Fun Fotos!

So even though this year is a serious year of service and discernment, doesn't mean we can't and don't have fun. So this blog post is everything fun we've done so far.

Drum circle. Every Friday night in Pritchard Park.
Only during the warm months (March-September)

Drag Brunch. Part of my job. Every second Saturday 11-2

It's not just queens! Kings perform as well

Youth also participate and perform

BEARS!! Outside our door!

Mama Bear nearby

Square dancing!! 

Look at how much fun Azing is having!

Getting lost in a corn maze! It was A-maize-ing! 

 

Jumping on a pillow trampoline

Azing, Klari, and I went to LEAF.

We saw this super cool band from the Congo! Jupiter and Okwess.

#IntrovertOuting Going out for Halloween (Grumpy, scarecrow, Emma Swan, Hufflepuff student)

Perfer et Obdura; Dolor Hic Tibi Proderit Olim

This year is a struggle for many if not all Volunteers. It's especially hard for those who have a mental illness. Those like me.

I suffer from anxiety and depression and this past week has been tough. I've had several crying sessions. I have been glued to my bed with depression. Anxiety has whispered and told me lies. It's been hard. It's not recommended to changed medications throughout the YAV year, but here I am, about to start new medication.

Through these times, it's hard to get out of the present. But what keeps me going is that I always have something to look forward to. God has blessed me with friends, family, and opportunities. Like with Job, God took away everything. Job stayed strong and knew better things were coming. Jesus also suffered, but had something better to look forward to.

I am blessed to have so many people support me in my journey with mental illness. Whenever I "can't" or I feel like giving up, friends and family (and now my Volunteer family) come in and help me however they can. I am blessed that even though my anxiety and depression tell me so, I AM NOT ALONE. There are others out there who face the same/similar challenges and there are people who love me and want the best for me

When I was diagnosed with depression three years ago this month, I found life hard. Impossible. But then I found a quote that I now live by.

Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim.

It translates to "Suffer and endure; one day this sadness will be useful to you." It's from Ovid (I really love Latin). This quote reminds me that no matter the lows I go through, God has so many blessings lined up ahead of me. I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

This video is a song from the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen. This is one of the songs I listen to, to lift my spirit and combat the darkness crashing through.

One of my anxieties this year is talking about money. I still need to raise money for my year. If you can, please donate by clicking on this link https://www.handsandfeetavl.org/donate. If you do an online donation, don't forget to put my name so they know whose account to put it in.

A Community Within A Community

So today I want to talk about where we live. The Young Adult Volunteers at the Asheville site have the privilege of living in...

A retirement community.

"What?" some of you might say. But it is true. Housing is expensive in Asheville. As the center/downtown gets more gentrified, the higher the prices of housing goes up. It is nearly impossible to house six young adults in Asheville without breaking the bank. Which is where Brooks-Howell stepped in.

Brooks-Howell is a retirement community founded in 1975 by the United Methodist Women for retired deaconesses and missionaries. There are about 30 residents who live here. Their mission lines up with our mission, and so they were excited to have young people around to help and befriend the residents.

The six of us live in two 2-bedroom apartments. We get one free meal a week in the dining room. Whenever we're not working at our non-profits, we work with the residents about 5 hours a week. We attend Sunday school every Saturday and we are welcome to do activities with them if our free time lets us. We are living the life.

I wasn't afraid to move into a retirement community; I was excited! When we were told about Brooks-Howell at the beginning of August, I was like YESSSSSSS!!!!! My stepmom has worked in retirement communities for years and we have stayed at a few while traveling. It's great. We get to learn from the residents and they can learn from us. These residents are bada$$. They were missionaries. They traveled the world, spreading the word of God. They know what we are going through, adapting to a new community, job, and simple living. Also, because they don't get to leave campus often, we get to bring them activities, smiles, and love to all who are home bound and whose families aren't nearby.

At the end of the week, it's hard though to keep working. We're exhausted from our nonprofits and it's hard to see the long term of what we're doing. But yesterday reminded me why its worth it.

