Mentor Sleepover!

We had a mentor/mentee sleep over the other night with the girls and had an awesome time doing what girls do best: watching chick flicks, painting nails, doing facials, and eating junk food! We couldn't resist doing all the stereotypical things with the girls. We had been promising a sleepover for a year and it was time we delivered!

All good things come to an end

Well I have around two weeks left here at God's Resort. I cannot believe we have been here for over a year and now my time is coming to a close. This past year has literally been the most amazing experience of my life and I could not imagine having expected to learn the lessons in life I have over the past year.

I have some updates on where I am heading next. I was chosen to be the team captain of my team of 3 girls and 2 guys. We are from all over the US and I am so excited to meet them soon! We will be living in a neighborhood known as La Villita (Little Village) in Chicago that is apparently 83% Latino. We will be attending both Spanish and English services with New Life Community Church there. I am so excited to be more immersed in Spanish culture and have more opportunities to use my tiny amount of Spanish and hopefully learn more.

Things are still going amazing down at God's Resort. We are moving forward with obtaining our status as a non-profit organization and that should be in place soon. Our church just announced that North Joplin Christian Church, which disbanded a few months ago, has offered College Heights their property in order to create an outreach ministry similar to that at God's Resort on the north side of town! I continue to be amazed at how God works in our community. It is truly amazing how much more incredible His plan is than ours. This new neighborhood faces many of the same problems as our current work at God's Resort and I know God wants to do great things there. Our church is currently meeting in preparation for a vote to determine the congregation's feelings on acquiring the property and then the elders will make the final decision, so we need lots of prayer right now for this decision to match God's will. I'm not too worried, if God wants it He will find a way.

If you want to keep up with my new adventure in Chicago check out my blog for Mission Year at www.missionyear.org/blog/katiehargrove

To much t talk about in one post.

This morning as Katie was driving to drop me off to work we were talking about how we havent really posted much over the summer. But hopefully as school starts and we get into a seady routine things will get better.
As i comment on whats been going on i will start with the newest stuff and work my way back. Instead of just throwing out information.
Last night we had the second city meeting in the backyard. THe first one was great! People showed up and made comments about things that they want done to make the neigborhood better. At the meeting last night the City of Joplin people unveiled the new plans for what will actually happen. It was exiting to stand there and hear them explain it all, and know that i will hopefully be around long enough to see that happen.
One of the things that they mentioned was the increase of police precense, and enforcement of traffic violations. As they were saying this, Katie and i both turned toward each other and giggled, probably because we were both thinking the same thing "good thing to know, i wont be speeding in the neigbothood anymore, or parking in the wrong direction". Traffic violations are a stumbling block for the two of us.
Already this morning we have seen them actually do what they promised, we passed three police cars in our neighbohood as we drove and also saw a group of inmates picking up trash under police supervision. Its great to see things happening!
it rained last nigh during the meeting, but thats ok. People still stayed, which was amazing and shows how much people really want the neigborhood to get better. With the rain its cooled down a lot. With one window unit in our house for the main living areas and two of our bedrooms, things tend to stay pretty warm. But this will be nice, and we can turn off the AC and hopefully get a break on our electric bill, which im thinking will be the hightest so far this summer because weve been running the AC pretty consistently.

Yesterday in the morning Katie, Josh and his family worked on the yard. Things (bushes and grass) had been a little out of control. It looks so great now. Sometimes its hard to keep up with everything. But their work came at the perfect time, just before the city meeting. There are no words to express our appretiation. Thanks Rick, Anna and Dom for helping out.

Camp: this summer some of the GR kids have been able to go to camp. They have had a lot of fun there. but hopefully they have grown in their faith and developed some friendships with kids that will be an encouragement to them.
I remember going to camp growing up, being away (most of the time because dad was sometimes a dean) from parents and bad friends and take a week to be in the word, to listen to great men preach and just have fun. it was at camp that i came foward and accepted Christ as my personal savior. i will always remember sitting in the chapel and holding on to the bench infront of me not wanting to go up, but wanting to soo badly at the same time. Its a crazy emotion.
i was also at College Age camp this last weekend. it was great. my favorite part of college age camp (other than staying up late playing rockband and sleeping in till noon) was the last night college students went up and talked, gave their testimonies, and encouraged one another.
What an amazing moment, it reminded me of why i fell in love with the college age in the first place, this their passion for God, people, service, and comminuty. And to be able to hear how people were affected by these things. it was truly amazing.