March 29, 2011
What a surprise the University of Washington turned out to be. I have to admit to being really biased toward small, Christian schools. I attended the University of Indiana at Bloomington my freshman year and it was enormous and I felt lost. Westmont, at 1200 students, was the warm environment that I needed to flourish. So naturally I assume everyone should attend a small school!
Our guide was a young, energetic woman from Haiti who is a senior with a chemistry major – Dagmara. Christine from the Pipeline program came along on the tour and was so kind to us. For a large university, this sure was a great start!
Dagmara was so encouraging and enthusiastic and kept telling our kids that they can fulfill their dreams if they work hard enough. It was amazing to see how God had arranged such a perfect guide for us. She was very cool and hip and cheerful. The teenage girls immediately surrounded her.
U of W is large and gorgeous and impressive and yet has a warm, welcoming and nurturing feel. One of our younger kids fell in love with it and said that she is changing her mind and switching from U of I (sorry Vandals!) to U of W. The great thing is that she can change her mind a hundred times between now and then – we just would love for her to go to college. She wants to be a teacher, by the way.
Christine provided a delicious lunch for us and then went around recruiting students who then came in and shared their college stories. We felt like visiting dignitaries and so honored!
Then we ran off to the Space Needle where we enjoyed a stunning view and a great gift shop! A couple of our boys were commenting that next time they wouldn’t spend their money the first day and have none left for gifts. Um. We might have suggested that….maybe, just maybe. We think that’s a great budgeting-learning experience and hopefully one that will really stick with them. One of our kids gave her money so one of the younger boys could have a small memento. That’s so typical of our kids. Another one suggested that we do without a dinner and give it to the panhandlers in Seattle so they could have dinner. We talked about that issue and also the issue of designated funds for a project at the mission. But, we love her sweet heart and generous spirit. Especially when they don’t have much. (And yes, I personally replaced the teen’s money so she could have something too, since she gave hers to one of the younger kids. Don’t worry.)
Somehow tonight my room filled with loud girls with wet hair in their PJs. Talking all at once and at full volume. Kaitlyn’s hair was soaking wet. I offered to dry it for her and as I stood there chatting with her and watching her smile and answer, all the minor irritations of teenage drama and stress of moving 16 people around safely, on time, with enough food and bathroom breaks, not too fast a pace, not to slow, trying to show them the schools and area…all the irritations melted away. I have always loved and cherished the kids that God has brought to the mission and I have always felt very honored that He would trust me with them. And now, I love them more.
And now, more than ever, I want all that He has for them. A life with Him, college, wonderful spouses, children, careers, ministries and happy lives. One day I want them to be donors to this program and chaperones on the trip because it changed their lives. I want Kaitlyn to be helping an old lady named Jean fix her hair and be able to say, “Remember when I was drying your hair on our first trip to Seattle? Things have really changed.”
My prayer is that for all these kids, things will really change.
Jean
Hairstylist to the stars
Filed under: City Light Rescue Mission
