By the hairs on my chiny chin chin...

Last moment last moment last moment..... I feel like I've had a month of last moments...and I have. Some of these last moments have been a tad more tense than others. One of the big ones I know you have all been wondering about is the visa issue. I did get my visa...on the Friday before orientation...I left on Sunday morning. Last minute. I finished packing for the sixth and final time Sunday morning. I got a memory card for my camera Sunday. There was a last minute change of plans for orientation. I arrived 5 minutes before this was to begin only to find out there was yet another change of plans. There was last minute washing and hanging out and nerves. Last minute, last minute, last minute...it seems as though it has been a lot of running around and last minutes, but finally...I'm in England!!!! whoooo....exciting I know but I really am getting ahead of myself here. I have to tell you all a little bit about orientation in Chicago.

The week started out on Sunday the 28th were my parents (probably a little nervously) dropped me off at a place called Jesus People USA (JPUSA). The nerves probably came from the fact that on first glance this place appears to be some strange sort of hippie commune right in the middle of everything...annnnnnnd it kind of is. What I learned through out my time there was that although it is definitely like that there is so much more to it and it is this wonderfully beautiful place. JPUSA is a Christian community that doesn't just worship together on Sundays but instead lives their lives collectively everyday. The live, work, raise their children, do service, and worship together. I image there are probably times when they want to throw some of their fellow JPUSA members out of top story windows but for the most part they have found a way to live together in such a way as to find a kind of harmony I think many Christian communities miss out on. It really is wonderful. They home school their children so they can raise them biblically, they have several outreach programs (you should honestly google them), I would think, after getting a look at all the very interesting and eclectic grouping of people, it would be almost impossible to raise their children with prejudices. To explain this let me just give you an example....I don't know how many of you have ever seen my ears (I usually am pretty good at not making them stand out too much) but I have 10 piercings. I also currently have two feathers in my hair, one of which is purple. I made some of the JPUSA people seem downright conservative while at the same time compared to others I couldn't have even pretended that I was a blip on the radar. I'm not sure what it was about seeing some plain clothed, straight laced individual walking alongside a tattooed, dread locked, nose pierced individual that made me so happy...but I'm guessing it was the fact that none of them seemed to notice. I loved JPUSA.

The week was filled with lectures, learning, and reflecting. Which was all fantastic of course, but that wasn't what stood out for me. What I found by going to orientation was the last thing I had ever expected. I found a group of young people that I am better for having met. I so easily came to know and love them that it kind of surprised me at the intensity of my feelings when it came time to say goodbye and part ways. The week was filled with tears, hilarity, deep talks, bonding and fun. I leave knowing I have made genuine friends and not just familiar strangers. It is hard for me to explain to you what exactly experiencing orientation with this group meant to me....the group dynamics are just beyond explanation as are the people. If you ever have a free moment I suggest going to the MMN or facebook Radical Journey page to find out who they are and search out their blogs. You will be confident that the service workers being sent out into the world as your representatives are some of the best there could be.

Team England

The Radical Journey Group

There are entirely too many stories from the week to share so I think I will share just one single moment with you. We had a lot of fun. There were prank calls (ask Luke about this), exploring, movies, ice cream, eating out, staying up late and BBQs....but one moment kind of defines this group. We had a day or so where our electricity wasn't working. Upon finding out that first night that we were left in the dark with none of the conventional ways of entertaining ourselves that my generation is used to - did we go out and find electrical fun? No we did not....we did something very Mennonite :)

And that kind of explains my orientation. Of course we weren't always having hymn sings, but we did have the kind of group that enjoyed being ridiculous as well as soulful... who didn't mind to cry as much as they laughed... who shared with one another like old friends and had few secrets not shared...we did ridiculous things as well as serious and we were all the better for it. I love each of them and will miss their similarities, differences, eccentricities and quirks....I will miss these wonderful people God brought into my life....I will miss my friends....but for now...

I am going to enjoy ENGLAND!!!!! WHOOOOOOO!