Just to make my life easier, I'm going to plan to post on the Kenya website while I'm gone and if I get extra time I'll post a copy here. But if you want to see updates or info:
http://kenyahelpusgo.blogspot.com.
Keep it real. Go in peace.
Love, Tiff
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
UPdates...
Hi Friends!
A couple housekeeping items... here is my travel itinerary for Kenya:
Travel Itinerary (for you to know and pray):
OK, please pray as you feel the Lord prompt you!! He knows even better than I know how much I need it.
Well, here's the rest of the news! The semester is complete and tonight a few of the members of my cohort of students attended the "hooding ceremony" of the graduating students. It was pretty neat - and the Vice President of Student Life (Dub Oliver) says that we are officially "Second Year" students now. Wow. that is pretty cool. My semester ended well. After really struggling with getting my 25-page case study completed, I was really proud of the document I turned in and received an A for my work.
Most of my students are gone now for the summer - but there are still a few ADPi women and Chaplains who I will have the chance to talk with this summer. I'm especially excited to spend time this summer with Celina - who I've met weekly-ish this year. She is a neat, gifted women with a passion for Jesus!!
Many of my former students at Greenville are graduating this year. Annie, Kristina, TJ, Jared, among others. Its pretty crazy to think of these students walking across the stage - and bittersweet to think I won't be there. And Travis and Ashley are getting married - and again, sad that I won't get to see it - though I'm excited to hear about it and see the pics afterward!
I wish I had more to offer in this update, but my life has been full of Kenya and finishing school and so that is all I can think about.
I'm 60% done. And I'm starting to look at the places that I might end up next year. California is the likely state, with a bunch of schools in consideration. I'll keep you posted.
OH - and neat news: I receieved a scholarship from the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation for next year's school - The "Stafford National Officer" scholarship. I was also awarded one of two "Outstanding Graduate Student" Awards from the Division of Student Life, for 2006-2007. What an honor! There are some amazing students working in our division, so that award meant a lot to me.
Blessings to you - and if I can, I'll post some pics while I'm gone.
Love, Tiff
A couple housekeeping items... here is my travel itinerary for Kenya:
Travel Itinerary (for you to know and pray):
Sun 5/13 - travel to Dallas, fly to Chicago, fly to London
Mon 5/14 - layover (tourist time in London), fly to Nairobi
Tues 5/15 - travel to Masai Mara Safari Park and stay there
Wed 5/16 - safari at Masai Mara
Thurs 5/17 - safari at Masai Mara and travel back to Nairobi
Fri 5/18 - work at Railia Kids Club in Kibera Slum (crafts, sports, tutoring)
Sat 5/19 - work at Railia AM, painting/landscaping at "Karen Project" in PM
Sun 5/20 - Church at City Harvest Ministries, sabbath rest/team time/shopping
Mon 5/21 - work with City Harvest Ministries - visit AIDS testing clinic, meet HIV+ microcommunities
Tues 5/22 - work with City Harvest again - more HIV+ communities, help renovate hairdressing school
Wed 5/23 - tour of Kibera, learn more about life of men and women in the slums
Thurs 5/24 - TBD - either Railia or work with CHM in Kibera, plus team time in afternoon
Fri 5/25 - work at Mitumba Kids Club in Mitumba Slum (a poorer part of Kibera
slum)
Sat 5/26 - return to Railia Kids Club in AM, work at Karen Project in PM
Sun 5/27 - church at City Harvest, sabbath/team time/shopping/pack -
fly to London
Mon 5/28 - fly to Chicago, fly to DFW - arrive DFW at 10:30pm, travel to Waco
Tues 5/29 - start summer classes (me and a few others)
OK, please pray as you feel the Lord prompt you!! He knows even better than I know how much I need it.
Well, here's the rest of the news! The semester is complete and tonight a few of the members of my cohort of students attended the "hooding ceremony" of the graduating students. It was pretty neat - and the Vice President of Student Life (Dub Oliver) says that we are officially "Second Year" students now. Wow. that is pretty cool. My semester ended well. After really struggling with getting my 25-page case study completed, I was really proud of the document I turned in and received an A for my work.
Most of my students are gone now for the summer - but there are still a few ADPi women and Chaplains who I will have the chance to talk with this summer. I'm especially excited to spend time this summer with Celina - who I've met weekly-ish this year. She is a neat, gifted women with a passion for Jesus!!
Many of my former students at Greenville are graduating this year. Annie, Kristina, TJ, Jared, among others. Its pretty crazy to think of these students walking across the stage - and bittersweet to think I won't be there. And Travis and Ashley are getting married - and again, sad that I won't get to see it - though I'm excited to hear about it and see the pics afterward!
I wish I had more to offer in this update, but my life has been full of Kenya and finishing school and so that is all I can think about.
I'm 60% done. And I'm starting to look at the places that I might end up next year. California is the likely state, with a bunch of schools in consideration. I'll keep you posted.
