March 31, 2011
Where am I? Portland. What day is it? Thursday. What do I have to do today? Take care of the kids.
For years I traveled for my job and those were always the three questions I asked myself when I woke up. I haven’t had to do it for years, because I haven’t been on a trip with multiple cities in a short time. Today I had to run through it. Today is our “break” day and we are all ready for it. Yesterday Sammy told me that he wanted to spend the whole day in his room because he was tired. We all are but we didn’t stay in the rooms. We intentionally planned a relaxing fun day at this point in the trip to recharge our batteries and have a little fun. The touring and visiting schools has been awesome, but we all needed a break.
Because we didn’t have to get up early today, the kids all had slumber parties in each other’s rooms last night and Ashley Dudunake ended up with most of the girls. We gave the kids several options of what they want to do today – shopping, touring, zoo, swimming, and so forth. Tomorrow we’re off to University of Oregon where Mitch McConnell (Maria’s son) will host our visit.
Kaitlyn really wanted to go to the zoo to see a giraffe. Turns out, all the girls did and the boys went to play basketball and swim at the Y with Sarah Price, Maria and Ashley. The zoo was excellent and we also went to explore Chinatown and then we shuffled around the kids again and some of us stayed home with the exhausted boys and some of us were off to Applebee’s for dinner.
The trip has been wonderful, annoying, exhausting and amazing. Getting to know the kids better will help us serve them better. Seeing what they’re interested in will help us know how to help them fulfill their dreams. Already we have started planning our next trip in our minds and also what additional steps we need to take to help them go to college.
I still have folks who think it’s at least mildly crazy to be doing this and that the mission of the mission should be shelter and meals only. Traditional rescue. We still do that and it’s critical and important. But I don’t want these kids to live with us ever again. I want them to break the cycle of homelessness and addiction. Education is critical to our goal of teaching the moms and kids to thrive in our society and to claim their place in the world. To become successful contributors. To totally change their lives so that the concept of living at City Light again never enters their minds. We want to go from traditional rescue to Permanent Rescue.
And then we want them to come back and help others capture that same vision and hope.
Lord hear my prayer.
Jean
Enjoying the Portland Zoo!
Union Rescue Mission!
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