Saturday, October 13, 2007

So it feels like I’ve been here about 2 years but turns out it’s only been like a month.
Oh My!
Life is going good. Very busy. Every day we have class from 8:30-3. The classes range in topics from like Jesus stuff to parenting orphans stuff, and weekends are spent doing conferences. (Secret eye roll)
You know when there is so much to say that you just draw a blank?
Well, last Tuesday the director of Exp58 got asked to go have a meeting about God stuff with some people from Disney Studios, (Apparently it’s the norm. for him) But he was aloud to bring some “associates” and I was one that got picked. My friends and I giggled as we sang “A whole new world…” (very quietly) up and down the halls, we were amused.
Last week we also started some training for working with trafficked children and women. We pretty much just bawled the entire day. There’s one more official training day this week and then we start out on the streets the week after. We’ll be hooked up with a ministry that’s actually affiliated with the FBI. What will we be doing exactly? Well I think it varies week to week. A huge part of it is basically just asking Jesus were the trafficking action is taking place, he gives them clues and they stumble across massive scenes that caught the police’s attention. So yes, that’s that.
Sorry I don’t have much time, there’s a big Salsa Party tonight that I’m helping set up for but I just wanted to do a quick blog to let you all know a bit of what’s going on and I’ll try and email in the next while as well. All my love! (sorry, yes i see a common pattern)

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Ok, bad news. Internet is costing me $10 and cell phone would be $1.60 a minute. SO I don't know if i'll have any contact for the next three months. Now this may seem like a joke...lol but...it's not.
Cali is going great. Life seems like it's flying by, it feels like I haven't had contact with the outside world in FOREVER (even though it's only been like a week). Camping was an adventure. I froze! Who would have thought.
School is going great, Ralph and DOnna Bromely come next week to do the complete lo-down on children at risk.
Church is amazing, still in this guy Shawn's house but might be moving to a real building in the next few weeks.
Other interns? Love 'em. Turns out when you live, eat and breathe the same people for forever and day you become very close. very quickly.
And me, well I still secretly think we should be driving on the left side but am adjusting to the American lifestyle (fast food, no exercise, and starbucks every 10 minutes) (just kidding Americans, i love you!) I am also trying my best to learn spanish. I have daily classes with another intern from Ecuador, it's great.
WELL tons of love, hope you're all well!
Hopefully i'll write again within the next month or so?
add-on
CAITLIN, yes your family has vanished from the country but if worse comes to worse, corduroy does indeed make a lovely substitute.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Hey ya'll! JK! I haven't turned that American yet.

I made it to Cali! Everything is going well, I had trouble getting into the country with customs and missed my flight but eventually I made it here. There are 11 interns in the program and we're actually at the directors mom's house right now on our way to a camping trip! (team bonding?)
The program keeps us busy with classes during the day and outreach at night. The most exciting outreach we'll be doing (most exciting in my mind) is called "Night life" that works with prostitutes and girls that are being trafficked in the scanky dens in LA.
Will share more about it later. Love you all, sorry it's so short. Might get a phone next wekk. loves!
Speak soon,
Cass

Monday, September 10, 2007

Hey guys,
Thank you so much for all your prayers and numerous emails, just want to say I am doing fabulous. Well, maybe not fabulous, tired is more like it BUT my emotions have stabilised. (ptl) After saying goodbye to laura while working nine consecutive days and then trying to sell this flat all I really wanted to do was see my mom, HOWEVER work is now finito, I kicked out the real estate agents and i'm half way through packing! i've also hit the 'goodbye groove' so all is well with the world. (Not to mention I got my eyebrows waxed which always makes life just that much better. (lol it's the little things)) The next time I write I will be on the other side of the ocean hopefully developing a brilliant looking tan. (suffering for the gospel yet again. life is so rough) hope you're all doing great, speak soon!

