Relaxed and Ready to Reflect! :)

WOW I just had a BEAUTIFUL 3 days of relaxation and reflection. This is it. This is the end to a new beginning! God is SO good. How could I be SO blessed this summer? God has provided for me in every way unimaginable and beyond. He has answered prayers in better ways than I could expect for myself. He has opened my eyes to so many things I was blinded to. Praise the Lord!
I want to dedicate this blog to everything I have learned this summer. So much to share!

Where to begin. My 3 day retreat was amazing. We had the opportunity to share affirmations to each other and spend quality time together. I have been blessed with such AMAZING new friends. I would of never imagined to meet such beautiful people. I'm gonna miss everyone SO much! I know that this is not the end, but only the beginning to a new path for all of us! God is going to continue to connect us. I just know it! :)

SO i'm going to be very honest. At the beginning of this internship I was full of doubt and confusion. I was in doubt of what God could continue doing in my life. School left me feeling broken and confused. I knew I could not give up on God, and I needed to leave IL to grow up a bit and get away from the chaos. I prayed and trusted in God that this Cali internship was where He was calling me. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. Hahahaha.... God is good. SO good. :p

My time in East Palo Alto was amazing from the very beginning. All my friends were so positive and great. The staff at BCM was amazing. I felt SO welcomed immediately. I was challenged to grow in my relationship with God. I learned so much from my new friends/co-workers. I learned to really be comfortable as the man God had me into. God opened my eyes to the reality of serving in Urban Ministry. And the children....

The children at BCM taught me SO much about Gods love. I learned to love these kids despite how disrespectful they could be at times. This made me realize how much MORE God loves me. There are SO many more times when I am disrespectful to God and refuse to obey Him, yet He STILL loves me unconditionally! How could this be so? Our God is love. He paid the ultimate price by dying on the cross for me and you. That's how much He loves us!

My friends and BCM staff, they taught me to be more comfortable in who God had made me. They pushed me to grow deeper in my faith with the Lord. I was challenged to rely more on God and be joyful, hopeful, and at peace in every situation God has placed me in. A lot of prayer came from the BCM staff and I know God touched my heart. ULTIMATELY I think God taught me that I NEED to enjoy everyday that He gives me and not worry about tomorrow. I was so anxious in the beginning but by the end of the internship I saw God transform me into a WHOLE new person. I never have been so at peace about not knowing what tomorrow may bring. I am just hopeful and joyful in the Lord. God is good. He taught me His timing is better than my own. There is always a time of waiting and I know this is my time to wait on Him. God is going to be with me no matter where I am. He is holding my hand through everything and I know He is guiding me as I continue to trust in Him day by day. AND LAST everything I do I should do it to Glorify God!

I could keep rambling on and on, but I'm a bit lazy writing it all out. If you really want to know the nitty gritty details call me. I love to talk ;) God is good and this is not the end. Perhaps I will keep on blogging as I enter a new chapter of my life. I can't wait to see all the new things God has in store for me. This journey is SO much more fun not knowing whats ahead! God is spontaneous and always good no matter what! All glory and honor to the Lord for this wonderful summer!

It is FINISHED!!!

Last night was the closing Banquet to Summer 2012 S.A.I.L! The kids did such an amazing job at performing. My kids pulled themselves together, and we baked a BUNCH of Chocolate Chip cookies and made TONS of Rice Krispie Treats. God is SO good! I thought I was gonna strangle a few kids hours before the banquet, but I looked up to God, made a quick prayer to get through, and by the time I knew it I was smiling and laughing at their performances.
So saying goodbye to the kids is never easy, but my 3 girls all left so quickly before and after the banquet. I didn't quite get a chance to say goodbye, but at least I got to give them a letter about how much I am going to miss them. I DID get a chance to hug some of my banquet workshop kids good bye. I'm gonna miss these crazy kids. A lot of them cried. It was heart breaking to watch them tear up. :*)

Everyone I can't believe the program is over....This means I ONLY have ONE more week left with my fellow interns/friends. Goodbye's among  this group will be the hardest for me. I really feel like we have really gotten to know each other so well. It's Amazing how the beauty of God will capture a group of young college students learning to become adults in this crazy world to work and grow in His love together. God is SO good and has blessed me with such great new friends. I am blessed and I know this really isn't goodbye. This is just the beginning to something big, great, and amazing God has for each and every one of us.

So later on today I will be going back to the building and the whole crew will be cleaning up the building. This means I have to take all my class stuff down. Reality is gonna really hit me later this afternoon. I am so thankful for being in EPA this summer. Perhaps later after I am back from my retreat I will blog about what I have really learned this summer..... ;)

Half Way

So for whatever reason, I had planned on putting in a new blog on Wednesday but then I realized that the next 3 days will probably be my busiest. So I decided, why not put in a new one tonight? :p

YES! I am half-way through my last teaching days! I only have Wed. (tomorrow) and Thurs. and then NO more teaching, NO more lesson plans, and NO more anxious/talkative/complaining/cute kids. I have loved every bit of this internship, but I seriously do not want to teach this long ever again! Hahaha Teaching is probably not for me, and I am glad that I have learned that this summer. What a blessing it is if you have the gift, patience, and passion of teaching! Praise God for the teachers who were, have, and will be dealing with me :p (Teachers need to be lifted up A LOT more! and paid more!)

