First of all, we jumped into Lake Superior as a team! It was much colder than I ever imagined, but totally worth it. Please click on the picture to get a better view of our faces. I think God rewarded us for doing our best this summer of talking about Him and how much He loves us that He wanted to give us a warm day to swim in! While it was about 75 degrees outisde, the average temperature of the lake is about 45 degrees at this time of year. Refreshing.....The final week was a great one. The beginning of 
the week was great because Sunday night, the VP of YW John Potts stopped by! He was a blast. He stuck around for CLUB and in the middle he whispered, What do you like from DQ? He got us all treats for our staff meeting. He talked a little about his wife, Mrs. Potts. Ha!
the week was great because Sunday night, the VP of YW John Potts stopped by! He was a blast. He stuck around for CLUB and in the middle he whispered, What do you like from DQ? He got us all treats for our staff meeting. He talked a little about his wife, Mrs. Potts. Ha! We had really awesome adult leaders and some really good kids this week. At this point, my stress level was down to absolutely nothing...not because it didn't matter, but because we've had a great summer and we do good work as a team. One of the adult leaders expressed that because our staff has gelled so well and that we're consistent, it makes it 
easier to have a great experience. The kids were sweet too. There were three boys, Nate, Austin and Cass who were hilarious. They came in and ate cereal every night and hung out with us. (Something that would not have happened Week 2 but it's Week 8 so it worked!) There were also some more difficult kids. They were pretty disrespectful and mouthy. They didn't like the fact that they couldn't have their phones. We say that they can use them during free time from 315-515 and that's it. Not on ministry sites, evening activites, or during CLUB. It's distracting and pulls them away from being fully
present. It was a battle that their leaders handled so well. In my experience, when kids have an attitude like that, there's some stuff going on at home. We found out that one girl's mother had committed suicide and another just has a rough home life. As soon as I found this out, my mission was to love them with everything in me, to kill them with kindness. I think it drove them crazy at first, but by the end of the week, they started to warm up, work really hard at their sites, and connect with kids from other churches. They even apologized for being so awful at the beginning of the week! The love of Jesus is powerful.
easier to have a great experience. The kids were sweet too. There were three boys, Nate, Austin and Cass who were hilarious. They came in and ate cereal every night and hung out with us. (Something that would not have happened Week 2 but it's Week 8 so it worked!) There were also some more difficult kids. They were pretty disrespectful and mouthy. They didn't like the fact that they couldn't have their phones. We say that they can use them during free time from 315-515 and that's it. Not on ministry sites, evening activites, or during CLUB. It's distracting and pulls them away from being fully
present. It was a battle that their leaders handled so well. In my experience, when kids have an attitude like that, there's some stuff going on at home. We found out that one girl's mother had committed suicide and another just has a rough home life. As soon as I found this out, my mission was to love them with everything in me, to kill them with kindness. I think it drove them crazy at first, but by the end of the week, they started to warm up, work really hard at their sites, and connect with kids from other churches. They even apologized for being so awful at the beginning of the week! The love of Jesus is powerful.This has also been a week of a lot of goodbyes. We made chocolate chip cookies for all of the community members and wrote them all cards, so we got to deliver all of them. I hate change, I've realized. I've never been too bad with goodbyes, though. I figure if I don't see these people on earth again, they'll be in heaven someday. It was difficult to say goodbye to the people at the ministry sites where I spent the most time, which were CHUM (Churches United in Ministry) and Union Gospel Mission. It's amazing when you work and serve with people consistently how a bond just forms. A lot of that, I realize is Jesus in us too. We didn't have many conversations, just 
little side ones while we worked or in between. But we formed relationships that I never thought would form. Steve was the guy that I worked with at CHUM. I'm pretty sure he's an alcoholic because he talked about it all the time and he smelled like it most days. He doesn't really like his job, but keeps at it everday and I always enjoyed talking to him. A few days ago he came up to me and said, You can't leave. You're too good of a worker. I wrote him a card for the last day and as I said bye, he said, You'll be a great teacher. Thanks Steve.
little side ones while we worked or in between. But we formed relationships that I never thought would form. Steve was the guy that I worked with at CHUM. I'm pretty sure he's an alcoholic because he talked about it all the time and he smelled like it most days. He doesn't really like his job, but keeps at it everday and I always enjoyed talking to him. A few days ago he came up to me and said, You can't leave. You're too good of a worker. I wrote him a card for the last day and as I said bye, he said, You'll be a great teacher. Thanks Steve. Then later, I went over to UGM to say goodbye. Usually, not everyone is there at the same time,
but they were when I went. So I got to get a picture with all of them! I was talking to Al (top left) who keeps it running outside while the kids were working inside and he said, Shoot us a line every once in a while. We always like to hear how the staff is doing once they leave, especially the good ones...the ones that care. I think I'll definitely be doing that. It's cool to see people who just make a life out of taking care of others. It takes a lot of energy and strength that I began to fathom this summer.
