Texas Gelato Massacre

After dinner Saturday night, our team went out for dessert at a cute gelato place recommended by PB's sister. Once the five of us had gotten our little Italian cups filled with cold Italian ice, we took a seat outside the little Italian cafe'.

Midway through, we noticed there was an unusually high number of mosquitos out where we were sitting. And, unbeknownst to me, a fatty one had landed on my arm... Only Jenny took notice, and smacked that sucker hard to teach him a lesson not to prey on her new roommate! It would've been a great bonding moment if only the arm the mosquito had landed on wasn't the one holding my dessert. Consequently, my half-eaten gelato, and hopes for a sweet and peaceful end to the night, flew out of my hand and landed tragically onto the ground, destroyed.

Even Matt, who's usually embarrassed by his teammates' raucous nature, let out amused laughter.

I laughed at this as much as I laughed when I realized PB had sneakily gone inside the cafe' without telling the team to avoid the mosquitos BY HIMSELF. psh...

It's bleeding... bleeding love.

Pastor Ben: "Look Ben... mosquitos."

Benedict: "Where?"

Benedict: "Shoot dawwwg..."

My heroine.

Remember the Alamo

For memorial day, our team set off to San Antonio to visit the famed historical site - the Alamo. What was initially built as a mission by Spanish Catholic missionaries also served as a fort, and became the site of American tragedy and heroism during the Texan revolution.

Against the invading Mexican army numbering in the thousands, 185 American soldiers and volunteers defended the fort for 13 days in order to buy time for troops further north to assemble. The story goes that in the hours of the last stand, the commanding officer James Bowie gave the thirteen men who still remained standing a choice. They could either step over a line he had drawn on the ground, and stay, and fight. Or, they could choose not to cross, and flee. All but one chose to remain. And, by the morning of that 13th day, after a surprise attack by the Mexican army at dawn, all of the last defenders lay on the ground, dead.

As I read over the names of these men engraved in marble, I wondered what was their source of bravery and sacrifice. Perhaps they knew they played a part in something that was bigger than themselves. And, perhaps, they wanted to lay down their lives for a worthy cause; remembered not only having lived for something, but also having died for it.

It's difficult to think beyond our own lives, and the fruit that can grow if we are like the seeds that die in the ground. In today's day and age when the idea of delayed gratification is giving way to "if it's delayed, it's not gratifying," it's understandable when people forgo this certain discipline, much less delay gratification for the betterment of future generations. It's a lesson I'm constantly learning... that although the work we do now seems inconsequential in the present, God will use to build His church in the future.

The Mexican army won the battle at the Alamo, but, a month later, on April 12, 1846, were badly beaten by the American troops that had gathered at San Jacinto. On that day, Texas won her freedom.

** HMCC Austin at the Alamo

My First Non-HMCC Sunday in Three Years

This morning, our team visited Austin Stone Community Church to attend Sunday service - popularly known as the home of Chris Tomlin. I was surprised to see that the church that birthed today's arguably most recognized CCM artist still held their services in a high school auditorium. Instead of walking into the classic mega-church building with high ceilings, plasma screens, and plush auditorium seating, I was greeted with fold-up chairs and lockers lining the hallway. This morning was a gentle reminder that the extent to which God can use the church does not depend on the size, grandeur, or, even, the existence of a church building.

ASCC - Gymnasium of Austin High School

(Although, as you can see, they still managed to have the giant plasma screens... How do they set those babies up every week?)

Although Chris was out of town on yet another one of his world tours, worship was still excellent as his fellow lead worshiper, Andy Melvin, led the band and the people. The music was great, mixing was perfect, PVP didn't crash, and the sermon was touching. I was satisfied with my experience until, on my way out, I tripped on something and lost my balance a bit. I looked down only to see this:


...

...

DANGER. DANGER.

Mr. Tomlin - you gotta duct tape that piece.









*** Next Sunday's stop: Home of DCB.

Dear Friends,

Hello everyone!
Welcome to my first, and probably only, blog I will ever have. Please come in from time to time to see updates on my life as I am so very far from you all, and news about HMCC Austin, at least for a year. After that, you can all move on to the Jakarta team. ^^

Will update soon!