trash, and this despite there being three people ahead of us picking up trash (or were they?). Even though I was certain I would recognize the street we needed to turn on to get back to the center I was thankful that a few people had waited until we caught up. Even though the morning wasn’t people intensive we all had so much fun and were inspired by the philosophy of random acts of kindness to reach out to people and be a blessing to others.

The afternoon assignment was Hope for Homeless Youth- Venice Beach. I skipped it. Instead I joined team Idaho and went on Metro Kidz to the neighborhood we had done bus pick-up on Sunday. I was so excited to see Metro Kidz in action. We had used it as a case study for one of my Kids at Risk classes at Western Seminary, but at that time only the original New York Metro Kidz was happening. I was tempted then to go visit New York to see it in action and now, seven years later, I was actually going to be a part of the program. I teamed up with a couple guys from the Salem college outreach group to pass out fliers and invite kids to come to the program. Our group of four dwindled to two. Juan was determined to keep passing out fliers while the two other guys went back to the program area to play with the kids. Even though Juan could probably take care of himself we were given strict instructions not to go off by ourselves so I went with him to pass out more fliers. I had to nearly jog to keep up with him. His ability to speak Spanish was terribly helpful. As we walked I learned he recently graduated from Western Oregon University and started working for Evergreen Air, and when a helicopter passed by we had to stop and see if it was an Evergreen. I also learned that he was from Ecuador when he chased a man, and his wife, into a busy street who was wearing a soccer jersey of the national team. The three of them talked for some time and Juan was very gracious in translating their conversation for me so that I didn’t feel left out. I found myself cursing my age, why couldn’t I be at least ten years younger? But then I realized that I was rooming with seven other girls who were of the right age for him. Probably lucky for Juan I didn’t seem him the rest of the week so I couldn’t play yenta with the girls on my team and handsome gentlemanly Juan.

At the program area I started drawing with a girl who just happened to be named Jennifer – an instant bond! I pretended that I couldn’t draw well and had her teach me how to do the fancy flowers she was drawing. Once the program got started I got pulled up to do a water balloon toss, my partner got very wet! Eric, our bus driver from Sunday, was the site leader and did the story telling and lesson summary. The program had all sorts of problems. For some reason the stage couldn’t be used, the sound system went out, and the food truck that was at the other end of the block had a volunteer with a slight heart attack so the ambulance showed up. Even with all the distractions the kids were intent on the lesson. It is a great program! I wonder how we can do it up in the Northwest.

The evening outreach was Dream Street on Skid Row with the group from Oasis Church in Bend. We had either single serving packages of Famous Amos cookies or Starbuck pastries tied up in a bag that we were to pass out and use as an entry to further conversation. Once we got on site Mike, our ministry leader, asked for the pastor from each group. After the overly labored explanation that we are a university group and don’t have a pastor he asked for one leader. Never knowing when Lindsey and Evan want me to be a leader (or when they’d rather I’d stayed home) I didn’t volunteer, but they both looked to me and asked if I’d be the leader for the purpose. I was glad to because I knew whoever had the role wasn’t going to have the full ministry experience. I got paired up with Anthony the worship leader from Oasis to be the “caboose” making sure no one got left behind. Everyone else paired up and headed out. I had a great time getting to know Anthony and we had some interesting experiences but nothing like sitting down on the dirty gritty sidewalk talking and praying with the homeless. We mostly talked to each other and Frank and his daughter who for whatever reasons didn’t talk with those on the street as instructed. At one point we were standing on the opposite sidewalk of Evan, Charith, and Bethany who were talking with a man and we were near this gate where a woman was standing shouting something incoherent. We were told to stay away from the screamers as they were most likely mentally ill so Anthony and I stayed our distance. Frank and his daughter joined us and were just as intrigued by the gate and the woman, especially after a man came from the other side of the gate, unlocked it, let the woman in, and then locked it up again. A few moments later two men came up to the gate, hollered something, then noticing us quickly walked away. After that we scooted down the sidewalk to be less of an obstacle. A man came out of the gate and Frank’s daughter (I never did get her name) asked him, “What’s going on back there?” His reply, “Things you should ever do!” as he waved his index finger back and forth. Later Anthony and I started talking with a man who was visiting LA and hoping to leave soon to go back home to Iowa. He had followed a woman out here and then gotten burned and realized he had been disillusioned. He was interesting to talk to as he had decided to make a study of Skid Row; he thought it was shameful how many mentally ill were homeless- that the state didn’t take care of them. He was scared of the drugs and violence in the area at night, and rightly so. I was intrigued by the cars that would pull up with their lights off. Mike told me later they were buying drugs which make sense since there wasn’t any other explanation for why minivans and nice sport cars would cruise that area of town. It became a running joke between Anthony and I that he kept getting rejected when trying to talk to people, but near the end he finally found a receptive ear with someone who had heard of the discipleship program at the Dream Center. Anthony almost convinced him to come back with us right then and there but the man decided he needed more time to think about it but sense that this is what he needed to do. Why anyone would have to debate between staying on the streets or getting help is a little baffling to me. At one point a group of us had gotten far behind the main group. As we stood on a corner debating which way our group would have gone we saw a mob coming towards us. For a moment we were scared and starting scoping out our escape routes, but then we realized it was the rest of our teams. Whew!

