Update from Christian

A few months back, I started this process with a ministry called HCJB out of Colorado Springs. I began pursuing working for them in Quito, Ecuador for the summer 2010. During my visit to their office in the springs, I got to meet a guy named Brandon Cole who had been an MK (missionary kid) with HCJB in Ecuador the majority of his life. He was now interning with them. I also found out that Brandon was a student at JBU, the school I currently attend. I was really excited to hear this. 
   Through our conversation, he told me about his brother, also a student at JBU, was currently in Echador working with a few different ministries. Brandon told me that I should meet his brother this fall and maybe talk to them both about HCJB. 
   After my meeting that day, I started the application process but I was taking it slow. As I was praying about everything, I felt the Lord telling me to put the app on hold for a while, just rest with this.
    Fast forward a month or so to me being in Arkansas...I was starting to feel a bit unsure with the whole thing. Was I supposed to stop pursuing? I wanted to wait it out though, atleast until I got to school and saw some of the opportunities JBU offered. During registration, I signed up to join a 'passion group', basically bible study/guys group. The passion groups wouldn't get organized for about a month or so. 
    Fast forward about a week ago now. I was really starting to doubt whether or not I needed to just email HCJB and call it all off, but God told me to be patient. So I prayed about it for the next few days. 
    Last Tuesday, I got an email saying that that night there was gonna be a ' meet your passion group' event. When I got to the thing, I went and looked up what group I was in and theN I went to meet my leader. His name is Brian. Within a couple minutes of talking with him, I realized that I already knew who he was. Brian was Brandon's brother. When I realized this, I asked him if I could share with him a little story...and I told him all a out what God was doing this last summer. 
    I had gone to the passion group thing that night with the intention of telling my leader, after meeting him, that I was to busy to be involved and that I wasn't gonna do it. But from the moment I met Brian, I felt God was speaking to me. This was one of the ways He wants to communicate with me about next summer. I know that Brian being my passion group is not a coincedence. Gid had His hand in the whole thing. 

Learning about peter standing on the raging sea

"Cuz Gods got Hiz hand on ever-thang. To where He'll take care of da problems, is not fo 'you to worry 'bout." - Random hick guy on The Almost's music video to "Southern Weather" (written phonetically) . Spelling...? i dono.

I haven't fully processed or realized what has happened yet, but I got a house. Big news. I have been searching for a month for a place to live, living as an orphan in my uncles house, commuting hours to find a job/house. After school started and things got crazy with that, as I am begging to settle for, "well, maybe it's not a big deal to God, maybe I should settle for this terrible living situation and move on..." I set up an appointment and arrived VERY late due to normal circumstances (got lost and hit traffic). As the lady was leaving the house to lock up, I ran up out of breath and explained. After seeing the house I was fully convinced with 100% confidence I should be there. Its an alcohol free and drug free house of all males, most of which are going to Glendale College. I am in a room with free internet, two awesome room mates, a nice bed with sheets and a comforter, a dresser and all the works! Now I am hopefully waiting for a job to pay for the next months rent! I will be spending my time now continuing looking for jobs in the day and doing college online at night. Kayla and I found a home church to begin plugging into as well. This church is located all thorugh out L.A. (changes buildings and theatres at different services) and is called "Mosaic." We have visited multiple churches since arriving here, and have FINALLY found one that we feel a part of and are ready to give ourselves to serve and be in community. Hopefully that will be picking up soon too.

I don't know why all of this has happened, why it took me a month of hard work while it took my room mate one day (who moved in one hour after me) to find this place. I know that feeding the homeless no longer feels like an "ought to" as a christian. For the past month I have felt hunger more than I ever have, and just an overall lowness of being on the outside of everybody's lives. I was sitting next to a guy in downtown burbank, all dressed up looking for a job- while he was obviously homeless and hungry. It should have been a painting; he was whistling and smiling, while my top buttons were loosened and I was rubbing my forehead in doubt and worry. Sitting on the same park bench. Priceless. I was thinking, "it may not look like it, but you and I are in the SAME position right now man. We have more similar circumstances than it seems! Gods kingdom is made up of men like you."

All I know is it's divine appointment to be living in this house. I know I am supossed to be in these guys' lives, and I couldn't IMAGINE a better living situation for me right now. I feel like this sort of thing makes me fully alive (besides being in the brush of Uganda). I am so thankful, and very bewildered still! I don't really know what to say about all of it except... YESSSS!!!!!!!! THank you for staying posted and checking in on us, hope all is well with you. Thank you for praying, it really does make all the difference in the world!