Thursday, December 12, 2013

December 12, 2013

I feel like I've skimped out recently on blogs. Sorry, but this one is better.

So what is it like in December in LA? While most of you have had a snow/ice storm, the lowest it's been here is the upper 30's. It rained a day too! Pretty miserable right? The high today was in the mid-60's with a couple of clouds. I sure can't complain about the weather. But it really doesn't have that Christmas feel quite yet. Even though I see Christmas trees on top of cars, hear carols playing on the radio, and see lights on sky scrapers, I have yet to feel that Christmas spirit. The Christmas season is just different out here. Not bad by any means. Just different.

FUN STUFF REWIND:

Two Weekends Ago:

Annie came to town! (I forgot to get a picture with her. We only Snapchatted. Sorry) We went to an open recording session at CUT Recordings. Stoll Vaughan (Lexingtonian) performed some stuff. Loved spending time with Kentuckians and hearing familiar sounding music.


Two Community Days ago:

We went to a place called Travel Town. It had all sorts of mobiles (like automobiles) with an emphasis on trains. Can't say that I expected to have as much fun as I did.



Last Weekend:

After reading the book Toxic Charity (read it now or else don't read it now), the deacons at FPCH have decided to do their best to do charity with the most benefits. This year they hosted a store with items (that were donated) priced at 20% of their original price. This is a way for the less fortunate to purchase presents for their family and friends without feeling like they are receiving handouts. The festivities were abound with a live jazz group, photo booth, and tamale luncheon!

From left to right: Eliou, John (me), Andy


This week:

Community Day! We went to Forest Lawn - Glendale. Originally planning to view a stained glass exhibit, we found ourselves exploring a mausoleum and enjoying the green things (there aren't many of those in LA).

Not only did we go to Forest Lawn, but we also went the Americana at Brand to see what a shopping center looks like during the Christmas season here. The tree was over 50ft high and there was a trolley that ran through the area. It felt like a movie.
From left to right: Freddie, John, Tara, Laura, Chantel, Brent

Yesterday:

Unfortunately, we have to say goodbye to Chantel. She will be leaving us this Saturday, and it has been a challenging time for all of us. However, last night we went out for dessert as a farewell from DOOR. She has been a blessing and has taught us all so much. She will be missed!
Charlotte (Matthew's daughter) fell asleep during the festivities.

The winter refuge shelter starts January 5. We will be housing about 30 guests, giving them dinner, a place to sleep, and breakfast each day for 8 weeks. One of my duties here is to coordinate this shelter. We divide the volunteering into 4 blocks, giving churches two weeks to volunteer in the shelter. Along with being there during the mornings and evenings I will be ensuring that volunteers are present each evening and morning, a task to say the least. Busy busy every day.
Me making over 1000 copies
You've got to smile through the little things. Otherwise they won't be as fun.


My time here so far has been such a blessing, but I sure can't wait to be back home for Christmas.
Thank you all for your support!

-John

Friday, November 29, 2013

November 29, 2013 - Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

I've got to admit that having Thanksgiving without my family was weird. There were no pierogies. There was no gummy bear Trouble. There was something else. Something different that I hadn't fully experienced before. None of us YAVs left for Thanksgiving. None of our families came to visit us. So what did we do?

We decided that we would open up the community house for our Thanksgiving meal. We would provide a turkey and a few side dishes, while asking neighbors to bring other sides to complete our meal. Surprisingly the only thing we had multiple dishes of was apple pie. And believe it or not they were both brought by Nathan. The food worked out. The seating worked out. The day worked out.

Nathan carving the turkey!


I'm so thankful for this new family here in Hollywood, the opportunity to be here, as well as all of my friends and family at home.

-John

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

November 19, 2013 - Community Day

As community days are rather hard to explain at times, I figure I will share a video that might help understand sort of what we do on Mondays. Brent put this together from our community day yesterday. It's a good break from just hearing updates in words. Big thanks to Brent and enjoy!