Friday, August 31, 2007

I always forget how much work big moves are. Just over a week ‘til I go and I’m overwhelmed at all that still needs to be done. Funny but if me moving isn’t enough Laura, my flat mate is also moving out of the flat when she returns from holidays (she went to visit some friends in America) So this past week was mixed with estate agents, and lots of packing. I had a few more days off (trying to make sure I take all my paid holidays) and I found myself running around switching currencies, picking up parcels and trying to close bank accounts. Which totally did not work. Somehow I managed to freeze my account three times. That’s right three. I kept, saying wrong codes and passwords and then you have to queue for ages to get the attendants to unlock and verify identification. Uh it was awful. I became great friends with all the cashiers though lol. But still.
It seems I’m not handling this move as fabulous as I handled the last one however. Either Laura or myself have been caught crying every night for the past week. I love life, I love moving and new adventures but sometimes the thought of more goodbyes, I just, I’ve never been a pro with them either. It seems that every time I turn around I’m telling someone new about me leaving. It sucks. And packing. This time I can’t ship things, I can’t leave things here and I can’t carry them all on my back. Any solutions? I think I’ll be purging half my life which I’m dreading but it’ll be great cause then if someone tried to steal my stuff I could just laugh and say “ha! I already gave half of it away, take that”. Deep sigh.
So yes, for those of you who know me and my heart, I’d love your prayers.
Should head out though, sorry for the repeat if you received my e-mail. Tons of love, will update again soon.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

So long my fair England...

Whenever asked how long I’ll be in England, you’ve probably all heard me say “Oh I don’t know, maybe another week, maybe another year” Well it’s now official, one more month.
Back in May I was talking with God and asking him about what’s next after London. Hoping he was going to say “I’m glad you asked, we’re actually going to Sudan next to work with orphans and child soldiers!!” He totally shocked me and instead said we were going to America. A very specific move and I would be working with these certain people and their ministry that deals with child injustices in third world nations. It was sort of strange and totally out of my box at the time. As God and I are still chatting my friend comes over to me and starts saying that God just told her I was going to be moving on and it was a very specific move and goes off on one saying what we were just secretly speaking about.
That night I went to bed still pondering everything and Jesus says “Don’t tell anyone, don’t even speak out what I’ve just told you.” So a week goes by and nobody knows what’s transpired when one night while washing dishing he says “You can speak it out now, and start thanking me for it”. Later that evening Laura gets home, looks at me and says “God just told me He told you what’s next. What are you doing, where are you going?” So after some humming and hawing I confess that I think I’m going to America. She paused and then without blinking an eye says “Yeah, and he’s going to hook you up with Global Children’s Movement Etc. ” (the ministry that God had already said) SO this was June 1st. A month and a half goes by, I have no idea how it’s going to happen or what it’s going to look like when out of the blue God brings it up and I know it’s time to contact them. Not knowing much about what they’re up to or if they have any opportunities for strangers to work with them I look up some websites. Turns out they have a little internship program that starts in September and they are taking applicants. Two days later my 10 page application was in and just over a week later I was on the phone with them discussing when I should arrive. SO great story but what exactly am I talking about? Well, I’m leaving London and moving to LA, California to do an internship with a ministry called Expression58 (affiliated with Global Children’s Movement) The directors are Shawn Bolz and Jennifer and Jonatan Toledo, some great people that really love Jesus and kids work in third world countries. It starts September 15 and then in January I go with the Tolledos to Colombia and Ecuador. So that is life as I know it. I was a tad nervous at first as I wasn’t sure I wanted to move to LA (far cry from Sudan) but I’m excited now, ready for yet another international move.
Hope you’re all doing well! Speak soon!

Friday, August 3, 2007

Photo Central

The typical tourist shot
"Mommy and Me"
Bisou!Laura and I stopping to smell the roses at Hever Castle

London lovin

Don't you just want to squeeze him?


Here are some pictures of the last little while. My mom was here visiting which was nice as I had forgotten how much I missed her! We did all the tourist jazz and now life is back to normal.
London has finally realised it's summer and it's hot hot hot. I love it. It's still London therefore we will randomly have 20 minute down pours BUT it keeps it green right?