Well I just wanna say thank you again for all of your prayers! I can see my boss a little more tense than usual but for the most part all has been well. The next 3 days will probably be ALL of our hardest so PLEASE continue to pray for us as we prepare for our banquet and close up the program. Tomorrow my kids begin their testing. SO much to do in SO little time. This is it! I'm almost done with my FINAL week of SAIL! God has been so good. Next week I go back to the Santa Cruz mountains! I can't wait!.......

 Ok I promise to give you an update blog when the weekend arrives! :D

Into Week 6! Internship is almost OVER! :*)

 Unbelievable....Week 6 is HERE!
I can't believe it. The summer has gone by way too fast. With the internship coming to an end this means reality is just around the corner, but i'm prepared for all that is to come. God is holding my hand and together we are going to overcome the obstacles this school year and whatever else life throws at me.

So after week 6 is over you may be wondering whats next? So here is the plan:
Saturday (Yes after the banquet on Friday. I'm going to be SOooo tired)-I'm going to clean the building and take down room decor :*)
Sunday- normal church in EPA etc. Last Sunday!
Mon.-Wed.- Debriefing Retreat in the Santa Cruz Mountains (I just LOVE that place <3) perhaps one last visit to the beach Board Walk? :)
Thursday-Final Farewell Dinner :*) & :*( .....I don't want to say goodbye...
Friday-Off to Southern California! (I'm going to visit as many places as I can :p)
August 16th-Heading back home from Long Beach :D

My last few weeks are packed and non stop. As soon as i'm home it's Birthday celebrating time (21! eek! :D), moving into Sarah's house, and school (sigh*..school..ugh...). Life is non-stop movement, and I can't imagine how I would continue on with out Jesus Christ being my source of strength.

Here are some prayer request as I begin my last week:
1. Our (assistant principal you could say) Ms. Lindsey just left for a new job in Mississippi and there fore my manager/boss/principal Ms. Pamela will be alone. PLEASE pray for peace and strength for both ladies. Pray that Pamela will be able to handle the week fine on her own. (of course she has us too :p)
2. Pray that the kids will continue to reflect and remember the love of Christ. Hopefully they were able to experience His love this summer at BCM :p
3. Pray that us interns will not forget what God has taught us here in EPA at BCM.

Thanks for all the prayer! I love and appreciate you all SO much! :) <3

Here are some new silly pics from Spirit week at BCM! :)

Ms. Lindsey(right), Ms.Yolanda(middle), and I

Silly Day

Super Hero Day! Mr.Wolverine and Mrs.Incredible

The Kids traced out my body for Body week in World Around Us. So cute and silly :p

Happy Teacher Day!

 Twin Day. Ms.Celeste and I :)

Last Trip and ONE more week left!

Today was a very long and tiring day. We took a field trip to Raging Waters (You guessed right, a water park! ...what are we thinking? :p) Anyways I only had 3 kids assigned to me so it really was not that bad. My kids were amazing in listening and staying together. They were not swimmers so we stayed in the kiddy pool area for a while, but I eventually got them to face their fear and play in the lazy river, wave pool, and go down a water slide! I was so proud of them. I did a little pushing, but it was SO worth it watching them laugh and play in the water!
Today was just a reminder to me from God about my own fears. There are times when I am like my own kids, scared of a situation that's already in front of me and not wanting to take the first step into it, but then the Lord takes my hand and tells me to not be afraid; then He takes the first step and I follow. Praise God for His love, mercy, patience, and grace! My God is SO good to me! Praise God that none of my kids or any of the other kids misbehaved, drowned, or hated the water. Anyways.....

EVERYONE I only have ONE MORE WEEK LEFT! I'm SO excited and sad about it. I'm in between with my feelings about this whole experience. I just want it to be over, yet at the same time I don't want it to end yet. Hahahaha...Well no matter what I must face reality that next week IS my LAST week which means lots of reviewing, testing, parties, and my least favorite, goodbye's. Seriously I am going to miss these kids. I think the kids have made more of an impact in my life than I may have made in theirs.
Well...I have much resting that I need to do this weekend. I know this week is gonna fly, and soon I will be saying my goodbye's. Praise God for this wonderful, insightful, and impacting internship for this summer! :D

Week 5: ALMOST over!

It's hard to believe that week 5 is already almost OVER! That means just one more week and the summer internship is done, then Southern Cali, and finally home! 

So Friday is Raging Waters. I'm probably more excited than the kids to go, but my only fear is that it will be cold and windy. Pray for hot weather! I got plenty of sun here but it's still so chill! Alright moving on to some more important stuff to talk about....

