So We had a wonderful retreat in hamburg two weeks ago and I officially love Hamburg! It was so crazy to have all 35 of us in the same room! Yes I said 35. It's so crazy how much we've grown and looking back to see all the things that have happened in the past year. It's so cool to see what god has done! It's even crazier to think of all the things that are to come this year!
Liz said something very true towards the end of the 4 day retreat "Enjoy this moment, all of us in the same room, it's probably not going to happen again until our next retreat!" Lots of new and exciting things sprung up during the time. For example we will be working on publishing a Pick A Pocket magazine soon, of course the Not for Sale conference in November, we will Continue to work on the existing projects in India and Ethiopia, and most immediately the Marriage Of The Arts School! There are now 125 students who will be arriving within the next two weeks!!
During the retreat we spent a lot of time in prayer asking God where he wants to lead us for this next year as a team, we also spent time with each other, going to coffee shops, Exploring the city, and just talking and coming up with new ideas. It was so good just to start dreaming again, to look back and see all the dreams that we had last year that were fulfilled this year and now being able to dream again and keep looking forward! We were also able to welcome in 9 awesome new members who came with new ideas and inspiration for the team!
I am especially excited about more people committing to working with the projects in Ethiopia, like the boys and girls of garbage city, and the Rahab Cafe! It is a team of 4 people(so far), Myself, Ulla, Corey, and Anna (who isn't technically a part of Pick a Pocket, but has the biggest heart for the girls and guys of garbage city and has been fighting for them since the beginning! She is amazing!)
I am planning to go to ethiopia in November and live there for 6 months and I am so looking forward to this time! The last time I was in ethiopia I was really challenged to do something more long term in the projects and I really have the desire invest so much more into the relationships that I have there! I don't know yet exactly what this time will look like but I hope to spend some time in Addis, working with the Garbage City girls and guys, Solomon, and also some in the south to work on restarting the Rahab Cafe because at the moment there are no girls to work at the cafe as they have all four moved on to other things! So I know that it will be an awesome time!
So I am super inspired and excited for this year!!
In other news-
Fall is coming! and I'm still missing the sun, heat, and even humidity of summer.
Herrnhut is beautiful right now though despite the rain and I am excited for the leaves to change colors. My birthday is also in two weeks I'm not sure how I feel about turning 20 yet. Ew, even typing it looks so strange. I don't know if I'm ready for that yet! It's something to look forward too though because my parents are coming!! It will be a great birthday!!
The first Marriage of the Arts students have just started arriving and we are still making a lot of preparations. Just a lot of work! But I am so stoked to meet all of the students and for the school to start because I think it will be a time!
Yea! you might have noticed I added a new feature to by blog, over there in the side bar -->
You can now sign up for my newsletter mailing list so if you want to receive my updates and more in your email! Because if you're like me you always forget to check blogs even though you really want to! hah! Problem solved, See? I will probably just be sending out newsletters every few weeks or months. Just news and exciting happenings. yea! that's it!
oh and for a fun picture of us at the retreat and a Tour higlights video! check out
Steph's blog!
She is also going to Ethiopia in a week or so to make a documentary about the Girl's home in ethiopia! I love her!
cool! yea that's all I've got for now! thanks for reading!!
-melody
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