I am alive and well,

Your spirit is within me.


I just got back from my first class!
It was German 1010.
And I learned -- ich heisst Hannah
ich weiss nict
It was not our teacher today, our teacher is in Russia and will not be returning until next week.

Today I also have Algebra and Dialogue.
But those don't start until 2:10.


Yesterday was a great day!
So the church thing was not a fair..
It was show up and receive a piece of paper with a list of churches and the depart time, and attend them.
All the churches were the same ol' thing I am used to.
And I just didn't feel called to go about my Sunday morning like I always have.
I didn't.
The church I chose was described like this:

Jesus House
Service 8:30 & 11, depart at 10:40
www.jesushouse.org
Sarah Thontwa
An international Redeemed Christian Church of God congregation
with indigenous African leadership and charismatic worship.
Within walking distance of campus.

A group of girls and I wanted to stick together so they signed up with me.
It was Joy, Brooke, Abbie and I.
And a girl named Sarah who is from the Congo and was the one designated to show us where it was.
The walk took about fifteen minutes.
Which is a doable walk, especially because it is a straight shot down Kedzie.

I don't really know how to explain it, except that I am going back.
Probably on Friday.
I am going to email the church and ask if I can get someone to come and get me and bring me home because I don't want to walk home that late and I am unsure if anyone else wants to join me.

At the end of the two hour service, they had all the guests stand up.
Lets just say we had a whole row of white girls stand up, minus Joy who is Japanese.
And then everyone started to clap [everyone is around 300-400 people] and they escorted us to the front where we were shaking so many peoples hands and shown into a "guest room".
Where we got a bag of goodies... a.k.a. chocolate and key chain, some informational papers.
And introduced ourselves.
Now we were not the only guests, people from Nigeria, one lady who had the day off from working the bus and wants to find a church.
The welcomed us so well.
I felt at home, and comfortable.
I just wish I could pronounce all their names.
...All African descents, or travelers.. yadda ya da.

The other girls are going to try different church next weekend.
But I want to give this church another shot because their pastor was gone this week.
And I am interested in hearing the real pastor.
The associate pastor gave the most amazing sermon.
Something that I wish my whole church in Topeka could hear, especially right now.
It was about working for God.
And working in his house.
The part that has stuck was when he said:
"If you don't give anything that doesn't cost anything, it is not a gift."
And he said that in the context of working as an usher and how people don't like to do it because it involves being aware and often standing most of the service, and working with children can be hard but you have to do it in order to be truly giving a gift.
He spoke about how you have to try new things in the church, as uncomfortable as you feel, it is important that you do it.
Especially that their are no excuses.
Which he used this verse: Matthew 10:35-36 "35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.36And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
And no matter what, even if it against thy family, you have no excuses not to join.

Brooke just came into my room [she is from KC] and I just showed her the video of dad in bed talking about how he is going to freeze.
I was laughing so hard and she was just like "Your dad is out of control."
In a good way. :)


So church started at 11, and I got back at two.
When we got back Brooke's mom and sister were still here.
And offered to take us out to lunch.
We ate at Tre Krenor [three crowns in Swedish].
Oh man, it was delicious!
It was a great lunch conversation the whole time.

After lunch I sort of bummed around the dorms until I went to Ohlson to meet the girls to go to Collegelife.
Which is our Sunday night worship.
Fabulous! is what it is.
I cannot get over that I get to see Judy Peterson speak every week, and the praise group that was there was the group that was at CHIC 2006.

Afterwards there was a ice cream social in the gym for all these wonderful opportunities to get involved at the college, out of the country, and in the city.
I have so many great chances these next few years to serve God!!
I have no idea where to start.

I FORGOT SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT!
During Collegelife one of the speakers said "I need ten volunteers to come up to the stage."
And out of the hundreds of us... Kelly and I were two of the ten to go up there.
This is what we were given:

For the unschooled.. Those are McDonald's gift cards.
Our volunteer work is to this week is to take a homeless person out to lunch and get to know their story.
I leave it in God's hands where it will take me.


We also had an Anderson meeting and a sixth floor meeting.
We all ran around our dorms giggling and talking until one in the morning.
Time for lunch with "da ladies".


Hannah Joy.

P.S. I have a lot of pictures to show! So be patient!