Today I went to my second house visit. What a blessing it is to have these families open their homes and allow me to meet and talk to them (they also feed me sometimes :D). Some families don't know English very well so it's always  a blessing to see that they are still open to inviting us into their home. Well, I got to visit one of my language arts girl's home. She has a big family and lots of siblings. 8 including her self and 7 of the siblings are girls. Kind of reminded me of my own family :p. It was great getting to meet her family. I think when you meet the family it helps explain a lot more about the child or it can just confuse you. Hahaha... Anyways truly it was a blessing meeting her family. I am still amazed that God can use me to touch the lives of these children. I am sinful and selfish, but God, He is SO good and faithful. This week has been rough (I don't know if it's because the program is almost over and the kids are just excited or I have been doing a really bad job at class room management since day 1. Maybe both Hahahaha), but God has been faithful and today's visit was just another reminder of how blessed I am to be here. I love it here in EPA. I love working with these kids. I love my co-workers and the BCM staff. I love what God is doing in EPA and in my life. I love this summer (despite how much I miss my family and friends)....

I'm gonna miss everything and everyone. I'm really gonna miss these kids (despite how much they drive me crazy at times! :p) 

Week 5!

Its WEEK 5 Everyone! This means I only have one more week of SAIL once this week past. Part of me is celebrating while another part of me is saying no I want to stay longer! Hahahaha
Anyways I have definitely taken my weekend to rest. Thank you for all your prayers. I am still alive, healthy, and for the most part happy. My eyes are still a little red (due to lack of sleep and being in the sun), my body a bit sore, but everything is good (once I get my math together for my kids this week :p).

So last Sunday I went back to Abundant Life Church and the pastor was talking about walking with God and how Enoch walked with God and then He took him away. I never really looked into that passage deeply, but there is so much more to those few verses of Enoch. Well, the Pastor ended with the story of his daughter (as a child at the time) going to the basement with him in the dark when a storm threw out the power. She was holding his hand and following his every step through the dark basement. He tied this into how when we begin walking with God, we can hold His hand and He will walk us through the dark....

I don't really know what happened this past week, perhaps just all the chaos and non-stop action from the kids and life problems, but the stories of Enoch and this pastor with his daughter stayed in my heart. With the rest I got from this past weekend, I had the chance to really reflect on it. I realized (as I woke up this morning) that sometimes we know where we are going with God and sometimes we really don't know where we are going, but the most important thing is that we are holding onto Gods hand and letting Him take the lead. We step where he steps, we go where He goes, and we remember that He is holding our hand through it all. I feel like when I go home (in just a few weeks eeek!) I don't need to worry about where I am going in life. As long as I am holding His hand, my heavenly father is going to take me exactly where He wants me to be. It's good to know I got somebody's hand to hold onto as I venture into life.

Here are the lyrics to a very encouraging song that I happened to just come about this morning. I think it speaks truth into my own life and hopefully yours to! Enjoy :) (Youtube it if you wanna listen to it. Its a beautiful song)
You Are Still Holy
 Holy, You are still holy
Even when the darkness surrounds my life
Sovereign, You are still sovereign
Even when confusion has blinded my eyes
Lord, I don't deserve Your kind affection
When my unbelief has kept me from Your touch
I want my life to be a pure reflection
Of Your love
And so I come into Your chamber
And I dance at Your feet, Lord
You are my Saviour
And I'm at Your mercy
All that has been in my life
Up 'til now
It belongs to You
You are still holy
Holy, You are still holy
Even though I don't understand Your ways
Sovereign, You will be sovereign
Even when my circumstances don't change
Lord, I don't deserve your tender patience
When my unbelief has kept me from Your truth
I want my life to be a sweet devotion
To You
And so I come into Your chamber
And I dance at Your feet, Lord
You are my Saviour
And I'm at Your mercy
All that has been in my life
Up 'til now
It belongs to You
I belong to You
And so I come into Your chamber
And I dance at Your feet
You are my Saviour
And I'm at Your mercy
All that has been in my life
Up 'til now
It belongs to You
I belong to You
You are still holy
You are still sovereign
You are still holy, Lord
You are still righteous
You are all-knowing
You are still holy

Week 4: FINISHED!

Wow...So week 4 just blew by super fast. It's weird because I feel like my days are long in EPA but my weeks go by so So SO fast! What a blessing this week has been. I actually meant to blog in the middle of the week but since I didn't... well I think you know what kind of week I had! :p So let me debrief myself through this blog ;)

First of all as I told you from my last blog, this week was my week to teach RYAA, and I happened to be teaching tennis (my favorite/only sport that I can decently play Hahaha) and I also had to do crossing duty. Well what a week I had. If you don't know my schedule yet let me explain what a normal week looks like.
5:30am- Up and ready for work, breakfast, and devotion time with the Lord
7:15am-Prayer with staff
7:30am-Watch the kids/Morning crossing duty if its your week
8am-9:40am-Language Arts
9:40-10am-Snack time (maybe a small break if its your assigned day)
10-11:10am-Math
11:10-12pm- World Around Us
12-12:50-Lunch
1-2pm-Work Shop (Arts and Crafts on Mon. and Wed. and Baking on Tues. and Thurs. for me!)
2-4:45pm-Relax, work on lesson plans etc.
4:45-5:30pm- Send Kids Home
5:30pm-Home, meetings, and/or bible study till any time :p

NOW when you teach RYAA cut out 2-4:45pm of relaxing and replace that for ONE week of whatever you teach(Chaos :p). So that means you have been teaching non-stop for 5 days in a week.