Friday, November 8, 2013

November 8, 2013 - Piano Moving

On Thursdays I sometimes have the opportunity to work with Gettlove, an organization devoted to "ending homelessness in Hollywood." The focus of the organization is on housing. But it's more than that. Case managers build a relationship with their clients that continues after being housed.

So what is it that I did yesterday? I helped a recently housed client move a piano into his apartment. You see, this man had been housed for a while, but still had quite a bit of his belongings in storage. He is a composer. This is not his occupation, but his passion. He said that the piano had not been played in about 30 years. 30 years! As we loaded the truck and were on the way back to his apartment you could see a glow in his eyes, similar to a child on Christmas morning.

The moment the piano was in the apartment the man pulls up a chair and begins. We stood in awe and could only listen as we saw a man playing his own compositions. Seeing a man who was homeless, but is now sitting in his own living room playing his own composition on his own piano was nothing less than spectacular. This day was momentous for him, and I'm glad that I could be a part of it.

Doin' the Lord's work.
-John

Monday, October 28, 2013

October 28, 2013 - A Week in the Life

Let's go through a typical week in the life of John right now.

Monday - Community Day
While living in an intentional community, we spend one day a week together intentionally to build community with one another. Last Monday we spent the day at LACMA. You know. That place with all those lampposts together.

Community days are normally led by one or two of us. We go all sorts of places and do all sorts of things, exploring the city. Yay for fun days!


Tuesday - Work at FPCH/Community Hours
We start our program on Wednesday at 10:30am. This means that it would be rather difficult to whip together a hot meal for the guests at the church without starting around 7. So... Most of the time we cook the food on Tuesday morning, refrigerate it, and put it in the oven around 8am on Wednesday. This way we are much more relaxed, ensure the food is cooked, and can cook more extravagantly (ie. layered lasagna).
In the evening, from 6:30 - 8:30, we open the community house. This means that children from the neighborhood can come and hang out for a couple of hours. We help with homework, play games, run around and scream, all sorts of things. Fun. Exhausting.

Wednesday - Work at FPCH
At 10:30am we already have guests inside our doors eating a breakfast of some sort. Shortly after we serve the hot meal we prepared. During this time we also have tables set up where people can seek services, a nurse is available all day, and some other agencies typically stop by (PATH, Step up on Second, [google those]). People stick around until around 2 or so.  I will stay and man the door until around 4 or so, giving assistance if possible to anyone who stops by.


Thursday - Work at FPCH/Gettlove (sometimes)/Community Hours
On Thursdays my schedule is much more relaxed. Since there is no program the following day, I am often doing clerical work of sorts. However, I will sometimes help Gettlove (again, google it). This could be many things, but so far I have helped a newly-housed woman move furniture in. This past week I sorted through our clothing room. I didn't take an after picture, but here is a before one.
In the evening, we open the community house again. This past week we threw a fall festival with apple bobbing, pumpkin painting, face painting, a photo booth, and donuts on a string. I didn't take too many photos, but this one cracks me up.
Friday - DAY OFF
Because I work on Sundays, Friday is the start of my weekend, but it's rather awkward as all of my housemates work on Fridays. This is when I often go places that don't cost any money. Brent didn't work last Friday so here are some photos of CityWalk in Universal City.




Saturday - Work?
A couple of Saturdays a month I go in to the kitchen to help prepare food for the program on Sunday.

Sunday - FPCH/Community Hours
In the past I have spent the mornings attending the traditional service at FPCH. But recently have decided to start helping with the youth during that time. (9:30 - 10:30). Then it's up to the upper terrace for our program. We seem to serve more people on Sundays than on Wednesdays. There's a bible study that begins at noon, and we start serving food at 1.
After all the hustle and bustle of church life, I head back to the house for community hours. On Sundays we open the house from 3:00 - 6:00.

Life here is busy to say the least. It's hard to stop and take a breath sometimes. But when I do, I remember how lucky I am and how spectacular this place is.



