Snowflakes and Subway

Well right now I'm sitting in my room watching the snow fall after a good day at work. My dread of going back to work has so far ended up in being a really good experience! I've found that I have a lot more joy there and that I am able to handle the customers well, as well as remembering basicly everything. Being home has been really good. I've been able to see my friends, as well as lay around with my cat, and make money. The snow is making everything better because I LOVE snow!!!

This week was interesting but really good! Umm it started with a trip to the bungee zone and our kaleo christmas banquet, then to our interns sharing an AMAZING secret with everyone, to my birthday, to kaleo christmas and home. I can't tell you everything that happened because SO much good stuff happened. Below's a pict from kaleo christmas, the bungee zone, my birthday, and umm.... I think that's it. Ooh, the banquet! On my birthday at midnight, ny roommates set up an AMAZING (wow Im using capitals a lot haha) party for me. Cake, presents, a card, and everyone! I was really happy and felt SO amazingly loved. I was almost in tears because I have NEVER felt so loved on my birthday before. It was that moment, when I knew that everyone at kaleo loved me. That may sound crazy, but it's true!

When I came home, I got some unfortunate news about one of my youth girls. It ended up in her getting help and she should be ok. I dont want to mention any details, but it would be really good if you could keep her in your prayers for safety. Umm...but it was really good because another girl that I've been talking to a lot and I meen a lot, was able to see the power of prayer actually happen in front of her because of this incident. It was so thrilling to see God work through her in this situation!!! It really made me happy.

This week consists of me working at subway and hopfully seeing more friends. We shal see what happens this week, especially with this snow! I'm really excited to be home, and though I miss my kaleo family, I'm not to sad. Hope everyone has an amazing week, I'd love to hear from some of you too! God bless.

Christmas is upon us!!!

Well I'm pretty sure I have never been excited for christmas before my birthday untill this year. Jordan has forced christmas music on us in the office and in the vans, I have wrapped all my gifts for here and I'm waiting to put them under the tree, and Yes kaleo has a live christmas tree!!!! We got to go to a tree farm and pick out our perfect christmas tree! It's a really nice one. Here's a picture of it all decorated.

This week was a busey week. I worked on my papers quite a bit, umm.....Ooh we had another guys and girls night. It was pretty sweet. We went for a hike, and went to the pool, and had coffee, and then went to Jim's house and chilled and ate food and ahhhh it was so relaxing. Ya it was pretty sweet. Here is the pict of us from our hike.
So to talk about my ministry, this week was our last youth for the year of 2008. This comming friday we will all be taking off in different directions and going home for christmas. It was good to be able to chill with the kids, we didnt do much, but it was still fun. Slowly I find my heart melting for those kids because I love them so much. I love just being able to talk to them and see where they are at in life. I hope to see a few on sunday and say goodbye till the new year. I'm going to miss them. Ooh we also had our kaleo 6 tallent show sat night. If you check our K6 blog you can see some photos of that. http://kaleosix.blogspot.com/ This next week should be AMAZING!!! on monday we get to go to bungey zone and watch everyone do something crazy, (im doing a zip line some are doing other things) and we have our christmas banquet with the staff, Tues we are doing HOMEWORK!!!, on wed I get to have the honors of being legal all over the world (aka I turn 21) thurs is our kaleo christmas morning!!!!!(so excited for that), and then friday we all say goodbye and head home! It's pretty sweet. I'm going to be very sad to say goodbye to people here for 3 weeks, but I'll be so occupied with work when I'm home that I'll be able to keep myself busey. Anyways, hope everyone else has a good week. Pray that I get my papers done, cause I'm really struggling with them. Other than that, happy holidays!!!

Hmm....no idea what to call this one

Hey everyone, Hope the Christmas spirit is settling in well. This week was an interesting one for me. We had our 4th class, Church Ministry. I didn't really find that I get a lot out of this one. People keep asking me why, and I don't really have an answer, I just wasn't very interested in it. Not to say that it was a bad class or anything, cause it totally wasnt. But anyways, this week started off with me and Josh realizing that no one was going to go to Colombia besides us two. Josh was not happy with that, so he switched to a different trip leaving me by myself. After realizing that I really didn't want to do this alone, I went to Jim and got switched to New York. so for my missions trip I am going to new york.