I'm not gonna lie. This chaotic week has been the most rewarding week for me. It has been my toughest week yet, but God has taught me so much, and I had a lot of fun teaching these kids. I worked with SAIL and non-SAIL kids. I specifically worked with the little kids for tennis camp. I had so much fun since my group was smaller. The only thing is that you have to be pumped with energy or at least act like you are pumped with energy (<~ me).
The best part of the week was getting the chance to rally(hit back and forth) with one of my students. I felt so happy! I mean he already knew a little tennis, but he significantly improved over the week. What a blessing. And then when I left today, one of my non-SAIL students said good bye to me. They were so cute and so impacting. I hope that these kids had fun during tennis camp. Hopefully I was not too rough on them. Hahahaha
On top of teaching tennis camp, I had to do the usual. Plan for next week lesson plans, teach arts and crafts, make last minute ideas on what to make in baking class, and prepare myself for whatever fun activity we were gonna do for Friday. This Friday happened to be field day. So as you could imagine, today I spent many hours out in the field chasing after kids, and then much more time chasing kids and balls around on the court. But I had so much fun. So here is a pic of the kids I worked with. (I might get in trouble...hahaha)

Intro: 4th week

4th week is here!!! Where did my weekend go??? (sleeping in, laundry and walmart with the girls, staying up late at a drive in theater and watching the new Spiderman, which btw I was disappointed with, and rewatching the Avengers, and church of course) :p 

Well tomorrow I begin tennis camp. I'm so nervous and excited. I have never taught a group of kids tennis, but I will be fine cause I am not alone. I got God, my co-teacher, and my high school helpers :). Something you should probably know, BCM is affiliated with many other ministries (which most of them were birthed through BCM). One of the programs happens to be RYAA (pronounced as re-ah). It's a sport focused  ministry group, and this summer I get the opportunity to work with RYAA for one week to teach tennis. RYAA has SAIL kids (My program through BCM) and their own students (outside of BCM). This will be a (hopefully) fun experience for the kids and myself. 

SO I am asking that you keep me in your prayers especially for this week as I teach tennis! (SERIOUSLY keep me in your prayers!) Thanks! :D 

Third Week: OVER!!!

I can't believe how FAST time is going! The Third Week is OVER!!! YES!!! Not that I have NOT been having a wonderful time (Cause it really has been a blessing) with the kids but the kids can be stressful at times, and I really do miss my family and friends. Perhaps I am feeling like this ONLY because a few hours ago I was stuck at the beach with the kids only to find that it was absolutely FREEZING and cloudy! And when the kids needed to change...well...that was ABSOLUTE CHAOS! But Praise the Lord for His goodness and love He has provided in my heart for these wet and complaining children. Hahahaha :p

Well this week I had my first One on One with one of the many lovely mentors on staff. It was a lot fun and so refreshing to share where I was in life and how I felt about the program. What a blessing it is to just have someone else to talk to and get insight into one's life problems and blessings! Which leads me into...

One question that has been running in my mind is "Do I want to pursue a career in education?" Honestly I cannot give an absolute answer only because things could change from here on out, but at the moment I would probably say no. Hahahah Really education is such a blessing to pursue as a career, but the deeper I get into the program the more I realize it may not be for me :p BUT I certainly honor those who have, want, or are in the process of doing so! It's been three weeks and USUALLY you would think the kids would begin to get a better handle at rules and class room respect, but I feel like its been the total opposite.

I still love my homeroom class but one thing I have noticed is that they are beginning to become A LOT more comfortable with me and therefor the "true" them has been coming out! Hahahaha but you just gotta love them! I only have three little girls! No boys. As far as math goes...it's still a struggle but there is process being made just at a very slooooow rate. Hahaha But progress is progress. Better some than none :p

In all honesty I don't think I could of asked for better children. They have been the very reason why I have been able to grow deeper into my relationship with the Lord as I serve in EPA! They are a blessing (in disguise sometimes :p) and I praise the Lord for allowing me to teach/mentor them this summer. When I met up for my one on one, I realized that I really just gotta enjoy the bumpy ride God puts us on. No one has it smooth, but God uses every circumstance in our life to shape us into the person He has called us to be. Now to end this with a quote by Oswald Chambers "What I need is God's surgical procedure-His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification."

A Work In Progress...

So as I have mentioned in my last blog, my math class has been a huge challenge for me. I guess my students are physically not that bad, they just love to complain, get out of their seats, and try to not do their homework (ok so maybe they are really bad hahaha). Monday was probably one of the worst days since I had to send one of my students out, BUT today was a great day! First of all I was given help in creating a class goal (pizza party or whatever they want) if they are behaving well and finishing their homework. Giving my kids a goal definitely helped and having the presence of my boss was a bonus! :)

I think the Lord has been helping me realize how important it is to work on myself first before I really try to work into the lives of these children. I am probably like these children when it comes to my relationship with the Lord. I definitely have my up and down days. There are times when I am listening to the Lord and then there are days where Gods words go in and out my ear. I can be so foolish, but I thank God for His love, mercy, and grace. He is always forgiving and listening to my complaints and praises.

