I was invited to go up to Redding to visit my friends and to see a dance performance. I decided not to go cause last week was the last full week that I got to spend with the dts. It's time for them to take off to Italy for their outreach. I would have loved to go to Redding again but I'm probably never gonna see some of these people again so wanted to stay here in San Fran.
Another reason for my staying here was that I wanted to throw a surprise goodbye party for the dts before they go. Yeah, people back home know that that is something I love doing. Just wait till I get back :). So I told about the party to the staff and dts leader Steven said that he could sett up a meeting for the dts so that they wouldn't be in our way while preparing the party. So we sliced up some fruit, baked brownies, put out Reese's butter cups and soda. I made a card for each dts student with their name and photo on so that everybody could write something on them. It was kind of a yearbook thing.
Allie, Savanna, Linda and Laura
writing on the cards
We had some video games to play with too. Everybody was so happy about the party and I got lots of hugs that night. It was so good to get to spend a night with all people together. But it was also a bit sad night for me cause I started to realize that I would have to say goodbye to all these so lovely people and wouldn't see them any time soon. Some of them I will definitely see again so it isn't gonna be like a goodbye for good but still. I'm gonna miss them so much and the base is gonna be so different place without them.
It's funny how people can become so close to you in such a short period of time. I think it's partly because we all live together and pretty much spend our days and weeks together. I'm used to having all these people around me 24/7. It's gonna be so weird not having them here. I'm so glad that one girl, Rachel, is staying here cause she's probably the closest of them all to me.
Weeks go by so fast here. To me it feels like if it was weekend always. That is a good thing but also a bad thing because soon my time here is up and it feels weird. My eyes have started to get used to all these things and views that surround me here. I've seen them tens or hundreds of times already. But many times I still look at these hills, plants and buildings with a big smile on my face.
On Sunday we headed for Fremont which is a smaller city South of Oakland. The Ancheta family, that lives here at the base, have their church there. The church consists of mostly Philippines that live in the area. The Anchetas' are Philippines too. They are such lovely people and they have an amazing family. The mom of the family is in a way a mother of this base too.
You can check out a video here below. It was made on our way to Fremont.
A roadtrip to Fremont
The church seen from outside
The service at the church was a special one because of Mother's day. They had little performances and thank you -speeches to mothers. Myk and Rachel had made a song for Christina Ancheta, their mom. They performed it singing and playing guitar. It was so awesome and quite different from what I'm used to in Finland. We don't tend to show our feelings that easily. But that's one thing that I love in this culture. In general the Philippians culture is very generous, hospitable and warm. After the service we had dinner together and just hang out for a while in the church. I really liked the church and especially the worship part of it. Myk and Rachel played in the worship band together with these older men and some other people. All of the songs were familiar to me which was nice and the atmosphere of worship was very free.
The worship band
Me, Eva and Andrea in Fremont
After the service we wanted to see the house that the Anchetas' have in Fremont. The house and actually the whole city reminds me of those films that are filmed in smaller cities in the States. You know, they have this certain feeling.
Anchetas' kitchen
One thing that spoke to me here last week was a night that I spent with three of my friends sharing our testimonies and things about our lives. Savanna told us that one Bible verse had thaught her better how to love the people that have done you wrong or just in general your neighbor. Before Jesus the last supper with His disciples He washed their feet. He knew that Judas was about to betray Him but still Jesus showed him love.
Jesus wanted to do this as an example of how we should be acting and doing as well. Sometimes , well most of the times, it's so hard to do anything good to somebody we don't like. But that's exactly what God wants us to do and that is something that should make us Christians different. And if you continue reading this Bible verse you'll notice that there's a promise in the end. God says that if we do so, we will be blessed.
Another reason for my staying here was that I wanted to throw a surprise goodbye party for the dts before they go. Yeah, people back home know that that is something I love doing. Just wait till I get back :). So I told about the party to the staff and dts leader Steven said that he could sett up a meeting for the dts so that they wouldn't be in our way while preparing the party. So we sliced up some fruit, baked brownies, put out Reese's butter cups and soda. I made a card for each dts student with their name and photo on so that everybody could write something on them. It was kind of a yearbook thing.
Allie, Savanna, Linda and Laurawriting on the cards
We had some video games to play with too. Everybody was so happy about the party and I got lots of hugs that night. It was so good to get to spend a night with all people together. But it was also a bit sad night for me cause I started to realize that I would have to say goodbye to all these so lovely people and wouldn't see them any time soon. Some of them I will definitely see again so it isn't gonna be like a goodbye for good but still. I'm gonna miss them so much and the base is gonna be so different place without them.
It's funny how people can become so close to you in such a short period of time. I think it's partly because we all live together and pretty much spend our days and weeks together. I'm used to having all these people around me 24/7. It's gonna be so weird not having them here. I'm so glad that one girl, Rachel, is staying here cause she's probably the closest of them all to me.
Weeks go by so fast here. To me it feels like if it was weekend always. That is a good thing but also a bad thing because soon my time here is up and it feels weird. My eyes have started to get used to all these things and views that surround me here. I've seen them tens or hundreds of times already. But many times I still look at these hills, plants and buildings with a big smile on my face.