Throughout this week I've been able to catch up on my sleep, and be able to wake up almost normally again! Though it felt good to sleep, when mens retreat came, the sleep ended once again. Anyways, Having classes this week caused me to not really have time to do other things, but on thursday I did go to the ladysmith show of lights. That was AMAZING!!!! I really enjoyed it. I brought my camera with me to try and see if I could get any good shots (my experience with night shots and no flash normally turn out horrable) But Jordan showed me what to change on my camera, and it worked!!!! I was so happy! Here are some of the good ones below.

This weekend I was unable to go to youth due to me having to work my last full weekend. It was Mens retreat. Now the past 2 years I have amazing weekends at mens retreat, but this year sucked. I was really tired, and kinda grumpy to start, so working was really hard for me. You run out of food for the men, they flip. It was really challenging not to freak out at some of them for different situations. Im pretty sure that I was not being a good christian this weekend by my attitude. Other than that things were good. Please pray that I get my last 2 papers finnished for the semester, and that this next week will be resting yet fun. Ooh, and also that mt washington will get enough snow so that our ski trip doesnt get ruened on a week and a half. Hope you all have an amazing week!!!

The Power of Prayer

This week was so amazing. We had our 24/7 week of prayer. This was the week last year when I decided that I was giving up on life for a bit, and I was applying to do kaleo six. It was amazing to be able to experience this week at last. I've decided to really try to focus on my photography. I've been watching some of the photographers here and have really been trying to get out there and start showing God's creation through my photos. So I made another blog. http://www.leilasphotography.blogspot.com/ Check it out and tell me what you think. These are some pict's of the prayer room...

Anyways, God's been putting something on my heart lately. I've had a problem with being able to talk to our male intern without feeling awkward or scared. I dont know why, but there's been a huge fear in me that just wouldn't seem to go awayno matter what. A few weeks ago I had decided to go and try and change the situation around. After failing at that, I decided to pray about it, and then left it for a while. A few nights ago I had a dream about us talking to eachother normally. He was hugging me as I cryed and we were just talking about the situation. It was a really good dream! I woke up and imediately thought "I have to change this NOW!" In the prayer room I focused a lot of my prayers on this situation. God was yelling at me to go talk to him but I didn't know what to say as well as being to scared to go up to him and ask him to talk. So I turned to Jim. Jim and his wise words. He sat down with me first and then the both of us and we talked about the situation. That day I had no fear in me whatsoever. I was amazed to see God work so quickly after I listened to him and went to talk to Jordan. It was a really good experience! I feel so much better now that that wall is down. It's been a few days since that convo, and we are both so much better around eachother. My smile won't leave again! It was truly an answer to prayer!!!

So this week I found out that I have an ulcer in my stomach. Not a bad one, but bad enough that it has cut my energy level in half. Though I have a special diet which includes no coffee (tear) that's really the least of my worries. The most of my worries is how bad I'm doing on my papers hahaha. I do not have a really good feeling about my papers, but that's ok. I'm sure that I'm doing ok. Ooh my room won our first anual roomchek. yes I spelt that wrong on purpose.

This week at youth we played a game that didnt make sence at all. With agents, batteries, a flashlight, ya I didnt get it. I'm really enjoying my yout hgroup. Though no kid has fully come up to me and asked to talk yet, it's still been really fun getting to know them. There's this one girl who loves to hang around with me, it's kind of cool because it reminds me of when I was younger. I tended to hang off of my leaders. Hahaha, still do. But it's been cool being able to be someone she can look up to. I've had a lot of experiences lately where kids have looked up to me. I've waited a while to really experience that, but to be looked up to as a mature adult is a really good feeling! It kind of motivates me to become a better christian because of the kids that are following in my footsteps. I love it! Im really hoping that the kids at my youth group will start opening up to me a bit. I could use some practice with kids that age. Anyways this monday we start classes again, Church Ministry. Pray for focus for me and alertness for on friday our mens retreat happens, and I'm working full weekend which meens that I will be EXHAUSTED by the end of it. I'm really looking forward to what's ahead, hard to believe that this semester is almost over. Oh and feel free to call me sometime, I do have a phone in my room. my number is 250-246-3014 ext 279.