Well, it doesn't seem like I kept it short, but really I did keep in just the best parts. Really.

Tuesday, March 27th

We had our first meeting with all the other teams today. There are a bunch of us, ten just from Oregon! There is also a team from Idaho, Denver, Arkansas (which we like to imitate), one team from Manitoba and one from England! During our meeting we heard from one of the directors, Clarence, and three testimonies from the discipleship program, and met the short-term staff. We were divided up into five groups for tours of the Dream Center. We were paired with a group from Oasis church in Bend, my cousin’s church! We covered the main building from ground floor to roof – literally, and all in one trip. I do the stair climber often enough that I thought I was in decent shape but the hike up nine flights of stairs had me panting, but the view was worth it. With the rain yesterday the sky was actually scrubbed clean and was blue and clear giving a great shot of the Hollywood sign.

After the tour we went back to our floor and had some time until lunch, some took naps others journaled or had devotionals. A little before we should leave to go get in line for lunch I got in line with many other gals from my team to use the toilet (one toilet for the whole floor). Now, my team knew I was in line for the toilet, albeit the last one in line, but by the time I got out I couldn’t find any of my team, they were gone. Thankfully I already had my badge to get me into lunch since the door was locked to the bedroom. I walked toward the cafeteria and talked with Frank from the Oasis group thinking my team would eventually show up, we only have a half hour for lunch. Finally my stomach dictated along with the time, to go ahead and get lunch despite not being with my team. After pickup up my tray I went into the dining area only to discover my team was already seated and almost done with their lunches. Several asked, “Where have you been?” What?! Where have I been? You left me in line for the toilet, how was I supposed to know you’d ditch me and come to lunch and be able to get in early? Grr!

Our afternoon assignment was with Metro Kidz but because of the few drops that fell from the sky they cancelled the program; they had the audacity to call it rain! Instead we were to hand out flyers and candy and let the kids know next week would be the big Easter program. But first we had to get there. I got driving duty as most of the other drivers were still feeling a bit skittish about driving around LA. The traffic was going fairly well. I was being a ‘rubber-necker’ looking at what the police officer was doing to the right when we passed an exit and I had the thought, I bet that was the exit we needed but there was only a number – no name, and the instructions we had only had a name listed. Sure enough Dot, my co-pilot, figured out it was the exit we needed. We got off at the next exit and got back on the freeway, getting off at the correct exit and thought we’d just do the opposite of the instructions. But that just got us totally lost in Culver City. There was a lot of construction going on and the exit off of 170 east did not dump us near where the same exit off of 170 west did. Dot got on the phone and finally got someone to help us. We eventually got to where we needed to be, but not after a grand tour of Culver. Once at the project we took some fliers and candy but the Arkansas team that had gotten there first had already canvassed the entire neighborhood. We found a few kids but very few. Corbin, Meg, and I were heading back to the van as we cut through the playground at the community center where we found some kids to play with. They already had candy but we gave them some more, bet their parents loved us! I talked with a father and grandmother of three kids while Meg and Corbin taught them what an underdog is and got dizzy on the tire swing with them. It was neat to hear from the parents how much Metro Kidz means to the kids and to the adults. I was so disappointed that we didn’t get to see the whole program!

Finally the rest of the team came and found us; the Metro Kidz team wanted to get back and was waiting for us. Thankfully they let us follow them and waited on the side of the road when we got separated by a red light; if they hadn’t we would have had another grand tour of Culver City as I would have driven right past the on-ramp.

We had a choice for our evening activity between Discipleship Bible study and Women’s Bible study. Once again I made use of the toilet before we left and when I came back out the team was gone and the bedroom door was locked. Yes, for a second time today, I was ditched by the team while using the toilet. I caught up with the team standing in the parking lot. Even though we had tried to reserve seats at the Discipleship Bible study and were a little early we were too late to get in, the room was filled. The women decided to go to the women’s Bible study then, but since I had been locked out the bedroom I didn’t have my Bible or anything. The Women’s study started later but we went straight there to make sure we could get in (it wasn’t a problem). What was a problem was the smell in the room, an overpowering fruity-flower potpourri stink that made my eyes water and my nose burn. I couldn’t wait to get out of the room. I am not sure who the study is intended to reach; there were several groups of women- a few Japanese who spoke little English, a couple women who were graduates of the discipleship program. I was sitting next to a woman who was a graduate and I was puzzled because I hear the discipleship program is rather Biblically intense yet this woman was looking for the book of John between Genesis and Deuteronomy. The leader of the Bible study talked at a zooming pace and packed in a lot in the hour time frame, yet it smacked of the ‘health, wealth, and prosperity’ movement which turned me off.

