Update part:
This semester has been a whole new set of challenges. Partly because of conscious decisions, and then from the consequence of those decisions, I seemed to have found myself in this great In-Between. For the past two years I've felt like I am supposed to be apart of a new church in New Orleans. Last year I got to know the people of Sojourn in the Uptown and I was really excited about that, but I now feel like I need to be working on becoming a member of the Mid-City community. Therefore, I've been pulled further and further from what the folks of Sojourn are doing. I hoped this would give me more time in Mid-City and motivation to dig in and start my own life calling, starting with a Bible study with some girls in my neighborhood.
Unfortunately, I have continued to work in Uptown and I've been going to school full time in Gentilly. With so much time away from the group I feel called to invest in, I've spent a lot of this semester frustrated! I work on Sundays in Uptown so I haven't even been able to worship with believers who are meeting in churches in Mid-City. Plus, I've yet to really connect with the women of my area - even enough have any kind of group of friends much less a Bible study. At the same time, I have been able to get to know people I would never have gotten to know if I were all wrapped up in "church activities," as good as they might have been. And, as the semester is coming to a close, it "just so happens" that my dream job is finally coming open!!!
If all goes according to plan, in a couple of weeks I will start working at Fairgrinds Coffeehouse. The owners, Robert and Elisabeth, are very supportive of my idea for a coffeehouse/venue and they are planning on bringing my onto their staff. They are re-opening in less than a month after being closed for two years from the flood of Katrina - after much rebuilding and community work that slowed them down. They will be the only coffeehouse in New Orleans selling only Fair Trade products (when ever applicable). I'm especially impressed by this because they are not planning on charging their costumers more for more expensive coffee because they believe in making sure that farmers get a fair price so much!
I hope to learn about how to run a coffeehouse with conscience from Robert and Elisabeth, and I look forward to starting a Bible study there by the end of the summer (hopefully sooner rather than later.) There is so much potential in this opportunity. Please pray for my witness - I want to serve people with the heart, mind, and hands of Christ. Please pray that I will be a humble worker and student at Fairgrinds! Also, please pray that I will finish my work at my old job well. I want to make sure that I leave in good relationships with my co-workers.
Also!
I'm going to Russia this summer!!!
Two professors from my school have put together three classes for this summer that are based around a mission trip to Russia! They believe that some churches in Moscow understand how to work in a harsh, changing urban environment and that we can learn from them! A small group of us are going with them to Moscow to learn how they pray for their city with prayer-walking, do evangelism in the community in a non-preachy but helpful manner, and meet in small groups in people's homes to build community and study the scriptures together. I really think that I will learn a lot more from this trip than sitting in a classroom! I'll only be in Russia for a week, but I'll be doing a lot of reading and writing in preparation and response to the trip.
Please pray because I am definitely still short on funds for this trip. Please pray that people will pray and that some will give money in support of this trip. The school is supporting me by subsidizing the costs through donations, but there is still a little over $1,000 to be raised. I really believe that the Lord is going to provide this. He has already allowed for my Russian visa to go through with amazing ease - and I thought that would be the hard part!
There are many other things that the Lord has done and is showing me as a possibility in the future, but I hate to take any more of your time. I'm excited to step out of this time of In-Between and into Living-Out the life I long to live! I can't tell you how much it means to me that I have your well-wishes and prayers. I would love to hear from you. Speaking of which, I would love to get your mailing addresses and/or any blogs, facebook, myspace, or other way that I can better keep up with your life in this ridiculously fast-paced world. :)
Until next time, Love.
Amy
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