Jubilee!

Every fall the churches in the area get together for a Jubilee celebration. Jubilee comes from the the Old Testament, or Torah, in Leviticus 25. I'll let y'all look it up if you want to read it here Leviticus 25

Our modern rendition of Jubilee happened this past week. People in the community donate stuff. Piles of clothing, food, furniture, and toys. Individuals who have a need for anything can come and choose what they want to take home. In addition to the stuff, there are also bounce houses for the kids, dentists for a free check-up and booths advertising for various services. My dear friend Beth has been involved with Jubilee since its inception. I have heard about the celebration for years but was finally able to take part!

Here is a bit of the crowds. There were lines and lines of people! It was incredible!

Beth's child, Cora was so happy to see her Papa (grandpa) and get a balloon! We had a lot of fun together.

Finally, here is my Mom and her friend Marcy. They have a free ESL class for women who want to improve their English. They had a both to advertise the class.

I am so glad to be in Minnesota and to be able to be part of our community's Jubilee!

Coffee Shop Watchin'

This morning I spent some time in a coffee shop in my town. While the majority of my time was spent job hunting, I did a bit of people watching as well. I love people watching. My main reason is because you get to know the culture of the place, the nuances of its people, and the realities they face. People's dress, body language, hair, interactions, drink orders, and companions all say something.

Minnesotans are funny people. They are fiercely loyal. They are usually quite nice but it will take years to actually get to know them. They take pride in their ability to live and thrive through four dramatically different seasons. They value family- not just your partner and a few kids- but the whole crew, grandparents to new babies and everyone in between.

I enjoyed watching the mama's in the coffee shop with their faded jeans and printed 3/4 length t-shirts gabbing about their kid's soccer practice and how relieved they are that school just started. I got a kick out of watching the insecure teenage couple who were trying so hard to act confident. The business men in the corner with their legal pads and serious discussions. The Baristas acting way to chipper and friendly while helping their customers feed their addiction to caffeine. Life in a Minnesota Coffee Shop is good. Comical in a way. Removed from the realities of the poverty of the world but still faced with daily battles of living.

So is my life in Minnesota. The routine of job searching, making lunch with my mother and sitting on the deck, followed by errands or reading before dinner must be made. Gone are the days of fearing for my life as I am pushed into an over-crowded taxi in Uganda. Yet I can not complain. Another adventure, I'm sure, is on the horizon in the form of a paid job. In the meantime, I will just sip my coffee, applying for jobs, and enjoy the culture of Minnesota.