I thought my kids were a work in progress (and no doubt they are :p), but SURELY I AM a work in progress with the Lord. The trials in my life are shaping me into who He has called me to be. I know that I need to embrace my weaknesses and trials more often and give God praise because they are only there to better me. Praise God for the trials in my life. Praise Him because He promises to never give me something I cannot handle. AND Praise Him because through Christ ALL things are possible! :D

No Holding Back...

I'm not gonna hold back in this post for today so keep reading if you don't mind my rambling/complaining... Hahaha ok lets start...
 Once my time in EPA is over I have been wondering what I am going to do when I get back home? Where is God going to take me in my education and the ministries that I am involved in? What new things will I find myself doing and what new challenges will come about?
To be quite honest I had a really rough 1st semester at my new school. This past spring semester left me wondering what I am going to pursue in my education? I guess the options are kind of endless, but when you have been focusing on one thing for 3 years of your life (like science :p), it's hard to see outside of that subject. I think coming to EPA has been such a huge blessing because I have met wonderful people who love God and have chosen a degree that may not necessarily be a "money making" degree or a "stable job career" but they happily pursue their degree and trust that it will be used to glorify God and that He will provide for them.
EPA has challenged me to take a deeper look at myself. I have discovered some new things, and I believe God has reinforced some of my long lost passion's. God has been so good to me, and I know that each day He is teaching me to rediscover myself in Him. It's always good to get away from home and take some time out with yourself and the Lord and that is exactly why I am here in EPA. 
Please continue to pray for me as I serve in EPA. I have only 4 more weeks before this whole experience is over and time has been flying by quickly! Here is just a small list of somethings I would really appreciate your prayers on:
1)That I would trust in God even when I am feeling confused and frustrated. Also that I would not try to take matters into my own hands (<~ hardest thing for me since I am a bit of a control freak)
2)Better class room management ESPECIALLY in my Math class. Hahahaha....
3)I would learn to love like Jesus Christ because love overcomes a multitude of sin


Thanks again for all the love and support you have been showing me. I really don't know who actually read  these blogs but thanks! On the bright side of things, God has provided me with all the $$$ I needed for the next school year! PRAISE THE LORD!!! Although it was all loans, at least I didn't have to do any private loans. :p

2 Weeks in!

I can't believe it has ALREADY been TWO weeks into teaching at BCM in EPA! This week was a rough one! No joke... I had to change my lesson plans for the betterment of my Math kids but this brought chaos as I found myself having to create worksheets every night. AND I have to say that this math class has been a HUGE challenge but I know that God has a purpose and a plan for these kids and I. Through Jesus Christ anything is possible and I promise that they will learn something before our time together ends... :p

On the bright side of teaching, I love my baking/food design class. There are times when I dread for the worst but God has been so good through that class. The kids did an amazing job at baking scratch cupcakes and frosting them. I was blown away from their skills with the piping bag. Also I spent time with the fellow ICL's in San Fran. It was SO much fun! MOST memorable 4th of July yet! Enjoy these silly pics.

Unfortunately I can only post pics of the plain cupcakes. I'm suppose to not post pics of my kids unless it is tagged through BCM. :*( So enjoy these pics

All geared up for the party! :p

ICL's 2012

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! I can't believe I have been here in Cali for ONE month already! CRAZY! Time flies by SO fast! Today the kids don't have school so I get the whole day off! It's SO very nice to get the day off and relax (and probably work on some lesson plans :p)
This morning I woke and thought about just how blessed I am to be here in the United States. I live in a country where I can freely express who I am and share the love of Christ freely to others. My parents risked their lives to escape a communist country and find freedom. I can't imagine where I would be right now if I were to grow up in Laos. I can't imagine who I would be, but I can just be thankful for where I am right now. I am thankful to have this opportunity to have a great education, and be able to speak freely of my faith with others. It is a blessing to be here to teach education to these children and continually serve God! Praise God for He is SO good to us!
Anyways here are some silly pics for you! The kids are doing biking camp and I saw this bike and absolutely had to ride it! :p

Diversity

It's amazing just how diverse the city of EPA is! It's so beautiful to see Gods children come together and worship Him! Today I went to visit a Tungian (<~ I think thats how you spell it :p) Church in EPA. It was so much fun and the people were so welcoming. The whole church was so musical and I felt the Holy Spirit move throughout the building (Not to mention that they were First Assembly and had no problem speaking out loud through prayer and worship).
The church really reminded me of my own church back at home. It made me miss home and all friends. There is something really special about small churches. Don't get me wrong, large churches got their own special touch to, but I love the small family oriented feeling of small churches like the one I visited today. What a blessing it is to hop around and see the diversity of Gods family. I don't get to do this often, and so far its been SO much fun! :) It made me so happy that I decided to bake Chocolate Banana Cupcakes! Praise God for all His children and Chocolate Banana Cupcakes! :p

Mmm...Enjoy the pic because these babies are in my belly now! :p

ONE week in! :p

I REALLY CAN'T believe my first week is OVER!!! I have learned SO much from just this first week.
1. You can't always go by your lesson plan
2. You need to be creative and learn to deal with ALL sorts of children
3. Spanish class from High School (and 2 semester of college) really DOES pay off! Hahahaha...
4.  You need God to be present with you in everything you do! (Probably the MOST important one!)

