the big red bus

it was an amazing scene yesterday. nothing out of the ordinary for life here, but for some reason, i noticed it for the first time yesterday, and as i stood back and realised what was going on, i was amazed.

i contrast it to a time i remember a couple of years ago, heather hlavka and i were driving thru l.a. trying to get to san diego.. it had been a sweet roadtrip, we were rockin to the music, havin a great time, until we noticed we were out of gas, so we pulled off onto the first exit we saw, and we ended up in a really bad ghetto, and could find the way out!! we were so in an area that you could tell was full of gangs, drugs, im sure guns and it was pretty crazy.. we were two girls, drivin around some inner city ghetto in california.. had no idea how to get out of it, or where we were, in completly unfamiliar surroundings.. and shady characters were everywhere.. it was pretty daunting.

well, that is the equivalent to the area i have been working and hanging out in all year.. drugs, gangs, stabbings, shootings, shady characters... the ghetto, and i love it.. i know the people there, i have been in the community now for almost a year and have developed relationships with the drug dealers, the gang members and i feel nothing but safe as i go there.. by the wisdom and grace of God, of course.. but its familiar.. its "home" this year.. and they know who i am, so im ok.

but as i was driving around yesterday it was so awesome.. you see, every day we drive thru the community in a big red bus.. thats broken down, dented, graffitied, and recognised as the "dcm" bus, its pretty hard to miss. they have used a bus similar to this for 50 years picking up kids and teens and families to bring them into town for our youth clubs and events.. the families, as hard as they are, and as "dangerous" of an area as it is, know us.. it was so cool.. it was 10pm last nite, just starting to get dark, "shady" characters out everywhere.. really scary, intimidating and quite daunting if you werent familiar with the area and people in it, not a great time to be out in that area if you are an outsider.. and as jen and i drove thru the streets, in the big red bus, like we do every nite.. i noticed... one hand waved, after other. kids as young as 4, to dudes old as 30 who were waving at us, smiling.. chasing after us with huge grins.. and as i was sitting there waving back.. i was just rejoicing. it was the coolest feeling ever... people that have no hope.. that live in a horrible place and really have nothing to do but drugs and drink and fight.. were delighted to see us just drive by. but then i got thinking, that this happens every day.. every day they see us, every day they expect us to drive by, pick up their kids, say hello, give them a hug.. and i noticed for the first time, that us, driving thru these gang and drug infested neighbourhoods in our big red bus, was a sign of hope to them.. and its something that has happened way before i was here, and will happen well after i leave.. its such a blessing and such an encouragement to be a part of something so much larger than myself.. and wow.. that big red bus, and the experiences i have had in it this year, are something i will actually never forget..

gosh, what a priveldge.. what a blessing.. its just amazing to me.. and i wanted to share.. must run off to drimnagh now.. cant wait to see my kids.. hope youre all doing fabulous.. God bless you.. cant wait to be home and share all these stories with you in person.. Just a little over 2 months now.. can hardly believe it!!