Layers

I am lying here on my bed at home sucking on this huge jawbreaker lollipop thingy. It's so good. Hahaha. It has many different layers. Insode the layers are colours, and flavours. Each time I get through a layer, I expose a new colour. It's gone from white to yellow to red to green to orange to blue. The blue part is my true heart. Kaleo is supposed to be a place where everyone can open up to eachother and share our true hearts with eachother. That hasn't happened yet. I a lot of people have been talking about it and saying that we really need to start being more open and truthful, yet no one wants to. I feel that I have been as open as I can be at the moment. I've shared my testimony, I've told people things about my life that I dont let out to often, I've put my trust in people here. I would reallylike other people to start doing that. it seems like we are still on the red part of the lollipop. It would be really good to get some prayer reguarding that.

This past week was pretty chill. After the retreat I got to go home for 4 days for reading break. It was really cool to be able to be back in the real world for a bit. I went to a concert that was held in a bar, and I have never noticed till now how much bars stink like beer and shots. it was gross! My life a year ago to now has flipped around so much. A year ago I would of been in that bar to get drunk with my friends. Now, the thought of alcohol makes me feel sick. I love it! Other than the concert I didn't do much. I bought a new camera lense finally and I did my friends 3rd photo shoot. Here are a few pict's ....

Not much has happened ministry wise lately, I've been talking to a girl from camp through facebook who really just needs a mentor in her life, and is struggling to find that person. So I've been trying to fill that role in as much as possible. Other than that, Life's good and I'm excited for this comming week. It's our 24/7 week of prayer, so I will be praying all week!!! We will see what changes come out of this. Take care everyone!

God's Work

It's pretty sweet to be able to see God start working in me. I didnt really notice it till a couple nights ago. Wed during chapel, it was Jordan's turn to tell his testimony. I've been waiting for a leader to finally tell their's. Jordan was the first one. The way he told it, and what he said in it really opened my eyes to what God's been trying to do in me this year. It brought tears to my eyes throughout that day whenever I would think of it. It was really good to hear it.

This past week we hit up the caves, and had some good times with homeless people. It was a really good oppertunity to be able to go down the streets of downtown victoria and hand out food, clothing, gloves, and sleeping bags. Some of the people we talked to were extremely greatfull for what we were giving them. It put a smile on my face to see that. And the next day, my group hit the caves. After going un and seeing the millions of spiders on the roof of the cave, I decided that this was out of my comfort zone. So I kept on walking. We went up a waterfall, down really steeply slanted slippery hills, through a birth canal (I swear I got stuck like 60 times) and then finally out of the cave. It was scary. After that we hit the nanaimo pool and swam and relaxed for a few hours. It was so nice.

On the weekend, Camp had their Jr Hi retreat. I've been waiting for this for a while. I was really blessed to get to counsel again, I was counseling with one of my Kaleo friends, Jesse, and we had a blast. There was a girl that I met in the summertime and spent the whole week with. Her name is Kaelin, and she is 17 with a mental disability. I had requested to have her in my cabin for this retreat, and I got her. She is this little star that is really hard to understand but is amazing to watch. She can read, she can write, she can sing, she memorizes things really well. She's at the point where I had to follow her almost everywhere, and make sure she new what she was doing, as well as where everything she might need was. But she was really good. I ran around with her, tucked her into bed, and just watched her go about her day in her own little world. People like that bring me so much joy by just being who they were born as, and by how excited they get over the smallest things like qtown, and her qwanoes shirt. I plan on keeping in touch with her and watching her go through life. She truly is a gem. And I am so glad that I had the oppertunity to work with her. Below this is our cabin picture for the weekend. Hope you all have a really good week!

The world around me

I've been thinking a lot about being here. I've been looking back in our K6 blog and reading everyone's first post. I find myself laughing at them because how we were all trying to make our lives sound sweet to avoid the bad first impression. God's kind of been shaking my world up a bit and trying to make me look around and see where I actually am. Heh, it's been working really well. Being here at Kaleo is such a blessing from God. The people that he has brought into my life are amazing, and the leaders he chose for this year have really helped everyone by just being there for us to hang out with or talk to. I can't believe how much we have done already! The joy that it brings me when I look back on last year and remember how excited I was, and to now realize that I am here, surrounded by God, friends, and 4 amazing leaders is mindblowing! I'm so excited to see what God is going to do in and through me. I'm really looking forward to the next 6 months here. By December, half of my 16 month journey will be over! I can't believe that I've been at camp for 6 months already. It seems so much shorter. Pray for this next week, that everyone will get caught up on their homework and be able to stay focused on our work, yet still make time for eachother. Thanks everyone!

