Above are pics of our crew at Encinitas beach. The weather was perfect and the beach was crowded! Some of the kids had chicken fights while others just sat and took in the sun without actually going in the water. A great day!!!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
(Jackie): Wednesday, Fun Day! San Diego Zoo and Encinitas Beach
Today was our designated "FUN" day. After a long struggle last night to come to an agreement as to what we want to do as a group today, we decided to go to the San Diego Zoo and then to the beach. I think everyone was pleased in the end.
We left at 9:15am to head to the zoo, and once we got there and walked in (which was close to 11am), we grabbed maps, split up into smaller groups and went to the exhibits we each wanted to see. Some of the really good exhibits were the polar bears, the elephants, and the hippo. The camel in the picture above was an odd sight! Apparently when one hump lays sideways, it means that the camel is dehydrated. Each group.ate lunch on their own, and then we all met back at the main gate by 2pm. Christina, Liam and their small group had bought an animal backpack as a joke to keep Graham on a leash, as apparently he was equated with a wandering child during their three hour zoo excursion! We all took one final group photo, then hopped on the bus to head to the beach.
The beach was once again a decision that the group had to vote on again, as many were tired from the zoo. Fortuntely for.the chaperones (who all did not want to miss going to the beach after a week in SoCal!), the group decided "yes" to going to the beach! Scott decided on Encinitas beach, so we headed there on the bus. We arrived at 3:10 and only had an hour to swim/hang out before we had to get back on the bus to get home in time for dinner, which was at 6pm.
Tonight we had a much shorter and more lighthearted reflection of our entire week's experiences (last night's reflection, led by Jackie, went for over two hours! Everyone had LOTS to say!) Fran led the final reflection by asking three questions: 1) What will "stick" with you after this week? 2) If we did the same trip again, what would you do differently? And finally, 3) What was the most memorable experience for you? As chaperones we felt that we ended the week on a very positive note. The remainder of the evening included two hours of free time where some went swimming, while others played cards, and still others played "assassin" with nerf guns. Everyone is now in bed, wiped out and anticipating the long drive home tomorrow.
Breakfast tomorrow is at 8am, then we will leave at 9am in hopes of arriving to St. Mary's by 7pm. Mike Stafford will keep the crew more specifically informed of our arrival time.
And... More beach photos from today are to follow!
(Jackie): Still more photos from Tuesday
Sorry for the delay... Phone died this afternoon before I had the chance to post these! They are of the 45 minute session with the Imam at the Islamic Center yesterday, and three more of our crew enjoying cupcakes and lemonade at the Self Realization Center.
(Jackie): More pics from Tuesday
Above are more pics from the Self Realization Center we went to yesterday, which had absolutely beautiful grounds!
(Graham): Tuesday - Islamic Cultural Center and Self Realization Fellowship
Yesterday (Tuesday) the day began with Father Scott banging loudly on our doors at 8 am, something that makes what would normally feel like sleeping in feel like one hour of sleep. We got dressed then at 9 went to the cafeteria for breakfast. At 10:45 we piled into the now familiar bus and began the drive to the Islamic Cultural center. Once we arrived we were led up to the second floor by Imam Taha, where we sat in a book filled room and listened while Imam Taha explained the religion of Islam as well as Muslim customs and beliefs. For many of us it was an eye opening experience that shed a lot of light on political and social issues in the world today. Again we piled back into the bus and headed toward Las Olas, where we had great Mexican food. After lunch we went to visit the Self-Realization Fellowship, a westernized branch of Hinduism focused on meditation and the belief in one single god with many aspects or "faces." We practiced basic meditation techniques with the Yogi there, and learned more about the practice of connecting to God individually through meditation and reflection. This too gave us a window into eastern religion that surprised many of us and enraptured others. Later we were given a chance to walk through the beautiful meditation gardens, which ended in an amazing view of the ocean below. Finally we retired back to the retreat center where we ate dinner and held a meeting in which we discussed the day's events. Mostly we talked about the assumptions that people make about religions, and the differences and similarities we saw and heard yesterday in our meeting with the Imam and the Brother. That discussion then led us to discuss inequality and unfairness in the world (we circled it back to immigration), then finished off by reflecting on and sharing where we stand religiously. We had a heated voting session about what we were going to do the next day, before dispersing to our rooms or the pool. By the time we went to bed we were exhausted but much more enlightened about the world we live in.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
(Allie): Monday night reflection, EFT, and playtime
When we got back, late yesterday afternoon, some of our group went swimming. Then we had dinner, then last night we reflected on our day working at Southwest Key and watched a slideshow about immigration. While the day was not as dramatic as our previous experiences, working in the dry heat gave us the briefest insight into what the cross through the desert would be like. Not only that, but that once these people cross the desert, many of them will hold jobs that include manual labor much more difficult than anything we did yesterday. I found yesterday to be perspective shifting. I thought about how far people will go to come to a place that I was simply lucky to be born into. After this reflection, Mary showed us Emotional Freedom Tapping (EFT). It is a meditative technique where you tap your meridians with your fingers at the points where we hold our stress, anxiety, anger, sadness, etc. While tapping, you repeat the affirmation reminding yourself that even though you feel that negative emotion, you deeply and completely love and accept yourself. Once you release this negative energy, you replace it with positive thoughts. Everyone was very open to it and many of us found it relaxing and I know I personally want to try and implement it into my daily life. We played cards, ate ice cream (courtesy of Scott, Allie, Izzy, and Maggie M.), and enjoyed our last night with Rev. Mary who really blessed us with her presence these past few days.