-John

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

October 9, 2013 - The Face of God in the City

The Face of God in the City

When you decide to come to Hollywood you normally think about all the exciting parts: movies, TV, famous people, the Hollywood sign, the stars on the ground, Hollywood Blvd, and that famous Chinese theater (whatever it's called the week you decide to go there). Once you get here, you do get to see those things. But then there's more: the poverty, the smell, the lack of rain, the heat, the public transit (God save us all), the weird glares you get if you look someone in the eye as you pass them on the street, and those annoying people asking if you want to take a bus tour every single block. It doesn't stop. Seeing the face of God in a place like this is tough.

When you think about Hollywood, "the industry" is what comes up, regardless. So many people have connections to it in some manner. They are or know someone famous. They've been an extra in some movie from some random year like 1982 that only they have seen. They are in production, and no one has ever heard of them. They perform at one of the smaller theaters here. Everyone seems to have some connection. Thinking about "the industry", you'd think that these people don't have much God in their life. It's a place that  on the outside seems 'stuck up'. So far I can tell you that this is most definitely not the case. And when you least expect it the Lord will show his face to you.

A few weeks back, a few of my housemates and I were enjoying an afternoon snack at Big Wangs. Classy huh? Laura, insert really awesome description of Laura here, started talking with a man at the bar. Now I know what you're thinking. No. She was not getting hit on, nor was she trying to impress. It was simply small talk. This man is probably in his late 50's. Laura introduces him to the rest of the gang and we becomes friends of sorts. Next thing I know he let's me take a photo in his Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.

At first this guy just seemed like another wealthy man just out having a good time, stuck in his own world. But, once he finds out who we are and what we do, he says that he loves that kind of stuff. Yeah yeah, everyone loves that kind of stuff. However, this man genuinely loves our line of work. He said that he wanted to donate to us. Yeah yeah, everyone wants to donate to organizations. But after some scheduling, we ended up meeting with up again and he has committed to donating $1000 to our program.

Walking into Big Wangs, the last thing on my mind was getting a donation. You never know where you're going to see the face of God. Whether you're at the gate of a church or in a Big Wangs, the Lord is always with you. You just have to look.

-John



Tuesday, September 24, 2013

September 24, 2013 - Unveiling


Unveiling

I work in a church. None of my housemates work in a church. They work in various agencies that are not affiliated with the church. They are not supposed to pray with their clients, while I am encouraged. They are not to speak of God, while I am encouraged. I had one of my first moving experiences last week that I feel obliged to share.

During the day, people often come to the church looking for help of various sorts (clothes, food, housing, etc.). I had a man named Bobby simply ask if he could use the phone as he only had 5 minutes left on his prepaid phone, which he promptly showed me. He explained that he was not from Los Angeles and just needed to get home. Bobby came into the church with the sole purpose of using the phone. Little did he know more would happen.

As we sat in front of the phone, Bobby started explaining his story. He was originally from New Jersey, coming from Atlanta, and did not find what he was looking for here. His company in Georgia ended up letting him go. He heard that the company had a branch in Los Angeles and decided to make the trip out here to find work. He was unable to find work at the branch here, resulting in a heart struck man, homeless man. Bobby had a very manly demeanor. He looked like he had been a boxer of some sort back in his day. As he was explaining this entire scenario his eyes started to tear up a tiny bit, surprisingly so.

Bobby picked up the phone and started dialing a man high up in a company in Georgia. There was no answer and he explained that the voicemail told him to text message a phone number for him to call you back. I texted the number and Bobby continued.

He explained that he hadn't been home to New Jersey in 7 years. During this time, he had grandson born. That grandson is now 6 years old. Bobby had never met him. He also told me about his now 8 year old granddaughter. The tears started to run down his cheek. Bobby exclaimed that he was so upset that he was not there for them. He was not there to be a grandpa. The look on his face was one of sorrow, his eyes turning red. Bobby started to apologize for crying. He explained that this was the first time he had ever said that to anyone. We talked for a little bit more before the phone rang.

I answered and spoke with a man about Bobby. It was not but a 3 minute conversation before the man had to hang up the phone as he was rather busy. He said that he knew Bobby, and understood the situation. Bobby and the man knew each other from their work in Atlanta. He again said he would call back, but this time I gave him Bobby's cell phone number to call.