So in the midst of my first week I think I already have begun this everyday motion. I gather my kids, start journaling, writing, snack, math etc... but then I forget to pray with my kids or go over the weekly verse. This first week was a real reminder from God to me that I must not get lost into the motion of life, even when the very reason of being here is because of the Lord. Life can sure get you caught up, but we must not forget the Lord.
I think this weekend will be a weekend of finding rest with the Lord. I don't wanna go back to home with this wonderful experience and get caught up with motions of life. I need to remember the Lord and make sure that I am continually in sync with Him. Please continue to pray for me, my co-workers, and BCM/East Palo Alto.    

My Class Ocean. My kids are so cute! <3

San Francisco Bay! Took the kids on a trip for the 1st week! :)

At the Aquarium! A few Co-Workers a myself stuck a bubble in a fish tank. :p

1st Day!

1st day is OVER!!! and im Soooo tired. I don't know how real teachers do it. Truly teaching education is a life commitment. It takes SO much time to put together lesson plans and help assist in after school programs. I can tell you that God really tested my patience today. I can't lie. I have been blessed with a great set of home room kids. They are like my little angels, but my math kids..another story. I know God has a reason for me to work with them so I trust that He will continue to provide me the patience and strength to continue on for the rest of the summer. I have learned so much today and I know there is still so much more to learn. I thank God that I have had opportunities to serve the Lord through education in Rockford. All those times I had to teach Sunday school and VBS has prepared me up for this one event. Praise the Lord for His mercy, grace, and most importantly, His love! <3

Blessings....

Can you believe that I have been in EPA for TWO weeks? Time just flies by and tomorrow I start TEACHING!!!Eeek! I'm SO nervous, excited, and hopeful. I know that I need to just be a godly teacher and let God take control. Alright moving on....

Today has been a HUGE blessing to say the least. Great preaching, I got to play TENNIS, and a free dinner from my boss :) But the biggest blessing today was going to "Mi Pueblo" our local grocery store in EPA and bumping into a homeless man. You can probably remember the last time I dealt with a homeless in EPA...and that wasn't the greatest but God definitely opened my eyes. If you need a reminder just read this blog http://marcovang.blogspot.com/2012/06/open-eyes.html. 
Anyways I introduced myself and got to get to know him. I bought him a sandwich and for the first time I felt comfortable to speak to a stranger and show Gods love. What a blessing this was and a huge step up in faith. I don't normally speak to homeless and there are so many in Chicago that usually just want money, but I saw the sincerity of this man who was desperately seeking a meal for tonight. 
I am so thankful for the people and things God has blessed me with. It's a blessing to see others work so comfortably with homeless and it makes me want to share Gods love just as comfortably with strangers I may bestow. Praise God for His love and mercy. He is SO good to me! :)

Single hood

So a few days ago my guy co-worker and I had a conversation over my single hood

Co-worker: So Marco, have you ever had a girlfriend?
Me: Umm...No. I have never had a girl friend
Co-worker: WHAT??? wow...I thought you would of had at least one girlfriend
Me: Nope...never ever had a girl friend. I'm too poor. I can't afford one. Until I get a job, thats when I know I'll get one. :p
Yes i'm single and i'm very happy where I am at! 
Today I stopped and took a look around me and I just love where God has me...honestly! I don't regret not having a girl friend ... yet (well at least lets hope not :p). I know that God has someone special for me and He is preparing me for her, but in the mean time I love being single and young.
This is probably one of the most important stages in life. I often think that being single is over looked at my age (20/21). I don't think it's bad to be open to a relationship but the most important relationship you should be focusing on (And that's if you're single or not) is your relationship with Jesus Christ!

WOW! I love that right now the only responsibility I need to focus on is Jesus Christ and I. So much to learn at this age and SO much growing up to do before you can really commit yourself into someone else's life. Seriously... being single has allowed God to really reach out to me and provide many opportunities to serve Him and love others. I love being here in Cali and I love embracing my singleness in Christ! :)

My promise ring to God <3

It's FRIDAY!!!

FINALLY it's Friday!!! This means that the kids are just around the corner. Yup this is my LAST weekend before the program starts! I can't believe I have survived all this training. Time for the REAL test now!
Anyways today work took us out to a private school in the Ravens Wood area (essentially part of EPA). It was so encouraging and really fun. I learned so much in just that hour, and i'm glad BCM took us there right before we finished our room decorating and class rules. There were a few things that I realized when I was watching these 2nd graders...

