New Adventures.... WASHINGTON DC!!!!

Hey all,

I realized that I never really finished my blog from Morocco. So here is a quick update... the last week I was there I successfully climbed Mount Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains. I said my goodbyes and my host family was just wonderful, crying to see me leave and showering me with gifts. I might have cried a bit too. I left them with some American peanut butter, a necessity, and gifts for those lovely kids. I made it safely back and have been living back here in the states ever since...

I graduated on May 15th of this year as a Politics major with a Sociology minor. So now real life begins? Thankfully, God has led me to a new adventure for the summer, so I am delaying entering the workforce as of yet and have flown off to Washington DC.

I am starting up the blog stories again with this new adventure to DC. I will be here from May 22nd until the middle of August. I am working with an inner city Christian mission organization, Center for Student Missions (CSM). After my two weeks of training and a week of serving, I will be leading youth groups across the city in missions trips.

I have several goals and motivations for coming here.

1) I have been convicted with my lack of sacrifice and total selfishness of the past few years. I have been very concerned with my own affairs, my clothes, school, friends, family, and really only living to see the life that surrounds me. I have been blind to the afflictions of those around me and see this summer as an opportunity to see people as God sees them, those broken, afflicted, and desperately loved. As Christians we should be the leaders in caring for the needy and downtrodden in society. There is a worship song that I love which has a refrain that says, "and what we do in here, will fill the streets out there". This is one of my prayers for the summer.

2) I want to get involved with nonprofit organizations for possible career options at a later (I guess quickly approaching) date. I am currently researching graduate programs in Social Work and Nonprofit management. If you have any suggestions for me I would appreciate the input.

3) I love traveling and new adventures and experiences. So I will record a few for my remaining followers on this blog. :)

I love you all and request your prayers for the summer! The group of staff I am here with are great and I am already very excited for what the summer will bring!

Jess :)