This past week was a really good one. We had our hermeneutics class which took a lot of brain jouce. It was really good though. We also had a milion passed kaleo students stop by to say hi which was sweet! Friday night was Halloween, and we had a sweet epic halloween party at youth. Haha, we put disgusting food in bowls, and they had to put their hand in it and guess what it was. It was gross. On saturday I finally got to sleep in and woke up and had an g=urge to go help out in the kitchen. So I went there and found out that one of the kitchen staff's grandpa had died unexpectedly the night before. So I told the FSM to let her leave and I'd take over for the rest of the afternoon and the next morning. So that felt good to be able to help out. I really enjoyed being able to hear what marrell taught us this week, and just to chill with the youth and help the kitchen out. This is a picture of us kaleo-ers at halloween. Have a great week!!!

Lessons

So right now I am sitting in a coffee house in duncan called Coffee on the Moon, drinking a London Fog, and umm........ well that's about it. This week was a really weird week. It started normal until my dreams started at night time. I donno why, but my dreams have been weird. This week was a full homework week which was sweet. some of us went down to seaspan in victoria and helped winterize the salts ships, which was sweet. And then inbetween all my homework I went to youth group. I'm really enjoying my youth group, the kids there are amazing. Being able to get back into the grove of working with kids has been really good. I've been able to see what they are in to and what kind of person they are becoming. I can see that God's going to do amazing things through me at that church. This past weekend was jr's retreat, and although I was not involved, it was really good to be around kids at camp again.

If you were to ask me how kaleo was going, I would have no resopnce. So much has happened already that I'm shocked that I am still alive and happy. God kind of taught me a lesson this week about being scared around men. He's been trying to get me away from my fear of men for a few years now, but has had no luck. Being around 13 guys who you constantly see, who hug you, who have heard your testimony, who have told you that you are beautiful in a non-sexual manner is something that you dont think you can find anymore. I just needed the final talk from Jordan to break that scare that was surrounding me. So that's been pretty sweet. Life's good, life's good. Pray that it will stay good as for this monday we start our second class. Love ya all!!!

Artistic Mentor

So the other day I was looking at our male interns blog. I saw that he had a post about making a difference in the world. It really inspired me to read that. Lately God's been telling me to get out there and start practicing my photography a bit more. Being a college student, and living in a place that I have shot many times makes it hard to really get out there with my camera. Jordan is an amazing photographer, and the one who first inspired me to look into it. A while back, my previous mentor left which ment that it was time to find a new one. Jordan won. Photography is my way of seeing Gods creation. To be inspired by someone who I have barely had a conversation with is hard to understand for most people, but me being a visual learner, has taken tips from watching him shoot and seeing his work. I'm ready to listen to God and start practicing.

Curveballs

Ever been thrown a curveball by God? I tend to get them a lot. Most of my life I am being thrown a curveball or 2 all a time. When that curveball is thrown, do you catch it? Or does it hit you hard? I've been thrown 2 curveballs in the last little while, and both of them I have caught but they have slipped out of my hands and fallen on my foot. I've been going through a time in life where I wonder what my purpose on earth is. Which in my mind, is not a good thing to wonder, because it meens that you are not happy with your life. I'm working through a few things right now that are affecting my attitude a bit, and are making me wonder why I am here. I feel that when God is telling me something, I need to go out and do it. but when things get in my way, I get frustrated and dont know if I should give up or not. If God keeps on throwing those curveballs to me, sooner or later I'm going to have to catch one. I'm really hoping that that day comes soon.

The Returning of my Computer

So due to my lack of pict's the past few weeks, I will give you some now.

Once again I come baring no pictures, but in a couple of weeks, I'll have a visual update. Happy Thanksgiving!!!! Hope your thanksgiving was a really memorable one. So this passed week quite a bit happened. I am at home right now with my family for thanksgiving. My cat was very happy to see me again. He always reminds me of a walking fuzzball of joy. haha. Anyways, on tuesday we set out to have our adventure of the week, which consisted of packing up a bunch of camping supplies, a swimsuit, a million towels, and like 5 huge rubbermaids of food. We hit tofino for our surf trip. It took us approx 7 hours to get there what with our pee breaks, stopping for gas, and our trip into coombs. But it was a really good drive up there. Once we got to our campsite, we set it all up and just hung out on the beach and by the fire. Then the next day we hit the waves.
We had amazing weather and some nice waves. Haha though the wetsuits were very unattractive, the experience was sweet. We went to a beautiful part of long beach (I think) that had very soft sand and a nice view. It's places like those that make me wonder where God get's his creativity from haha. I didnt manage to fully get up on my board, but I did manage to get some sweet waves in that carried me for a long time. That night we went back to our campsight and Jim threw out the oppertunity to have someone shair their testimony. So I went for it. It went really well I thought. kinda awkward after, but what do you expect. lol. Then the next day some of us hit the beach again and some stayed dry. The wetsuit was FREEZING!!!!!! haha but I found that the second day was even better than the first. The whole experience was sweet. Then we packed up and hoped back in the vans and drove back. Other than that and coming home and doing at least 3 papers at home, not to much has happened. God's been giving me a lot, though he took away my computer for a bit, he's been blessing me with oppertunity's like this trip and my first thanksgiving actually at home, which is sweet. so ya. Happy thanksgiving to you all!!!!!!