Bobby had let up the tears and calmed down. He thanked me for speaking with him about the situation. He said that no one, in all of the places he had been looking for help, would listen to what he had to say. Bobby realized one thing. He wanted to see his grandson more than get back to work in Georgia.

As I looked at the time, I realized that Bobby and I had been speaking for over an hour. I said that I needed to get back to what I was doing and Bobby understood. Before he left, we prayed. Bobby slowly left the church with no idea where to go. As I walked back into church, I heard Bobby's phone ring. I looked back and saw Bobby smiling, looking up and pointing. Considering he only had 5 minutes left on the phone, the call must've been short, but important.

I don't know what happened thereafter. I have not seen Bobby back at the church since. I don't know if he made his way back to Atlanta or to New Jersey. I do know one thing though. I saw Bobby smiling. Something in that phone call changed his mood.

C.S. Lewis speaks about 'unveiling' ourselves before God. "We must choose to uncover before God and reveal the concerns, questions, and even doubts or complaints that we have concealed deep within us." Bobby unveiled himself in this conversation with me. He found that he wanted not to be in work, but with family. In doing so, it seems that he found what he'd been looking for deep in his heart. Seeing another person unveil who they are before me was moving.

Lewis goes on to say "We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us."As I continue this work, I can only hope to unveil myself before God. Knowing what is in me is something that it hard to put into words. I challenge myself and all of you reading to try and unveil yourself before the Lord.

-John

Sunday, September 15, 2013

September 15, 2013 - DOOR Orientation and First Week of Work


I'm finally working! But we'll get to that.

Before starting at our various agencies, all of us had a couple weeks of DOOR orientation. This consisted of many things, mostly to get us comfortable with the city and different way of life.

Highlights from DOORientation:
  • Working with Project Angel Food where we cooked and packaged food for people suffering from HIV/AIDS. 
  • Exploring the Metro and bus routes.
  • Santa Monica Beach & Pier
  • Griffith Observatory
  • Visiting and receiving a tour of all the agencies us Dwellers are working with. 
  • Establishing a house covenant.
Another aspect of DOOrientation is the sharing of testimonies. This is where each of us share our life story, how God came into it, and how we got to Hollywood. It was really powerful and insightful for us to learn about each other.

So DOORientation is over. I've met about 50 people in two weeks, and my work is about to begin. Am I nervous? OF COURSE! The Lord's Lighthouse serves on Wednesdays and Sundays. The Wednesday program has breakfast and lunch, a health care professional available, various agencies present, and smiles abound. Wednesdays are much more relaxed than Sundays. On Sundays, a bible study occurs at 12, with lunch following around 1. Averaging over 100 people, the amount of preparation for these two days is tremendous. I am proud to say I help make such a great program function.

In just the first week of work, I feel a connection to this place that I have not felt before. It's truly special and I thank you all for your support.

-John


Wednesday, August 28, 2013

August 28, 2013 - Travel/First Few Days

I can say that I made it to Hollywood safely, and boy has it been an eventful first few days. But first I'll tell more of the story on how we all got here...

The commissioning at First Presbyterian Church in Yorktown was incredible. I went along with two other YAVs, Emma CushmanWood (right) who will be serving in Northern Ireland and Kalyn Stevwing (middle-right) who will be serving in New Orleans.
Each of us spoke during the sermon to be followed by a laying on of the hands for our commissioning. It was truly a blessing and I thank all of First Pres of Yorktown Heights for their open arms and kindness.

That night was our last night at YAV orientation. As we all split our ways over the night and into the next morning, I realized how much of a community we have developed. YAVs who weren't leaving until the next evening stayed up throughout the night to see off the 2:30am group, the 3:30am group, etc. There were songs, hugs, and joy abound. These are the people that will also be devoting the next year to service and it was a pleasure to get to know them.

Boom. LAX.

Of course the airplane food was.... Well let's just say that it wasn't this, which I promptly devoured upon landing.