Tuesday night we had a team meeting in which we discussed several ‘briefing’ questions that I had posed to the team on Sunday evening such as “what are your hopes or goals for the week?” We had a great discussion. This is where the incident with Chris and the women at Baja the day before came out, and people’s frustration with a ‘slow start’ to ministry was talked about. What resulted was a major attitude shift for all of us that made a huge difference in our team dynamics and individual outlooks. It was pretty amazing to see how God worked in our hearts so quickly and dramatically. God is good! I think the rest of our week would have been drab and petty if not for opening our hearts to God tonight. Tiana had a great perspective she shared of being a blessing to anyone and everyone regardless of the circumstances. That we could be a blessing to all the people who worked at the Dream Center such as those who served us our meals. We could be an example to all the high school students. We have an opportunity to serve and bring glory to God in all that we do whether it is what we were expecting to do or not. Attitudes we should have all the time!

Monday March 26th

Today is our “play day.” We have no ministry scheduled and can do what we want. Many other teams are going to one of the amusement parks, but not us. We got a slow start to the morning. We decided to do some sight-seeing in the morning hoping that the clouds would burn off by the afternoon so we could enjoy the beach. I suggested we go to Hollywood Boulevard Our first stop was Amoeba Music, a place Charith loved when she visited last summer. It is a huge place with used and new music, a Powell’s for music. After a couple hours we finally managed to get everybody out of the store and to lunch at Baja Fresh. Not a very original place but it was very close. While we sat eating dispersed through the restaurant a lady came up to Chris who was sitting beside me and asked for money to buy food. She didn’t look particularly down-n-out, but someone in need. Chris was still waiting for his burrito so he earnestly offered his chips; she ‘pa-shawed’ it with a look of total disgust. It came out later that night that this incident really bothered Chris and proved to be a great launch for discussion. where the mix of people and landmarks is bizarre.

After lunch we went up two blocks to Hollywood Boulevard with Grauman’s Chinese Theater being our destination. For reasons that I was oblivious to we started walking in the opposite direction of the theater. We continued in this direction for several blocks until enough people had asked me and been informed that it was the opposite direction to change the herd mentality and change course. The area of Hollywood BLVD we traversed contains rather questionable shops. Some had clothing in the windows that made everyone blush. Meg was amazed at the number of shops prominently selling bongs and other drug paraphernalia. Tiana and Dot were too distracted by the names on the stars to take much notice of what they were passing. Every once in awhile we passed a store front for a cool hip looking restaurant or shop which seemed so out of place it was jarring. It made me wonder if there is some sort of initiative going on by the city of LA to revitalize this area of town. The architecture of the buildings were beautiful, ornamentation of the roaring ‘20’s degraded by the junky shops now calling them home; it made me sad. We stopped and talked with one man who was sitting on the sidewalk cleaning the stars. His lower legs looked lifeless and the crutches he had beside him testified to their inability to function properly. He had been homeless until recently when he got this job. He knows where all the stars are! Tiana had picked up a free map from the Visitor’s Bureau but this guy got on a roll pointing out all the stars that were misplaced and told us where we actually find Elvis. (We never made it down that far unfortunately.) He told us that there is a team of 4 or 5 people who clean the stars and each star gets cleaned about once a week.

Soon after meeting the star cleaner we split up. The three guys and Meg wanted to go back to the Scientology ‘store’ to talk to the people inside. The rest of us went on to Grauman’s and Kodiak theater. I enjoyed watching Tiana and how she marveled at the handprints in front of Grauman’s. Tiana and Dot were taking pictures like crazy; they were rather star-struck which was so much fun to watch. As we walked in front of the Kodiak theater someone dressed rather oddly, I don’t know what character he was trying to portray, walked up beside Charith and Bethany unnoticed until the giant afro wig entered their peripheral vision. This produced a loud scream from them both, and then a second scream when they noticed the creepy eyes produced by contacts. I was lagging behind with Tiana and Dot and we heard the screaming but didn’t connect it with Charith and Bethany until we saw them run away from the guy. We all got a good laugh out of that one!

On our way back to the van outside of a bar I nearly stepped into a puddle of vomit. Eww! Thankfully someone warned me just in time so that only the sole of my sandal got gunk on it. All the walking did my hip in and my injury from last November flared up ferociously. I was about to sit down and burst out crying I was hurting so bad. But we made it to the van and I got to sit down which eased the pain after a few minutes.

The weather was still overcast and chilly but we decided to go back to the beach anyhow. We drove out to Santa Monica again and played on the beach. I used the ocean to wash off the gross stuff from my sandals and tried to take a nap. The lack of sleep was already hurting me but the sand flies and the chilly air kept me mostly awake. We lost Corbin for most of the afternoon; he went long boarding down the boardwalk. After we packed up and went back to the van it took another half hour to decide what to do about dinner. We left Santa Monica about 6:30pm and after a series of discussions and decisions we finally ate dinner – Domino’s Pizza – at 8:30pm.