On Sunday we headed for Fremont which is a smaller city South of Oakland. The Ancheta family, that lives here at the base, have their church there. The church consists of mostly Philippines that live in the area. The Anchetas' are Philippines too. They are such lovely people and they have an amazing family. The mom of the family is in a way a mother of this base too.
You can check out a video here below. It was made on our way to Fremont.
A roadtrip to Fremont
The church seen from outsideThe service at the church was a special one because of Mother's day. They had little performances and thank you -speeches to mothers. Myk and Rachel had made a song for Christina Ancheta, their mom. They performed it singing and playing guitar. It was so awesome and quite different from what I'm used to in Finland. We don't tend to show our feelings that easily. But that's one thing that I love in this culture. In general the Philippians culture is very generous, hospitable and warm. After the service we had dinner together and just hang out for a while in the church. I really liked the church and especially the worship part of it. Myk and Rachel played in the worship band together with these older men and some other people. All of the songs were familiar to me which was nice and the atmosphere of worship was very free.
The worship band
Me, Eva and Andrea in FremontAfter the service we wanted to see the house that the Anchetas' have in Fremont. The house and actually the whole city reminds me of those films that are filmed in smaller cities in the States. You know, they have this certain feeling.
Anchetas' kitchenOne thing that spoke to me here last week was a night that I spent with three of my friends sharing our testimonies and things about our lives. Savanna told us that one Bible verse had thaught her better how to love the people that have done you wrong or just in general your neighbor. Before Jesus the last supper with His disciples He washed their feet. He knew that Judas was about to betray Him but still Jesus showed him love.
It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew
that the time had come for him to leave this world and
go to the Father.Having loved his own who were in the
world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The
evening meal was being served,and the devil had already
prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus
knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that
he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up
from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel
around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and
began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with
the towel that was wrapped around him.
John 13:1-5
that the time had come for him to leave this world and
go to the Father.Having loved his own who were in the
world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The
evening meal was being served,and the devil had already
prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus
knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that
he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up
from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel
around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and
began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with
the towel that was wrapped around him.
John 13:1-5
When he had finished washing their feet,
he put on his clothes and returned to his place.
"Do you understand what I have done for you?"
he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,'
and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your
Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should
wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that
you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth,
no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger
greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know
these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
John 13:12-17
he put on his clothes and returned to his place.
"Do you understand what I have done for you?"
he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,'
and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your
Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should
wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that
you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth,
no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger
greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know
these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
John 13:12-17
Hey, I've finally found good coffee here. It's hazelnut coffee and almost the cheapest you can get out of the city. I don't have to do any tricks with adding water or honey or anything besides milk in it. And actually the place I can get it is just around the corner. It's a place that many people inside the base uses but I've never gone there before last week.
Yesterday the dts took off to Italy. The base is so much more quiet and everybody seems to be a bit down. The base is still the same. Sitting inside the office you can here John playing the same song he always plays on piano. Pool balls hitting each other still make the same sound as they do every day. Life goes on but still something has changed. If not from the outside then inside of our hearts. The dts students have made impacted not only in my life but so many other's lives around the Tenderloin and the whole San Francisco. We will all miss and love them hugely.
I still haven't gotten over my fear of seagulls. A year ago I was jogging and a seagull tried to attack me. So ever since I've been afraid of them every now and then but I've made it into a bigger deal by making jokes about it. Last Sunday proved that I am actually quite terrified of them; it wasn't anything to laugh about. Me, Rachel and Savanna went for a bike ride to the Fisherman's Warf and bought some food at In 'n Out. We didn't want to stay inside the place but take the food with us and eat it in a park. So we did it and while we were eating, a flock of seagulls and other birds started to gather around us. I noticed my heart starting to beat faster and started to be really scared of them until that point that I had to run away. You know, all I wanted to do was to enjoy my burger but no, the seagulls had to ruin the whole pleasure. I couldn't go back to sitt on the grass but wanted to stay under a tree. I probably looked ridiculous and the girls had so much fun because of me. Who wouldn't be afraid of those big birds with such a hard beak?
Yesterday the dts took off to Italy. The base is so much more quiet and everybody seems to be a bit down. The base is still the same. Sitting inside the office you can here John playing the same song he always plays on piano. Pool balls hitting each other still make the same sound as they do every day. Life goes on but still something has changed. If not from the outside then inside of our hearts. The dts students have made impacted not only in my life but so many other's lives around the Tenderloin and the whole San Francisco. We will all miss and love them hugely.
I still haven't gotten over my fear of seagulls. A year ago I was jogging and a seagull tried to attack me. So ever since I've been afraid of them every now and then but I've made it into a bigger deal by making jokes about it. Last Sunday proved that I am actually quite terrified of them; it wasn't anything to laugh about. Me, Rachel and Savanna went for a bike ride to the Fisherman's Warf and bought some food at In 'n Out. We didn't want to stay inside the place but take the food with us and eat it in a park. So we did it and while we were eating, a flock of seagulls and other birds started to gather around us. I noticed my heart starting to beat faster and started to be really scared of them until that point that I had to run away. You know, all I wanted to do was to enjoy my burger but no, the seagulls had to ruin the whole pleasure. I couldn't go back to sitt on the grass but wanted to stay under a tree. I probably looked ridiculous and the girls had so much fun because of me. Who wouldn't be afraid of those big birds with such a hard beak?
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