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Aaron and Emily Starr ( He doesn't seem to mind)

Emily and Little Bear

Trinity playing twister

Ivon and Trinity on the Drums. How much noise can we make?

Play me a tune... on the guitar without strings.

It's about time I write about what's been the going on around these parts ... I've been here for about a month and a half now. It's hard to believe it's already the middle of March. The feeling of spring is felt in the air. The park across the road is teaming with more life. There seems to be children out there everyday now - Big boys playing ball and little ones swinging. When walking in the 'hood, we see people out on there porches now ... We even opened the windows one day. Even, the shoots of Emmy's flowers are poking out there heads.

What is the School of Servanthood like? I hear the questions. It's like playing parcheesi with a neighbor girl; it's smelling like cigerette smoke; it's playing ball in the court with kids; it's swinging with them and given under-dog pushes; it's giving a hug; it's studying too. Most of the "study" part of my internship is reading books and writing papers. As of now, I'm reading, "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster and "Compassion,Justice, and the Christain Life:rethinking ministry to the poor" by Robert Lupton. I've been learning quiet a bit about urban ministry, community development ... and charactar development. It's a good thing. The hands on part of the internship is stuff like: RXN on Monday nights ( Youth group for ages 12-18), Young Disciples, playing with the kids who stop by, Thursday nights helping another lady with her bible study for kids in a different neighborhood ...All of my being here is "learning". An important thing I remember that Emmy told me is: I am here to learn from God and serve Him. So whatever I'm doing and through whoever I'm with to be open to learn what God may teach me through them or that situation. And whenever I serve to be doing it for Jesus.Sometimes people won't appricate or notice what you do for them and that could let you down but if you're doing it for Him you won't have that let down. Because of your motive. I'm having trouble knowing what else to write...hum. I know. A few people have asked what the most challenging things has been thus far.

1. Understanding the youth and trying to communicate with them. A lot of times I don't really understand what the teens are talking about. It's not because they mummble it's just because they have a differnet set of vocabulary per say. And sometimes it's hard to know how to initate a conversation. God's teaching me though. I do ask for your prayers in that line... I'm learning all sorts of new stuff from them. Example two boys came to RXN with "fronts". For your knowlege, they are teeth jewerly for men. To me it looks like tin retainers.It's a statius thing for some people. Anyhow I was prying them is it a retainer? Did the dentist give it to you? Orthodonist? Did you make them out of tin foil? ...

2. scheduling. Another challange for me. But I'm to tired keep writing.

I will leave on this note though. I am very grateful to God to be here. I have peace in my heart and soul. " Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved but abides forever" Pslam 125:1 I challenge you to be trust the Lord in all things for in Him you will be like Mount Zion!!!

Guess what I'm going to Haiti May 22nd - Aug. 13th. I've applied for my passport ... Now all I have to do is learn how to swallow pills :) No actually, there is more preparation then that. ( Swallowing pills I refer to the Malaria and/or garlic pills ).

quote

God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.
-Hudson Taylor

Happy Birthday Aaron!!

Aaron with Joshea. She just made him this "Happy Birthday" card.

We're playing "signs". It's a really cool group game. (I'm sitting behind the guy in the middle so you cannot see me :)

Joshea and I were playing connect-four

Emily playing Manacala with Mrs. LajeanaMs. Joetta playing Manacala with Willie.

Aaron and Joshua playing chess.


Emily and I had a "surprise" birthday party for Aaron. It was a surprise not so surprise because 1. Emmy has a surprise party every year for him and 2. the night before we ended up telling him about it. It was real fun . At first we were all playing different games and then some of the Starrs boys came over and we played group games. More later.

Nija and cupcakes

Nija and Anna

Nija , Shanique , and Anna

Emily and Shanique mixing up cupcakes

Nija melting chocalateHere sister try the chocolate. It is good!

Here are a few pictures of making cupcakes with Nija and Shanique for Nija's birthday.

God's will is plain. We are to love Him and people. But when it comes to loving people, we hedge. Jesus says, " Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" ( John 15:13) People say, " Sure, I'm willing to die for you." But are we willing to live for our neighbor? - John M. Perkins

I read a bumper sticker that read , "Jesus died for you are you willing to live for Him"

Young Disicples

girls painting

Unique

Forget how to spell her name?

More, Girls painting

Nija building with blocks

Emily helping Trinity put together a Bible verse at Young Disciples

Brianna on the other side putting the same verse together - it's a race.

Young Disciples is one of my favorite parts of being here. Young Disciples is a Bible Study for children ages 6-12 from kids from here in the 'hood.

Last week , twelve kids came. I'm not talking about 12 "homeschool " kids but 12 hurting, needing attention kids. This last week I could see a clear connection between the kids behavior and home life. The ones with relativly "stable" homes vs. not at all.
Children are easy to reach out to because all they want to attention. So they are easier to connect with but I'ld say that is generally true anywhere.

The last few weeks Emily has been teaching them about ways of praising God. So far they have learned about : lifting hands, shouting, kneeing, singing, instruments ... I love Emily's Kids. ( I noticed I have pictures of only girls - it makes it look like we only have girls come. But we do have boys to.)

Dare 2 Share

Here is the theme of the conference.
Jonathan practicing witnessing with Aaron.

Milton looking on.

Carica and myself (my "first" friend here)

6,000 teenagers and youth pastors

The first weekend here RXN went to this huge D2S conference. This conference was geared to encouraging youth to share their faith.The theme was "InVinsible" about putting on the full armor of God as written in Eph. 6 . About 6,000 attended ( youth and leaders) ... We had 13 tickets. The first night we had 1o teens come from RXN. The next day on 3 came. The kids around here just go with whatever is going on at the time , never mind the planning ahead. Emily didn't know how many were coming until she went to pick-up kids ...2 of the 3 that did come the second day were ones that did have to plan because they were spending the night. I learned a lot about the kids hanging out with them.

A lot of stuff at this conference was culture shock to me and wasn't something I would choose for myself. For instance, the music was so LOUD I couldn't even hear myself ; there was lights flashing all sorts of colors all over ; and what gets me the most was the head singer ( a man ) looked like a woman ... I think a man should look like a MAN and a women like a women. ( Well, I'm sure you agree too)

Anyhow, to look on the bright side, I did like how they made people get out of their "comfort zone" ... One time the speaker asked everyone that had a cell phone to lift it up. Lots of people did. Then on the spot everyone who could was asked to call a friend who wasn't a Christian and talk with them about God. The night before we had all thought of a person we would commit to sharing our faith with - that was the person we were supposed to call.

All the different group were also assigned to neighborhoods to collect cans for Salvation Army and most importantly witness. We kinda cheated and went to our own 'hood. It was a great opportunity to talk with and pray for the neighbors. Emily and Aaron were pleased with the opportunities we had.