Saturday, October 20, 2012

Has it really been 2 months?!


WARNING! The following blog is fairly lengthy as I have 2 whole months to fit in. Happy Reading!






















Well, today marks 2 months since I left Arkansas, and I figured it was about time I updated this thing. The unfortunate part of this coming so late is that there is so much to tell, so I’ll just dive right in.

When I first arrived to New York for orientation, I met some friendly smiles and a few bruises from carrying my luggage. I packed quite a bit as I would leave for Denver for a whole year after my one week in up north. The week was exhausting but very informational and also filled with some fun. No, I did not get to go into the city, see any Broadway plays, or ferry around the big statue, but I did stay at Stony Point, which is a beautiful conference center focused on sustainability and peace issues. I also got to be part of amazing worship and enjoy mostly really nice weather.

That Sunday, the day before we left, I went to a church that will soon celebrate its 300 year anniversary. It was beautiful. 6 of us went and we were supposed to share a bit of our testimony, what we would be doing over the next year, and why we got into the YAV program. I didn’t know exactly what I was going to speak about, but I had my bullet points and a song, called “Not Alone,” that I wrote. It was in speaking there that the true irony of my year came out. I said, "I got into the YAV program to live in a Spanish speaking country, to work with children, and to teach music, and God decided that for me that looked like living in Denver and working at a daytime women’s shelter.”

Two months later, I have experienced what that really does look like. My job entails many parts, with just a few glimpses of attaining my year goals.

 3 days a week, I work with The Card Project, an awesome program for the members of The Gathering Place community to make and sell cards. 75% of that amount goes to the artist and 25% goes back into production. I pull for shows where the cards are sold and get to witness first hand what amazing work these artists make. Spanish has come into play with November’s “Card of the Month” artist, EHS. (Each of the Artists goes by their initials.) She and I speak Spanglish to each other, while I practice my Spanish, and she practices her English. There’s a lot of “como se dice” on my end, but she’s very patient and sweet.

I also work at the Welcome Desk a few shifts a week. This is actually where a lot of the action happens in the building. This is where new members fill out papers and where all members get checked in for the day. It’s also where I need to learn about more of the programs that happen in the building. Most of the time I can just say “The resource desk, strait back, can help you with those questions,” but I also need to know how to direct people around our 4 story building and how to get where they need to go.

Another part of my job is to coordinate computer lab time and find subs when volunteers can’t show up. The times that I myself have been that sub have actually been nice, because I mostly just sit behind the control computer, and while some of the members wait, I’ve been able to have some really nice conversations, and have even been pleasantly teased a few times.

Lunch is another time that I really enjoy sitting with various people and indulging in conversation. It’s amazing to me the strength that some of the people I come into contact with have. One person I sat with is also an artist, and she quoted 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to me which states “Give thanks in all things, for this is God’s will according to you.” She said that this passage has really given her strength through her struggles. I can’t tell you how encouraging that was for me. I’ve struggled in figuring out my position and how the job I do this year will affect my future, though I know it will in a great degree, but to know and acknowledge that no matter what, it’s God’s will. Wow, that was powerful. I had to excuse myself to go to the restroom and back to work, and she asked me if she and her friend had bored me. I wish I had done an even better job of explaining that nothing could be further from the truth.

I am also in charge of making the weekly event and lunch calendars, and editing the white board in the welcome area every day. Sadly, this is probably the part I’ve struggled with the most. It’s funny, because it really is simple, but I’ve made more mistakes in this area, probably mostly because I don’t give it the amount of dedication it takes, it entails the most learning in using computers and different programs, and I’m not as excited about it. Tough though, right? I am dedicated to doing a good job in all things that are required of me, so I do get frustrated in my failings, so by the end of this year, maybe I will be an expert calendar maker. Haha

A new part of my job that I haven’t started yet is working in the family area. Finally! A chance to work with kids! It will only be once a week, on Wednesday mornings, but this is something I know I’m good at, and I’ll have opportunity to practice a little more Spanish with some of the moms and children. It will be a nice spot in my week to “feed my soul” as two of my supervisors have put it.

Last, but not least, I have an amazing team that I work with. My coworkers have been great in making sure I have a smooth transition into things and check in with me often. That’s how I ended up with a Family area shift, and they have also let the musician that comes in of Fridays know that I play music too, and he’s let me play a few songs. Sometimes he lets me sing with him on a couple, and sometimes he plays harmonica along with me. He’s got a nice James Taylor style. (My dad would appreciate that.) The members are also really encouraging when I play and tell me I should do it more often.


My favorite thing that my coworkers have done for me though was decorate my cubicle for my birthday a couple weeks ago. I had “subtly” let a few of them know it was coming up, but the day it came, I wasn't sure if anything would come of it. That day was a card project day though, and Denise, The Card Project coordinator announced to the artists, and they sang the Spanish birthday song “Las mañanitas” to me. Later, when I went to the bathroom, I came out and a bunch of my coworkers were standing around my desk and had cupcakes and streamers and sang “Happy Birthday” (in English) to me. It was such a good day.

 

Oh, and of course I couldn’t end this blog post, as long as it already is without giving a shout out to some of my new favorite people, my housemates, and the DOOR staff. Each Monday we have community day and check in, but throughout the week, we have a pretty great support system at home, and some people we can call on in the office. These are really the people that are going to give me my peace and sanity this year. They’re the ones that get to hear me gripe and celebrate about work and life, and missing and getting to finally see my fiancé, and they are the ones that have to put up with my mess and love me anyway. Thanks guys!


So far this year has proven to be quite the learning experience, and I'm finding new ways of achieving my goals through all of the little and big things I am doing. I get little glimpses of why I'm here, day by day, and I will "give thanks in all things, for this is god's will".

 

So, I will try not to take 2 months before writing another post, and these things can be more “check ins” than life stories. Thanks for checking in and for your continued support of my year thus far and ahead. I miss home, but am starting to make my little niche here. Oh, and I am just about $750 away from my fundraising need, so thank you, thank you, thank you, for helping me get this far!

 

Peace, love, music, and the best of all things!

 

Lacy










p.s. In regards to my previous post, yes, I made it all the way to the top, as did all my housemates who tried. Yay! Taking Denver down, feat by feat! J