In the afternoon, another volunteer and I were downstairs in one of the open areas (dining room/living room/gathering area, etc.) talking to a resident while we colored and she was watching the baseball game. A CNA rolled up Margaret, asking if we were going to be there for a while and if we could make sure she didn't get up. We said yes and she left. Margaret is old, nonverbal, and probably not all there. She looked up at me from her chair, reached over and held my hand. She soon switched hands and grabbed my other hand, so we were both holding each others hands. She then lifted up our right hands to her face, "kissed" my hand, and then put them up to her cheek to prop her head up. She leaned toward me. I laid my head on top of hers. We sat there like that for about 30 minutes. I teared up.

It was hard peeling myself away when it was time to go. She had an iron grip when she wanted to. That moment, that is what makes this year worth it. To give love and touch to those who are forgotten, who people don't see as people anymore.

More about Brooks-Howell:   https://brooks-howell.org
Donate to my year of service: http://www.handsandfeetavl.org/donate/

Birthday and Bashes

In two days, I will have been in Asheville for a month. Orientation feels like forever ago. Being home feels like a lifetime ago. But here I am, making a new home in Asheville.

It's been busy at my placement. Last Thursday we had our fall fundraiser. All I worked on at work the first two weeks I was there was preparation for the big event. Spreadsheets were made, flyers were printed, cut, and handed out; lists were made and checked. The day came and went with few bumps in the road.

The theme was NIGHT CIRCUS. We had student performers doing drag and acrobats on the Lyra (the loop for people to get up on, swing around, and climb all over). There was raffle, silent auction, games, a Photo Booth, and of course food. I enjoyed myself. I met some of Youth OUTright's supporters and board members. I felt it was a success and was rightfully drained afterward.

 

Earlier that week it was my birthday. My roommates were wonderful and made a sign for my door and a funny card. I got the day off work (both directors needed to work out of the office that day) and I treated myself. I got donuts in the morning, Moe's birthday burrito for lunch, and ended the day with dinner and a movie at Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company. My housemates and I watched Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom while consuming wonderful food. All for under $15! My present that I asked from my mother was ingredients to make key lime pie, so that was my "cake" for the night. I felt it was the best birthday yet.

                                   

One month down, ten more to go. This beginning has been tough, as all new beginnings are. I have hope though that my community and I will keep building closer and stronger relationships with each other throughout the rest of the year. We all care about each other, and we only met five weeks ago! I can't wait to care for these people for the rest of my life.

The Invisible Box

So it's been almost two weeks since we've been here in Asheville and it's been a rollercoaster of a time. We've moved in and settled into our apartments and have gone on two grocery trips. We started our jobs. We've cried. We've laughed. And we're becoming a family.

Last week we had our second week of orientation, this one getting acquainted with Asheville. We learned where to get our food, we visited our sites, and we got lost on the bus. I will be working with Youth OUTright, a teen LGBTQ+ community center. This month is Pride month here in Asheville, so I hit the ground running. Other roommates are working at the YWCA, AHOPE, Green Opportunities, and The Welcome Home Project.

The most important event that has happened so far was this morning. We went on what is called a Poverty Walk held by Asheville Poverty Initiative. In this space we discussed what the word "poverty" brought to mind. We had a poverty scholar with us: a man who has lived many years without a home, without knowing where his next meal is coming from, without what we would consider a "normal" life. He told us stories from his life, from before he lived in Asheville and stories from now.

We walked the "Invisible Box", the pathways that homeless people take daily to access the things we take for granted. We started at a public park, where they have the right to be, but the businesses surrounding the park consider them "undesirable." The only public bathrooms are in a police station, that closes early in the winter and sometimes Sundays. The library can be a safe space, depending on who is working. People still judge. People still stereotype.

A few minutes walk from there, we made it to the Salvation Army, AHOPE and the Western Carolina Rescue Ministries. Salvation Army lets people stay there for a week and then starts charging them per night. AHOPE is a day center for people who need it; they can get coffee, hot food, shower, and store their items off the streets. The Western Carolina Rescue Ministries is another place where there is a bed, but they decide who comes in. No LGBT people are welcome. No people of different religions. If you curse, even just a slip-up, you are banned for life.

We finished back where we started. I asked our poverty scholar where he eats dinner. He says, if he's lucky, he eats once a day. He then listed the places in town where he can go and eat. Thankfully, there are places here that he can get food everyday. Sadly, that only applies to lunch and then breakfast one day.