So unfortunately I do not come with any pictures this time due to my computer crashing on me. But I do come with a story. This past friday we had our youth Kickoff. It was really sweet. We ate pizza and chips, went on a scavenger hunt while all tied together (my team won), played a kind of dodge ball game, and just hung out and talked. It was really good to finally be able to meet all of the youth there. It was quite a large number that showed up which was good to see. After being introduced to the kids they all started talking at once to us. hahaha. I'm so excited to see what God's going to do through me and the other kaleo's there this year. 

On top of all that I went to the Camp Qwanoes Road Tour in victoria sat night. That is always sweet. Some of my youth girls showed up and we all sang and played games with finger darts and I was jumping up and down on stage while fulfilling my role as an actioneer. That's one of my thrills in life. Jumping up and down, doing actions to the camp songs that I've heard a million times, and watching the kids from the stage jumping with me and attempting to do the actions. It always brings a smile to my face. Other than that not much has happened here in the Kaleo world. We finnished off an amazing class with Marv on spiritual formation, and God spoke to a lot of us through that class and through our final solo time. It's been so cool to watch everyone grow even the leaders. I can see a change in Jordan and Jen through the way they interact with the students now as apposed to the beginning of the year. which was really only a month ago. Anways, That's my post for the week. Keep me in prayer as I do my homework without my laptop and for all of us as we go on a sweet surf trip on tuesday. adios for now!!!  

SALTS trip

So this past week our group went on a 5 day sailing trip with SALTS. It was a really amazing time. We really got to know one and another through out night watches, shifts, and even together in the evenings when Jim would pop out a question for us. Our talks became quite deep during the second last and last night. Jim told us to name eachother with something that discribes that person. I got 2 names. Eager and Nurturer. It was really cool to see what everyone came up with for eachother. It kinda showed everyone what people have been seeing in eachother. I decided to be brave and name our male intern Jordan. I named him fearless due to some things that I have seen in him over the summer. It was so amazing to be able to see God work through each person. I've loved every moment of this experience so far. God's been doing some amazing things here already in the first 2 weeks, and there's a lot more to see. God's amazing in all that he has been doing.

Mt Albert-Edward hike

So for our first Kaleo out trip we went up a 7000 Ft mountain. It was a real stretch for some of us (me) but we all made it to the top. It was really cool to be able to see God help us get to the top. In the moments when we were like "ok God, I can't do it please help me" you'd get a burst of energy that would help you for a bit. While I was climbing the last stretch of the mountain I kept on saying over and over again Phil 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength". It really helped me get past the final push up.

The scenery was breathtaking, and the result at the end of the trip, I ton of blisters and a bunch of sore backs............

But was it worth it? YES!

My New Church

So each Kaleo student gets to pick a church from about 6 different churches close to the camp. This was extremely hard to decide on, but I have chosen to go to Lake Cowichan Baptist. From what I've heard it's a church in need of a lot of prayer. It doesnt have a pastor at the moment, and the youth are from really tough backrounds. Today was my first time there and I enjoyed it. The congrigation was very small but quite friendly. I am working with 3 other students. Daneille, Jayme, and Jonathan. I'm really excited to see why God placed me there.

First post

Hey everyone, this is my blog for the year. This blog will inform you of what God has been doing in my life and how your prayers are supporting me even though you may be far away. I am so glad to finally be here at Kaleo. This year I'm really looking forward to getting to know everyone really well as well as finding myself as a person and becoming a mature woman of God. I'm so excited to see what this year has in store for me. As I always like (and then hate) to say, Bring It On!