Lets join her.

On this tour, we are focusing on political advocacy.  We are asking everyone to take the time to write one letter to one of their Senator's on behalf of the thousands of people dying in northern Uganda and asking our government to continue to support the peace talks.  This is a letter that was written by one girl who completely gets it.  Her letter was four pages long, and these pictures are just a small part of it, but I encourage you to read it.  She understands.  The fact that we are all human beings and something needs to be done.  That something starts with each one of us.  

Fun times!

Willie Nelson's western town

Britta, Elizabeth, and I in jail on the western property

I forgot to mention one more fun event.  I stayed with Willie Nelson's great niece, so on Easter, we went with her family out to Willie's western ranch.  On his ranch property, he has built up an old western town, so I took a lot of pictures.  Here are a couple of them..

Houston

We have been in the Houston area throughout this past few days and will be here until Tuesday.  Houston is one Texas city that I am not quite sure if I'm too fond of yet.  It is so incredibly large.. it takes a couple of hours from one end to the other, the traffic is always bad here, etc.  But I have met some fun people, which makes it great!  I do have one very fun and exciting story to share, but it is too long to write out.  Sooo, make sure to ask me about it!  

Today is our day off and we are running some errands that need to be run.  Tonight we are going with a friend to his church in Houston.  It is a church with over 45,000 people... mega-church to the max.  It will be interesting to attend the evening service just to hear the pastor speak and see the church.  

I had a conversation with a friend earlier this week that was one of the hardest conversations i've ever had.  It is our fourth teammate who is still very very sick.  He is struggling and is currently in one of the hardest places he has ever been in his life.  I wish I could be closer to be there for him, but I know I can't right now.  If you are one to pray, please pray for Will.  I do not want to put too many details up here about it, but know that it is a very serious situation.  

I am also continually thinking about my future and what is to come after tour.  Which direction do I head in?  Where should I go?  What should I do?  So many opportunities, it is exciting, but I also sort of feel like I have a blank slate ahead of me.  

Houston.. oh Houston.. I will be moving on to Louisiana very shortly!  We head out of the great state of Texas on Tuesday for a week and a half to do some screenings in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.  I have never been to Louisiana, so it will be fun to see!  

<3

the church

Who is the church?  The church is  made up of the everyday people who are out loving and helping the poor, the orphans, the widows.  How can we think that any of us think that we are better than that man on the street corner?  How is it that the church is not reaching out its arms wide open to others (both near and far) in need?  Why are we stuck in our self-centered worlds?

I am in a state that has a massive amounts of mega-churches and churches here spend a ridiculous amount of money on their buildings and everything inside.  I have seen flat screens, skate parks, and starbucks inside of churches.  I am struggling with the idea that our money is not going to use in a way that it should.  It should be the church that is reaching out in a hurting world on a level that is far more extreme than is currently happening.  God is all around us.  People are hurting.  Where are we?  

Austin

Since San Antonio, we have ventured onto many new places in different cities.  Last week was our craziest week of tour.  It was literally exhausting.  However, looking back on it, everything went well.  We were in Houston, then Belton, and now Austin.  This past week was South by Southwest (a huge music/movie festival in Austin), which IC had a couple showcases at it.  We were with thousands of people in a crazy musical city where people come from all around the world.  I was able to see some great bands who support IC, meet a lot of different people, and catch up with some friends.  

I will be in Austin all this week until Easter, in which we will head on to the next city.  Until then, we have events at coffee shops, houses, high schools, and a benefit concert.  I can't believe that tour is halfway over.  It is flying by!  I still do not know what will be next after tour... only time will tell.

I would love to tell more, but I am out of words and time for now!  More to come soon, I hope.

Guadalupe River in San Antonio

Enjoying a day with a picnic by the river

Britta, Amy, Kristen

Relaxation and friendship.

This weekend has been one of the most relaxing weekends I have had in quite some time. On our spring break, i've been able to catch up on sleep, relax by the lake, journal, read, and spend time with a couple of wonderful friends. It honestly couldn't have come at a better time.

It is easy to get to know people on a semi-real level because of the lack of time we are able to spend with each person and the amount of cities that we go to. However, over the past week, I have been able to open up and be completely real, getting to know someone and her getting to know me. Hearing her struggles and her joys in life. Seeing her face gleam when she talks about her husband. Having her be a listening ear and sharing her wisdom with me. It is something that couldn't have come at a more perfect time. As I will continue to open up with people and share my people and hear theirs, I hope to continue to make friends as close as this one and be nothing but real.

We were blessed to stay in a house that is somebody's second home (or fourth to be exact..). It is a place that I look at and can see the financial blessings that they have been given. It is a home with eight beds, but room for many more. It is a home with all the amentities and a little extra. Their home is surrounded by a lake and their property even includes its very own island. With all of this, it is easy to think that I am being completely spoiled and that this family may not be using whats been given to them in the best way possible. But then I stop and think... I have been blessed by this family opening up their home to us and for our team to have 3 days of relaxation and hibernation in sense that was needed for us to keep from wearing ourselves down. This time has helped me to feel refreshed and to be reenergized. It is a place of peace and calmness and serenity. A place where I am able to go out onto the island, sit in silence, and feel God surrounding me. I think that it is all too easy for me to judge a book by its cover... all too dangerous for me to do so. God is in the poor and the homeless, but he is also in the middle class and in the wealthy. I am thankful for the blessings that I have received personally and the way in which it has grown me, and I am thankful for the way in which some with wealth understand that it is not their money but that they are only a tool for which they are being used to disperse money to bless others.

In a matter of hours we are leaving to drive to Houston. And thus begins our craziest week we have scheduled for our tour. Excited - yes! Overwhelmed? Ask me at the end of the week... :)