Monday, June 17, 2013
(Fiona): Southwest Key - Day Two
Today we went back to Southwest Key. Instead of hanging out with the kids and doing art projects, we had more of a manual labor day around the compound. We split into 3 groups- one to move logs to the organic garden, one to wash the 6 cars (very dirty), and one to clear the area behind the house of weeds and dead plants. In the end, though, we all ended up hoeing weeds and raking plants on the property. However, I think most people were preoccupied with keeping an eye on the 3 ponies- Naynay (the mom) Neyney (the dad) and Ninayney (the adorable filly). Ninayney really liked nibbling on our hands, and tried to eat Diana's foot. It was deathly hot, but the car-washing people (my group) had the luxury of a hose, and as the afternoon progressed a nice wind sprang up.
Our bus rides are always wild, but Liam and Ben bought nerf guns at Target and preoccupied themselves on the ride back by shooting randomly around the bus -don't worry parents, there were no casualties! We had to go to Target so the girls could get basketball shorts or long dresses for working at Southwest Key, as well as long skirts and cardigans (you have to cover your ankles and knees!) for when we go to the Mosque tomorrow.
Everyone is excited to wash the day's work off in the pool (perfect for dibble) and have a nice big dinner!
(Jackie): Monday, First stop - Target!
So, umm... We were a little embarrassed when Reverend Mary received an email last night from Southwest Key stating that the girls in our group were dressed inappropriately yesterday and had violated the dress code (in other words, shorts were much too short)! So, because we also need to be mindful of the strict dress code at the Islamic mosque that we will be going to tomorrow, we made an executive decision make a Target/Old Navy run this morning to pick up some longer shorts/pants for the girls. When we got back to the bus an hour later, our crew of SMV girls looked more like a basketball team than a bunch of cute teenaged girls. Haha!
We are now at Southwest Key, working and being of service to them. We will post photos and blog later today.
(Jackie): Sunday Evening Worship
After dinmer tonight, we gathered at 7pm in the main room for worship. We all sat in a circle and many of the kids had a small part in the celebration. In lieu of a sermon, Scott led us in a reflection upon the day's experience. Many kids were struck by the magnitude of the adult-like experiences that the kids at Southwest Key had already had, especially given the fact that many of the Southwest Key boys were about the same age as them. Foe example, leaving one's family, being in a foreign country, hungry, difficulty in getting an education, being separated from family with no one to trust nearby... The experiences really made our St. Mary's kids realize how absolutely lucky they are to have been born where they are, and within the families they live. At one point, Liam quoted Mike Stafford by saying, "We won the lottery of life." Many of our kids were trying to process what to do with the knowledge and understanding they gained today. Some feel guilt for the life of privelege thtat they lead (though Scott emphasized that they should not feel guilty, rather just be appreciative of what they have), while others felt the call to do more; they don't want to just "sit in their privelege" as Maggie M. stated. The reflection process each night has been incredibly powerful, and ALL of the kids have been so open to sharing their thoughts and feelings. It is obvious that they are growing in awareness.
After the reflection, Reverend Mary led us in the breaking of bread, followed by singing of a Spanish song about Christ that we plan to sing each day this week.
Tomorrow we will head back to Southwest Key to help plant a garden with the Southest Key kids. More posts/pictures to follow....
Sunday, June 16, 2013
(Christina): Sunday, Southwest Key - Day One
(Note: We were not allowed to take photos of the kids at Southwest Key, so the pictures above only show St. Mary's people or hands of the Southwest Key kids).