1. I have forgotten how much 2nd graders know! I think after 2 1/2 years of teaching preschool/kindergarten Sunday school iv'e become accustomed to that age level thought process.

2. You really don't need a whole lot of rules for 2nd graders. They are smart enough to know what is appropriate and inappropriate (Well, at least the kids at this school).

3. 2nd graders are just adorable! They are so full of energy to learn and play. <3

4. I REALLY will need to rely on Christ to strengthen me for being a teacher this summer!

There is SO much more to teaching. You are more than just a person who stands up in the room and gives a lecture but more of a role model, a friend, and  possibly the only person who may be showing love to these kids, yet alone Christ love.

Ok so here are some pics of my class room. It's slowly but surely coming together! ;)

My class room. It's shared so its very small

Senior but many more years before I graduate :p

More pics for you!

I can't help myself but to post MORE pics for you! So enjoy! Santa Cruz with my co-workers/new friends was TRULY a blessing! Enjoy the photos!

Interns 2012!

Off into the water! It was SO cold!

My beautiful lodge!

A Noah's Ark recreation! It was ONLY 1/4 of the real one! I can't imagine the real thing

Beautiful Trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains!

The wonderful hot sand!

At the beach for the FIRST time! YAY!!!

Finally...

Well I have FINALLY been able to figure out how to post pics on this blog site. I'm still trying to get used to this so bear with me :p BTW It would be nice to see who is actually reading my blog. So if you don't mind leave me an encouraging message if you stop by to read! :)

We have a beautiful garden on the side of the house! This is just one of the many beautiful roses

My New Home

My room mate and I

My lovely bed room

More pics to come! Enjoy for now!

Just a reminder...

Whew! Monday is over and I can finally be home to blog, relax, and oh wait I can't relax. This is the time i'm suppose to use to work on my lesson plans! Oh well :p Anyways today I was reminded of probably the most important thing any teacher who loves Christ would want to be reminded of. It is certain that everything I do, I should be doing it to bring honor and glory to Christ, but the honest truth is that we get distracted sometimes and carry on with what the world tells us to worry about, and that can be trying to be the best at something. BUT today I was reminded by Ms. Jazzmin (one of our guest teachers to train us) about NOT being a good, great, or amazing teacher but rather a Godly teacher. WOW!... I mean how easy is it to get distracted and aim for a goal to be an amazing teacher and totally throw God in the back? Being a teacher, you may feel obligated to want to take over your class room but honestly we are nothing without the Lord. So...the honest truth is that we cannot do things on our own, so why not let Christ take over your class room?
I came here this summer as an intern with the intent to show Christs love, but as I have been preparing my lesson plans and decorating my room, I think I have forgotten to invite Christ to be present in my class room and with my kids. It is a blessing to be reminded that I need to pray for Christ to be present in my classroom and with my kids. Please continue to pray for me, my fellow interns, and the BCM staff. Pray that we don't forget that God is the very reason why we are here, and that God is needed to be present in our class rooms and with our kids throughout the day. :)

Open Eyes...

Last night all of us interns decided to go out to downtown Palo Alto. (Not EastPA, just PA...A whole other city. You would have to see it to believe it! Literally from ghetto to million dollar homes!) After parking, walking, dancing (Not me of course. And it was in the plaza where some street band was performing for free :p), and getting some delicious frozen yogurt from "Yogurt Land" [Which btw is the BEST frozen yogurt I have had. I am SO in love with the Taro Frozen Yogurt! Ugh, SOOO Freakin good! I love Red Mango but I think Yogurt Land out beats Red Mango and its ONLY in Cali as far as I know :*( ] Anyway after getting some Yogurt Land frozen yogurt, my group was approached by a homeless man. Of course he approaches me first, and as a Chicagoan I kind of ignore him. I know that was mean of me, and I have nothing to justify my action but in Chicago most homeless just want money and usually they don't use the money for food. There fore I was taught to kind of ignore them.  As I ignored him, my friend approached him and asked for his name. Then another intern asked him if he would like a sandwich. He was delighted to have her buy a sandwich for him (And I was surprised).
I saw how natural it was for her to ask him what his name was and if he wanted a sandwich. Perhaps I am just not that comfortable around homeless people, but my friend reminded me that they are humans to (Not that I think of them like animals, but I think its hard to have sympathy when in the past you give them money and they use it to buy alcohol etc.). I felt really guilty for my action of ignoring him. I also realized that I really don't know what it means to love like Christ. I guess that is why I am here. Last night was just a small reminder of how much God loves everyone, and how selfish I can be. This summer I really wanna have genuine love for others. Yes, I still believe you can't just give money to the homeless, but it doesn't hurt to ask them for their name and ask if they are hungry. I thank God for reminding me of the things I need to work on in my life. Lets hope I learn to be more comfortable around those in need of Gods love. We all have different backgrounds, but in the end we are all in need of the Fathers love.

Why California?