Another friend that I made this summer is Dave. I met him at UGM and he comes in to eat dinner most evenings, so he would be there when we would bring the kids. His distinguishing characteristic is his laugh. It's this bellowing, nasally type thing that I really can't do justice to. But we would be a block or two away and if he was laughing outside, we could hear him from the church. I would sit down with him every week and eat with him and talk. He lives in a little apartment behind UGM. He works for a temp agency and goes in every morning at 6am to see if he can get work. Most days he has luck. But if it's raining, usually he doesn't work. He always saw the bright side of things and was always interested in how my day was going. The last night, I took him some cookies and a card and he was so surprised and thankful. He gave me a big hug and wished me the best of luck.
but they were when I went. So I got to get a picture with all of them! I was talking to Al (top left) who keeps it running outside while the kids were working inside and he said, Shoot us a line every once in a while. We always like to hear how the staff is doing once they leave, especially the good ones...the ones that care. I think I'll definitely be doing that. It's cool to see people who just make a life out of taking care of others. It takes a lot of energy and strength that I began to fathom this summer.
Another friend that I made this summer is Dave. I met him at UGM and he comes in to eat dinner most evenings, so he would be there when we would bring the kids. His distinguishing characteristic is his laugh. It's this bellowing, nasally type thing that I really can't do justice to. But we would be a block or two away and if he was laughing outside, we could hear him from the church. I would sit down with him every week and eat with him and talk. He lives in a little apartment behind UGM. He works for a temp agency and goes in every morning at 6am to see if he can get work. Most days he has luck. But if it's raining, usually he doesn't work. He always saw the bright side of things and was always interested in how my day was going. The last night, I took him some cookies and a card and he was so surprised and thankful. He gave me a big hug and wished me the best of luck. I have now been gone for 11 weeks. It went by so fast, I can't believe it. I'll be house hopping next week, spending time with the families, back at Taylor on Saturday for Student Teaching Orientation, moving in to Aunt Linda's house in Indianapolis on Sunday, and Monday I have teacher meetings! I really don't ever slow down. :-)
Even though my work days were 7am to 11pm, this has to have been one of my most restful summers. It was great for me to learn more about myself around people who didn't know me before. I realized a lot of things that I need to work on, but a lot of things I do well too. I feel so much more equipped to student teach after this summer. I've used so many skills in so many different areas of life. It will be hard, but it will be so great.
We spend today in Duluth and then we leave after church tomorrow and head to Minneapolis. We'll stay in a hotel on Sunday night, check in our stuff Monday and then I fly out at 6:55 am on Tuesday!
Onto my next chapter of life. Thank you all for keeping up with me, loving me, and praying for me. I can't wait to see you all again!
Much love.
I'll be honest, it was a stressful week. We had about 78 total this week. Capacity is 72. There were 17 adult leaders, which as Kara put it, was a little much. It was hard to get to know so many kids, but the ones we did were sweet. The first part of the week was hard without John. Announcements during CLUB were not as entertaining but he got back before we had to do a skit. Praise the Lord. He ended up getting back on Tuesday afternoon. Having him gone was a good reminder of how needed he is on our team and how our groove just doesn't work if he's not there. Then, Paul Bertleson, the founder and president of YW, came by on Thursday afternoon with two board members. Eric mostly entertained them and showed them around. Even though it was just to check things out and not really an evaluation or whatever, there's still pressure there. Good thing we didn't buy enough hamburger buns and I got to run to WalMart right before dinner while they were there. Really, it was no big deal. Our site has been running well all summer and he reads every single evaluation that comes in. So, he knows that we've been doing good work.
And now we enter our final week. We have to report to Minneapolis on Sunday night, so we'll be leaving next Sunday afternoon. I'll have time for one more post next weekend and then I'll be leaving!