The plan is to ease us into the intentional community during orientation. I figure I'll just give a preface of what life is like here. The property that we live on is owned by the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. The front house is a community house, or is known by the locals as "la casa de la comunidad". This house is open to locals three nights a week for kids to come in and do artwork, play games, get help with homework, etc. The back half of the property is where us Dwellers live. It will be a challenge living with six of us in a four bedroom apartment. The first big decision as our intentional community was picking out bedrooms. What originally seemed challenging, ultimately took less than 20 minutes and we all seem happy. Shout out to Brent, my new roommate. We've already shared our first home-cooked meal together after a challenging, but informative trip to the grocery.

Pictured are Tara (left) and Laura (right), two of my housemates for the year.

We have been learning quite a bit of history from Marvin, one of the site coordinators, about Hollywood and the woes it can bring. We attended a staff meeting at First Pres - Hollywood, where I will be working; but it was brief and didn't result in much interaction between me and my future co-workers. Speaking of which, the church:
Wow. I am so blessed to be working and attending such a magnificent place of worship.

Since we are being eased into this, we got to experience of bit of the glamour of Hollywood. This morning we attended a taping of 'The Soup'. It was nothing less than entertaining and I'm so thankful for the opportunity.
Yes, it's fuzzy but still. First picture with a famous person.

We have orientation until September 10. This is when I will start working with the Lord's Lighthouse at First Pres. I will most likely not post again until then.

Thanks for giving me this opportunity. It truly is a blessing.

God Bless

-John

Saturday, August 24, 2013

YAV Orientation VLOG


With all the hustle and bustle of orientation here in NY, I decided to upload a video to save time.

Monday, August 12, 2013

1 Week Left


In just one week I will be in New York for YAV orientation. This summer has been filled with excitement as I finished up my fourth year on staff at Burnamwood Camp & Conference Center. Being the summer director  was a challenging endeavor, one that I feel has prepared me for the upcoming year. Working with a church camp I get to spend time with some of the greatest people in the world. That sure doesn't mean that it isn't a challenge.
The time spent in LA will be challenge as well. A different challenge of sorts. God has been with me through my experiences in KY and will continue as I go through this experience.

Let's talk a bit about orientation. A week long to-do that looks like it will be similar to staff training at camp. Up at 8am every single day and activities until 8pm every single night. It will be an exhausting experience to say the least. Activities include worship, small groups, bible study, violence prevention, etc. I'm really looking forward to it, but am definitely nervous.

After orientation we will be flying to LA. There we will spend a week acclimating to the culture, living space, and living community. Considering I've never met any of the people I'll be living with before, it will be an exciting experience. If I remember correctly, the following Monday will be my first day at the Lord's Lighthouse (check my previous post for more info).

So I've a got a week to try and fit all my things into my suitcase, say goodbye to all my friends, and say hello to another world. It will be an adventure.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Agency Placement

I'm proud to announce that I have received news as to where I'll be working for the next year. I'll be working with The Lord's Lighthouse through the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. More information can be found here. I leave in just 9 days! So excited for everything to come. Thank you for all your support.

-John

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Fundraising Update

As of July 22, I have raised just over $1000. Thanks to all that have supported me. I'm already 1/4 of the way to my goal of $4000. With less than a month left until I leave, I'm starting to get extremely excited. Thanks again! I'll keep you all posted.

-John

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Beginning a New Journey

As my college career comes to a close, I am extremely excited to announce my decision to serve as a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) with the Presbyterian Church. Upon graduating from UK, I was unsure whether I should pursue more education or look for a job. When I heard about the YAV program, I immediately wanted more information. After an arduous process of narrowing down my possible YAV placements, Hollywood seemed to call to me. Hollywood has one of the highest homeless populations in the United States. With the experience I have with the homeless in the Lexington area, Hollywood stood out. I feel God calling me to be a part of the ministry in Hollywood and am nothing less than ecstatic. I plan on updating this blog biweekly starting in mid-August when I depart.

God Bless,

-John