Before I left, many (or maybe just my mom and dad) wondered why I chose to go to California? I mean the real question is WHY NOT go to California? It's so warm and beautiful (plus Palm Trees and roses literally everywhere!) and you get to experience a REAL beach! (I'm just used to going to the lake beach and not the ocean beach :p... Ocean beach is SO much better btw) Ok...SO yes Cali has all these things, but in reality I took on this internship after spending a semester in Chicago and realizing just how much I needed to learn to share Christs love to an urban environment. Yes I know..I live in Chicago...I mean I couldn't get any more urban than that. So why California?....

First of all I really did look into internships in Chicago but all I could find were one week summer camps. And this, I did not want to do. I needed something that would keep me busy for the WHOLE summer.
Second, I needed a summer internship that was going to pay. And by Gods grace, I got a paid position from BCM! :)
Third, I have NEVER traveled on my own. I have never gone somewhere where I didn't know at least ONE person and had to completely trust on God alone that He would provide for me in every way that is needed when you go to a new place. AND I can tell you that when God has called you somewhere, HE WILL provide! (In EVERY way imaginable!) God is good, great, Amazing...and the list could go on...

BCM is located in East Palo Alto. I don't think I could of asked for any more of an urban environment similar to Chicago. This ministry has been around for 30 years and every staff member knows how to reach out because they actually live in EPA! This ministry focuses on children, and I feel that God has called me to work with children. So why not choose a ministry who knows best? ;)  My hope and goal is to be equipped with ideas to reach out back at home to Chicago & Rockford. (Both very urban cities) I trust in God that the new things I learn here, I can apply them back home. I know He will provide opportunities. I just need to trust in Him. :) So continue to keep me in your prayers. So much for this summer. So many new things to learn about sharing Christs love. <3

2 Days in...

So it's been about 2 days into training and I am SO exhausted! SO much to take in and prepare for in just a week. Lesson Planning, Decorating Room, Paper work, and the list goes on! This summer is going to be amazing, crazy, and fun BUT for sure I NEED/HAVE to rely on God for a source of strength.
Well, I will be teaching second grade Math and Second grade Language Arts! I feel really blessed with my kids. I know there are going to be a lot of challenges for the both of us, but God is good and I know He is present and will be working everything out for His good and beautiful purpose! I ask that you continue to pray for me, my fellow interns, and BCM staff members. I know God has a lot of great and mighty things planned for this summer!

Three Amazing Days...

God is SO amazing! Words cannot describe the beauty that He has painted in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the beach! For the first time I walked on a real beach and immersed myself into the cold, icy, and salty ocean water! Well these past three days I have spent time focusing on denying myself and taking up the cross of Christ, learning about the East Palo Alto History, and planning for SAIL (our summer enrichment program for East Palo Alto grade school students)/RYAA (A one week summer camp for the kids). SO many things to keep me busy this summer! Whew!
Ok, so for those of you who do not know of East Palo Alto let me begin that it is NOT Palo Alto, California! East Palo Alto is completely different in people and culture. It is truly a blessing to be here but like any other inner-city City, there is much to be done. East Palo Alto was ONCE recognized as the murder capitol of America (It is no longer as bad but has typical inner-city crime). It has changed over time from predominantly Caucasian, then to African Americans, and then to Latinos. There is a small amount of Asians beginning to come in but none the less this city is predominantly Latinos and African Americans. The education system in East Palo Alto is not the greatest and often many parents prefer to send their children outside of the EPA school district. EPA does not have a high school so the students who do go onto high school typically makes a 30-40 minute commute!
Alright now about BCM (Bay shore Christian Ministries) BCM has been around for 30 years, which btw is the same amount of time since EPA has "officially" been a city. BCM  exist "To equip our youth to grow spiritually, gain life skills, and develop as leaders so that they have a hope and future" BCM also partners up with various ministries like RYAA. This summer I will be working as a intern in the SAIL program. At this point I do not know which specific age group I will be teaching but I can expect from 1st to 5th grade. I will also be a camp director for the Tennis section for 1 week! I'm SO excited! So many things to plan for and I'm not sure how often I will be updating my blog but i'll try my best to update everyday. Continue to keep me, my intern friends, and BCM staff in your prayers! We need A LOT of prayer and encouragement! I know this summer is already starting off well and Gods presence is definitely here!

To the mountains we go!

Today we are leaving to the mountains for a lovely camping trip. This will be my first time getting to camp in the mountains of California and play at the beach and touch the ocean water. I'm so excited! These next three days I will not be updating my blog since while be soaking up the sun! :)

The beginning...

I cannot believe that I am already here is California working for Bay Shore Christian Ministries! The program has not begun yet. I think back that if it was not for my brother and sister in law giving me Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" as a Christmas gift I don't know if I would be here. The book had challenged me to step up in my faith. So...here I am. Totally trusting in God that He will use me this summer to reach out to inner city kids through education in East Palo Alto. So far the beginning of this adventure has been a huge blessing. My list includes just barely catching my flight change from Milwaukee to Colorado and then to California, meeting my awesome boss, and meeting so many inspirational college students just like myself who have a passion and a desire to serve God. God is AMAZING all the time!