Weekend Retreat

This weekend we went to the Regent Fall Retreat. We had a great time getting to know people and discussing Christian life.
Some more thoughts to come.

First Week Over and Done With

My first week is done!
I am already behind on my readings, but I that is how the profs keep you honest.

Yesterday in my marriage in family class Prof. Davies said something profound. He said: “We as Christians like to pin fruit onto our fruit tree and we don’t trust in the Spirit of God living in us to produce fruit.” That struck a chord in me. It was a reminder of what ministry with Young Life was like. I felt pressure to produce and we had to fill out monthly reports and fundraise and it seemed that we were worthless if we did not have something to show for it. This time here at Regent has been good so far because I haven’t felt the pressure to produce. Maybe that will change once I have to do directed ministry. So far the journey has been good.
It was a good decision to move here to Vancouver.
We love it so far.

First Day fo Class

I started my studies at Regent today. I was very excited to begin my classes. It was a lot of fun to be back in the class room and in a community of learners. Although it is a diverse school it seems like the students are mostly from Asia and the West (North America and Europe). We need some people of color in this place. So come out!

The Hernandez

Our landlord’s child was playing with me last night. We made a little pillow pad so he could land on it when he dropped off the couch. So when he went up to his home he told his Dad that I played a game with him and he wanted to play the same game with him. So he called it “The Hernandez”. Anybody got a game named after them?

Things I have read and seen

I am currently reading “Out of America” by Kieth B. Richburg. It is fascinating to get the view of Africa from a Black American journalist. The things he saw in Rawanda and Somalia are shocking. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with all that horror of humanity. I haven’t finished the book yet. I will see what he does with it all.

Tonight I saw the movie “Touching the Void”. It was a rough movie to see. It had the same affect on me as reading “Into Thin Air”: I never want to climb mountains with snow around them.

Work

You don’t realize how much work/vocation helps you to live/be alive. My wife and I have been looking for work here in Vancouver, but it is not as easy as I thought. I have had a few interviews, but I have not gotten any of the jobs. Sometimes people have been rude to us or maybe it is a difference of culture. One time we showed up at a job for Lisa and the woman was brusque and inhospitable. I wanted to tell her off since Lisa was way over qualified for the job, however I didn’t want to ruin Lisa’s chances if she decided to call us.

Yesterday was a good day. We worked all day helping a fellow Regent family pack-up the old place and clean up their new home. We met a few other Regent students that were helping them out also. It was very nice to get their insight on scheduling my classes and which professors to take for certain classes. We were exhausted after work. It was great to get home and really relax. I had the best nights sleep and I woke up to day ready to do some more.

Proper rest and work is great, so don’t over do it on either end.

Call White House and US Treasury

Support Full Debt Cancellation for Impoverished Countryies.
Check this out from the link above:
“Meanwhile, we know that debt relief works. Uganda, the first country to receive debt relief used  $1.3 million of its debt savings specifically for their national HIV/AIDS plan.  This investment played a key role in the government’s success in reducing HIV infection rates by 40%. Imagine what 100% cancellation would achieve!”