OH - and neat news: I receieved a scholarship from the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation for next year's school - The "Stafford National Officer" scholarship. I was also awarded one of two "Outstanding Graduate Student" Awards from the Division of Student Life, for 2006-2007. What an honor! There are some amazing students working in our division, so that award meant a lot to me.
Blessings to you - and if I can, I'll post some pics while I'm gone.
Love, Tiff
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Life, Frailty and the Importance of Community
There is so much to talk about today, friends.
I have good news: I am the proud recipient of a scholarship from the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation - $1,000 toward my graduate studies next year; and I'm also the proud recipient of the "James Huckins Award for Outstanding Graduate Assistant" for 2007.
I have sad news: We had a student die in a car accident on Monday night, as she traveled to her grandmother's house to study for finals. Her name is Caitlin Creed.
As I sit here at my desk, I can look out the window and watch the happenings of Collins Hall. Collins Hall is a women's residence hall, housing almost 600 women - mostly first-year students. It was Caitlin's hall. Last night Caitlin's best friends packed up her room.
As I look out into the parking lot today, Caitlin's friends and a few of my friends on the Hall staff are loading up her possessions into a car to be taken to her family today.
And now I watch as one of the moms of her friends drives the truck away.... and I think about how frail life is, and how valuable.
This week has brought with it grieving weather. Ever since Tuesday morning it has been grey and raining off and on. It makes me think of Psalm 18 and how when David was being opposed he called out to God and God responded immediately, he was angry for David - on his behalf, and he stormed down from heaven. David says that the Lord rode bolts of lightning and his shouts were like thunder. And this week every time I hear the thunder and see the lightning I think of how God is grieving this loss with us. When the rain comes down in torrents, then back to drizzle, and then takes a break - I think of the cycle of crying that some of these students and adults are experiencing - weeping, worn out and unable to cry any longer, resting, then weeping again.
We are frail and vulnerable. But lives aren't supposed to end like this. And so we grieve, because we miss Cailin. We grieve, because we don't understand "why". We grieve, because we know that it could have been anyone.
This week I was priviledged to see community spring into action - it was Caitlin's friends that packed her room, the hall staff and residence life community that stepped in the night we heard the news, the university ministry staff who helped out wherever there might be need to talk or pray. Caitlin was a Tri-Delta sister, and it was amazing when I recieved an email from another sorority's chaplain letting me know that she was organizing a time of prayer for Caitlin's family, friends and sorority sisters - and it was more amazing to see the variety of people that attended the prayer time.
I am blessed to be a part of this community. And this tragedy reminds me of how important my friends and coworkers are to me. It reminds me of the value of life - and living my life in every moment for God's glory.
May we all experience the awesome power of God today - in deliverance, in comfort, in peace.
Love, Tiff
I have good news: I am the proud recipient of a scholarship from the Alpha Delta Pi Foundation - $1,000 toward my graduate studies next year; and I'm also the proud recipient of the "James Huckins Award for Outstanding Graduate Assistant" for 2007.
I have sad news: We had a student die in a car accident on Monday night, as she traveled to her grandmother's house to study for finals. Her name is Caitlin Creed.
As I sit here at my desk, I can look out the window and watch the happenings of Collins Hall. Collins Hall is a women's residence hall, housing almost 600 women - mostly first-year students. It was Caitlin's hall. Last night Caitlin's best friends packed up her room.
As I look out into the parking lot today, Caitlin's friends and a few of my friends on the Hall staff are loading up her possessions into a car to be taken to her family today.
And now I watch as one of the moms of her friends drives the truck away.... and I think about how frail life is, and how valuable.
This week has brought with it grieving weather. Ever since Tuesday morning it has been grey and raining off and on. It makes me think of Psalm 18 and how when David was being opposed he called out to God and God responded immediately, he was angry for David - on his behalf, and he stormed down from heaven. David says that the Lord rode bolts of lightning and his shouts were like thunder. And this week every time I hear the thunder and see the lightning I think of how God is grieving this loss with us. When the rain comes down in torrents, then back to drizzle, and then takes a break - I think of the cycle of crying that some of these students and adults are experiencing - weeping, worn out and unable to cry any longer, resting, then weeping again.
We are frail and vulnerable. But lives aren't supposed to end like this. And so we grieve, because we miss Cailin. We grieve, because we don't understand "why". We grieve, because we know that it could have been anyone.
This week I was priviledged to see community spring into action - it was Caitlin's friends that packed her room, the hall staff and residence life community that stepped in the night we heard the news, the university ministry staff who helped out wherever there might be need to talk or pray. Caitlin was a Tri-Delta sister, and it was amazing when I recieved an email from another sorority's chaplain letting me know that she was organizing a time of prayer for Caitlin's family, friends and sorority sisters - and it was more amazing to see the variety of people that attended the prayer time.
I am blessed to be a part of this community. And this tragedy reminds me of how important my friends and coworkers are to me. It reminds me of the value of life - and living my life in every moment for God's glory.
May we all experience the awesome power of God today - in deliverance, in comfort, in peace.
Love, Tiff
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