Today we went to Southwest Key and interacted with boys who were 14-17 years old. Southwest Key is a detention center for undocumented youth. When we first arrived, we introduced ourselves and ate pizza and ice cream with them out on the enclosed deck. Afterwards, we sang karoake all in Spanish and then made a tablecloth that will be used during church services. The Saint Mary's crew traced the hands of the boys at Southwest Key. Although some of the boys were shy, they agreed to help with the project.
When we first arrived, I was nervous because I didn't know how the boys would react. There were 14 boys, each from different places (El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras), and many were the same age as us, so I felt that they were not going to be as open to us. During lunch, we intermingled and sat at four tables and asked each other about our interests. Only one of the boys spoke English, so many of us used the Spanish we have learned in school. For example, we talked about movies, music, and sports. After lunch, we sat around the TV and sang Spanish karaoke songs, led by Reverend Mary. Most of the Southwest Keys boys were shy, but then some got really into it! We sang La Bamba, Mama Mia, and a lot of songs we didn't know. After karoake, we did an art project where we would trace our hands and put our name in the middle of each hand. Those who were not shy went first, while the others hung back. I didn't have a partner so I approached the group of guys in the corner and asked who wanted to be my partner. No one responded at first, so I repeated myself, "Quien quiere ser mi compañero." Finally, Juan Carlos agreed to be my partner and I traced his hand and he traced mine. We put our names in the middle, representing the unification between us. Before departing, four of the residents shared with us their stories on how and why they tried to cross the border but were caught. Enrique, a very friendly and energenic fourteen year old, was all fun and jokes, but when he shared his story, he discussed the violence and sadness he faced everyday, and how he was beaten by his father. I was taken back because just two minutes ago he was happy. Going to Southwest Key was incredible because the boys were the same age as us, but the hardships they have been through were so different than our experiences. Our differences bring us together and unify us under God.
Tomorrow we will go back and plant a garden with them. More commentary and pictures to follow!
(From Everyone): Happy Father's Day!
To all of our dads... We love you and Happy Father's Day!!!
(We are on the bus, headed to Southwest Key now... An immigration detention center in San Diego. Updates will follow....)
(Diana & Izzy): Crossing the Border
We got there at 3:15. The line was like a mile long that wrapped around building structures and small restaurants. We started out by buying cheap churros and Scott freaked out... He thought we might get sick from them! There was a diverse group crossing the border in cars and by foot. There was a woman crossing the border in crazy high heels! The people who were trying to earn money (street beggars and performers) did so by trying to entertain us or letting their situations speak for themselves. The majority of the beggars were women with children while the few men were usually handicapped. A woman who had joined us from Scott's church bought a combination of fresh fruit and veggies, tostos chips, chili spice (all mixed together!). We were not as adventurous and stuck to churros, pancakes, ice cream, and soda. When we finally thought we had reached the end of the line, we were ushered into a building with six photos of top drug traffickers, which reminded us of the war on drugs and how we don't hear much about it. Maggie Meagher got stopped and checked at the border because she had an apple in her bag that they thought she was trying to smuggle in! (It was from the US, in the morning). There was less security there than at the airport, which was surprising. Crossing the border on either side made us realize how the Mexican and US governments each respond to foreigners entering their countries. We finally got back to the bus by 6:35 (over a 3 hour wait!). We had boxed lunches when we got back (at 8:15pm), debriefed on our day at the Dorcas House and at the border, then some people went night swimming, then to bed!
Pictures above are of the very long line we waited in, and of the actual border.
(Jackie): More Dorcas House pics
For lunch, we ate burritos, rice, refried beans and hibiscus water - yum! More playing with the kids....
(By the way, apologies for the multiple posts with the same info/story... I have figured out that I can only send 4-5 pics at a time... Otherwise it won't post intil 14 hours later!)
Saturday, June 15, 2013
(Jackie): The Dorcas House - Lunch and Play!
Everyone got right to playing with the Dorcas House kids! Games played were volleyball, duck-duck-goose, "down by the banks...", and more. There was a general inquisitiveness from the Dorcas House kids to our crew: They were fascinated by the cameras we brought, the few adults' smart phones, our sunglasses, etc. They also had such oride in their rooms and wanted to show us around. Each bedroom had bunk beds and meals are eaten in the kitchen and on card tables that are set up daily to accomodate everyone. (The really little kids always ate first at the small tables... Otherwise they would get too rambunctious). While the home is incredibly small for 32 kids to be living there, they had all of the basic ammenities and you could sense community. Leaving was tough... Many gave hugs, and one little girl even cried because she didn't want us to go.
Our next adventure today (getting back across the border) was an interesting excursion in and of itself! I will have the kids blog about that tomorrow, give their reflections of the day, and we'll add more pics then. Good night!
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