I want to Be A part of B.A.! Buenos Aires! Big Apple!

My time here has been great. I've grown a lot in my understanding of who God is, based on seeing the diversity in which He created us in His image. I've met a lot of really great people who are studying at one of the best universities on the continent. This weekend, I went on a service trip that really stretched my willingness to obey God. I've been sick, tired, excited, joyful, loved, loving, happy, and ready. Ready to see what God does with me when I get back. He's stretched me in prayer, and I've surrendered more of my heart into His care.

I'm not sure what I should write here. My journal is much more full. It has been hard to find internet I can use long enough to update. I'm sure you will see more of my post-trip reflection than you've experienced so far, but I still have 1 more week before debriefing, and I'm planning to make the most of it.
So Imma sleep now.
Watching World Cup?
VAMOS VAMOS ARGENTINAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

10 days in and I'm feeling good.

Yep. I've been here for 10 days now. Buenos Aires is incredible. I'm so happy to get to come and share Christ's love. I've seen so much nationalistic pride, so much sincere religion, so much passion for bettering the world around one's self, and so much brokenness since I've been here. It breaks my heart to see people so misdirected.

God has been reminding me that we were created to be worshipers and we do that all the time. So much of our worship is misdirected. I've seen people worshiping soccer, fashion, success, fame, English, education, national identity, ideology, etc. I want to share my faith and my own story, but it has been difficult so far. They know that they need more, but they don't know where to look. However, because people have had a bad experience with the church, they don't want to look to Christ.

While here, I'm working on the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) Agronomy campus. So far on campus, my group has been working on a service project the name of which translates to"Improving the Quality of Your Life". We've been cleaning up the campus to show the students and faculty know that we are there to serve and not to be served. Several students have been coming up and helping. It's great. God is really showing His favor in big ways through people that don't know Him yet. :)

Monday I'm grabbing coffee with my new friend Tómas in the afternoon. Then Tuesday night I'll be merienda-ing with my friend Zac. I'm excited. Pray for that those times. God is good. I love His guidance. We need his hand and voice to lead us during these weeks.

See you soon. Love you all.
Comment if you read this, because I feel alone sometimes.
Dios te Bendiga,
Calebsito

Vida en Buenos Aires!

I'm in Buenos Aires!
Weird.

Today was my first day on campus. About 8 of us are working on the Agronomy campus of UBA (the highly esteemed public university system here in BS. AS.).
I'm really excited to see what ministry is like. Today we just ate at the cafeteria, met some students in the reigning political system there, prayed, and talked about the programs we'll be doing.

Oh, and I tried Mate. It's famous, and I'll make you all drink it. :P
Don't worry. It's safe too.


Okay. I'll try to explain things better in the days to come when I have time, but I wanted to update you real quick, so this'll do for now. :)

Peace and blessings (and besos),
Caleb

Let's Recap

Just realized that my last post was from the beginning of April. Yikes.

I'm not even consistent in the stuff I love.

Anyway, school is over. I'm not a Junior anymore. Weird. Last time I became a senior, I was a lot more excited about it.

A lot has happened in the last few weeks. I've enjoyed them thoroughly. We got everything initially squared away for the house next year, did some dumpster diving (found some SWEET couches), saw some good movies, tried some good food, climbed some legally questionable things, and hung out with some best friends. Oh, and my friend gave me a mohawk. ;)

I like doing sporadic, adventurous weird things. My friend ChrisLazattack pointed that out about me. I'd never really realized it before, but I think that's true.

I'm about to set out on a new adventure: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Summer 2010, Pt. #1.

Details will follow as I begin to learn them, but here's what I know so far:

- I leave for the trip's briefing tomorrow, Sunday 5/16th.

- We leave for B.A. the following Wednesday, 5/19th

- I'll be working at a University there in the Capitol, teaching English and loving people like Jesus does.

- We get back on June 30th.

It is going to be an adventure. Hopefully I'll have more to say about the trip after briefing starts. Stay tuned!

It's a Good Friday

So Easter break has been real good so far. Most of the usual group has been away, so it was an exciting, Zombieland-esque sort of week. I've hung out over in Syme. I like East Campus a lot. I wish I had discovered it earlier. :(

Anyway, I'm so excited about the Ranch for next year. We'll be the "Original Ranchers" and it'll be real good. :D

Now I'm in Highpoint with JWong. We're going to his friend's birthday party tonight. I'm excited. She sounded pretty cool on the phone. haha

I had meat today for the first time since the end of spring break. It was real good. But I liked eating vegetarian. Imma do that 3 days a week I think.