Today was one of many hard days. But it gives me hope for me to learn more and listen to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all beloved children of God.

Concrete Jungles Where Dreams are Made Of?

Today is officially halfway through YAV (dis)orientation. It has been an amazing week so far and I've learned a lot. But this post isn't about what I've learned; it's how I applied it/looked through these new lenses.

Today we went to New York City. OMG right?! But it wasn't a fun field trip; we were there to enter different neighborhoods and be their guests. We had several tasks of the day: answer several questions about what we observed about the different neighborhoods, talk to a local, bring back a free souvenir, and buy lunch using $5 per person. Wow. That's a challenge. And that's exactly what it did to us.

My small group was assigned to Washington Heights (IN THE HEIGHTS!!) where we first went to a park. There we met a YAV staff who gave us additional directions. From there we made our way north and onto Broadway. Wow. Was that a street. There were all sorts of vendors, selling fresh fruits and vegetables alongside jewelry and electronics. All of these people were predominantly Hispanic, which we learned because Washington Heights consists of people from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and other Central Americans.

We ate at a restaurant where there was a language barrier. Mi Paso Centro Americano serves Salvadorean and Spanish food. The six of us each ordered one pupusa each: three bean and cheese, two chicken and cheese, and one spinach and cheese. It took about 20 minutes to wait, but they were worth it. They also brought out pickled cabbage and some other fermented vegetables in repurposed jars alongside our meal. This satisfied our hunger. Paying the check was difficult as well. Will the waitress bring us our check? Do we go up to the counter? Do we pay at our table? Do we pay at the counter? Finally, using some rusty Spanish, we paid our bill and was on our way.

The restaurant where we ate lunch.

We made our way South on Broadway, heading towards New York Presbyterian Hospital. As we got closer, we noticed a distinct change. Local stores and restaurants turned into chains. The buildings looked newer and the people changed socially. English became more common to hear and we felt more comfortable. This is one of our lessons to look out for the year. We should never be comfortable. There are many systems in place that should make us uncomfortable and think about our place in society. We shouldn't be comfortable for too long because that means we've accepted and refuse to change our ways.

We finished out our day in the city by buying some peaches at a local market with our money. We took a picture with a local Presbyterian church. We walked around some more in the places that were different, that made us uncomfortable. I hope to take this experience with me as I go into this next year and my life. It taught me that I am privileged in this country; many people are not. To learn more about other people's lives, I must become uncomfortable. I must be an invited guest into their space.

Our peaches from the market.

9 hours and counting down

So as you can tell by the title, in 9 hours I will be flying out from home and heading to Orientation. The anxiety/nerves have hit. Am I ready for this? A year is a long time. Will I be able to handle all the responsibilities? Did I pack the right items? What if I forgot something, whether paperwork or something in my suitcase?

The answers are all Yes and It will be okay. I am not alone. Orientation is a testimony to this. Tomorrow I will meet all National YAVs who are all in the same boat as me: we have no idea what we are doing. We will use this upcoming week to prepare ourselves for the year, both spiritually and mentally. We most likely will be presented with challenges that we haven't dealt with before. We're going to test ourselves the next year, putting others before ourselves.

Orientation takes place at Stony Point Conference Center. What happens there/how is it set up? I don't know, but I know I'll come away stronger and more ready for the year. There is a worship leader, who will lead us with keynotes and hymns. I will get to meet all the people who I have been in contact with for the past nine months. Finally, I get to meet the ladies with whom I will be spending the next year.

Next week we have our own local orientation where we will learn the lay of the land. The ladies and I will get to explore the community we will be living in (will have more about that in a future post) and all around Asheville. We get to visit each other's job sites and learn the bus system. We will come up with rooming arrangements and our covenant of living together. It might be information overload, but if I forget at least I'm not the only one listening; I can ask someone else for a review.

Things I will/won't miss about Florida:

I will miss my pets. Where we are living is a pet free place and I don't know how often I will interact with furry friends. Cuddling with my guinea pigs after a long day has always comforted me.

Fred and George in their Halloween costumes

My last day with George (black) and Fred

I won't miss being the black sheep when it comes to politics.