Andy's Poem

Yesterday, after I dropped him off at the train station for class, Andy sent me an email with a poem inside. Here's the poem, entitled "Sad Day":

I forgot my phone in the car 

I forgot my wallet in the car

and I brought a banana for dinner

sad day

sad day

-Andy Cornwell

Atlanta Baha'i Youth Conference

wow.

I mean seriously.

wow.

Happenings in Clarkston, GA

So as you all know, my work / service right now  is focused around the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program and helping it grow and flourish in the Atlanta area. 

Luckily for me, a lot of my time thus far has been focused in an area called Indian Creek in Clarkston, Ga. This is a small city where thousands of refugees from around the world have been settled. They are leaving their countries where they have experienced situations of poverty, persecution, conflict, etc. Everyday I get to spend time with people from places like Nepal, Burma, Congo, Sudan, etc. who teach me a lot about what it means to be generous, welcoming, hardworking, and hopeful. I am also constantly impressed with many people's ability to express profound and sometimes very personal thoughts and ideas very directly and openly without a sense of self consciousness (and with people that they've known for only a short time) something that seems so different from my own cultural experience in the U.S. 

Right now in this area, there are around 30 youth and young adults who are engaged in study circles and concerned about helping their communities progress materially and spiritually. There are also around 40 to 50 junior youth involved in junior youth groups and concerned with the same goals. All of this is taking place within a 1 mild radius, so I feel like I'm learning a lot about community building in small settings. 

Here's a few pics of the faces I see often...  

p.s. Can't wait to come to Huntsville this weekend! 

Photos!

I have no words, only pictures...from our trip to Atlanta a month ago! Fresh off the press!

Watching a show and laughing a lot...but every time I tried to take a picture, Tristan would see me and stop smiling.

Tristan "milking" a "cow"

Cuties!

Funny that they're both leaning away from the tower, worried about knocking it down.

Playing in the veggie patch

Solitude

Pretending to sleep after a wrestling match

REAL milk

I am thrilled to report that last week I attended my first farmer's market in Huntsville called the Greene Street Market!  Now I know where I can get some "real" milk (not pasteurized or homogenized and no antibiotics or hormones fed those grass-grazers) as well as real butter and cheese.  Next time I will ask what kind of cows they are.  Supposedly that is important information.  I let you know soon if my bones, teeth and gut (so many more beneficial bacteria and enzymes) feel stronger.  : )  I know it's not as simple as that but still am eager to see if there will be a difference in the health of this family.  I like cows so much more now!