Alright. Peace and blessings.

PS, Getting a haircut Sunday I hope. :D

Pray Hard and Live Miraculously

That's what I'm learning this year. Pray hard. If we want to see God move miraculously, we need to step out in ways that give God a miraculous avenue to work through in our lives. We don't see miracles very much in American Christianity, because American Christianity is way too comfortable.

In 1st Kings Chapter 18, Elijah opposed the Prophets of Baal. He was God's only servant, and he was up against 450 powerful religious leaders. There hadn't been any rain in a long time, and it was becoming dangerously dry. Basically, the king blamed Elijah for the drought and so Elijah challenged the heathen prophets to a God-off. They'd have a burnt sacrifice, only God had to light it. DAAAAANG. God didn't tell Elijah to do that, he just knew that God would come through. So Baal's boys worked all day moaning and crying and cutting and bowing, but to no avail. At the end of the day, it was Elijah's turn. He told the men to pour a lot of water all over the bull ("But wait!" you say. "Don't you want it to get set on fire?" Yes! Avenues for miracles, get it?) God didn't tell him to drench the sacrifice. He just had faith enough to believe that God would come through.

God did come through. Fire came straight from heaven and set the whole thing ablaze. It was incredible. How often do we waste situations for God to be miraculously glorified in our lives by playing it safe? Probably a lot more often than you'd think.

So pray with faith. Expect God to move, and watch Him do His thing. Remember that His will is better than ours, though, and don't be disheartened if His answer doesn't look the way you thought it would. :)

Thanks for reading! Now I can't put off studying anymore. Got a test in 01:02:05. Whoops

Brooklyn, Brooklyn! Take Me In

I'm back. I love it here in New York.

Whenever I'm here, my heart breaks for the people of my country (and the world). I just sense the lostness of the world in a more poignant, tangible way. I'm really overwhelmed right now with a lot of different thoughts. On one hand, I'm so excited to be here. I got on the subway and knew what I was doing. That was a good feeling. On the other hand, I keep seeing people and looking at their broken empty faces. I almost started crying earlier.

I might just need some sleep. It's been a long day.

Spencer and I woke up at 6:30 this morning and started driving. We hit hard rain all the way up and ended up getting stranded in New Jersey when the Turnpike got shut down (because of flooding and a bridge that was out). Then the engine started smoking and we just prayed. There was a lot of prayer. Long story short, our 8 hour drive took 12.5. Then all but one other person (out of our 7 total) got stuck at RDU. And it is raining so hard. It is like a hurricane but in the winter.

I'm going to Tim Keller's church in the morning. That should be good. We met some cool people from Colorado. I'm excited about that. I'm worried about getting sick of the other 4 students from NCSU. I keep comparing this trip to last year. But it is different. I believe that that's because God planned it differently, because he wants to do different things. Satan obviously didn't want us coming up here. He's been up to no good all day. So God must have some good stuff planned. I'm pumped to see what God does.

I'm praying that I'll let God move in me. I don't want to get in the way. I want to see His Spirit fall on this city that way that the rain did today. Join with us in praying for that, okay? :)

I'll leave you with a poem my friend Tom wrote.

this week, the gothic feeling your insomniac culture gives reminded me that you are

one certain idea like no other showed me that you need and you give us people
and although these people, undead in their mind-body-soul, live around you
they hate you

there are few that call you beautiful
there might be a handful that can appreciate your looks
but they all call you home.

ages ago you were known as "the city of fools"
no one cared to give thought to the frame of your future
they never realized that they were-
the eyes
the nose
the fingertips of industrialization

my beloved
you are that heart

forgive me for once doubting you
i've realized the potential of the place i myself called..
now call
home.

the individual is the kneecaps in you
an intricate articulate syndicate of heart-work
i call myself proud to bolt the body to the ground and declare ownership

GOD
one city

the city that calls you home
and i call you the gorgeous mosaic

keep life old friend.
be safe.

Thanks Tom.

I love you guys!

I miss all my NYC friends from last year. :(

See you soon,

Caleb