He's Everything

Hey everybody, Tay-Tay here.


Some of my favorite nights here in Harmons is when we host a talent show at the Harmony House during courtyard time. It is always such a fun time for Americans and Jamaicans alike, as brave souls show off legitimate and silly talents alike. While some acts are quite ridiculous, (like for example we had one guy tonight who stopped a moving fan blade with his tongue), others prove to be quite moving.
Our team this week from Charlotte, NC performed a well known drama choreographed to the song “You’re Everything” by Lifehouse to close the show. You can see it for yourself here:


www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA


While I have seen this particular skit performed on numerous occasions, it never ceases to reach right into my heart and strike a chord. As a result I cry practically every time I watch it, whether online or in person. Embarrassingly enough, I even cried watching the team practice earlier this week. I guess I just can’t help it…I become so overwhelmed with emotion when I see an accurate reminder of how even though as humans we are in perpetual brokenness, Christ never ceases to stretch His love over us as a shelter.


Something I have been learning this summer is how to let God into my own personal brokenness and pain, and seeing this skit once again has reminded me of just how much He loves me and was willing to sacrifice it all in order for me to live whole. In the end, I have realized that no matter what we try to replace God with in our life it will always fall short because He is all we need to fulfill us.If you are feeling broken, or even if you’re not, I would encourage you to take 5 minutes to watch this powerful skit as a reminder of just how great His love is for us.


Love from Harmons,
Tayler

Reunions

Hey everyone, Adam here.

Carmel Baptist has been here two full days now and it's been awesome hanging out with them. It helps that it is the youth group that I grew up in (the picture is of me and Emily Nolte, a girl that I went to youth group with for years and then interned with last year for the youth group). I've really enjoyed reuniting with youth leaders, friends, and students that I've led in various ways throughout the years. Seeing how each individual has grown physically and spiritually is truly amazing. Some of the kids I remember as timid 7th graders are now taking on leadership roles in the church. How humbling to see that God is raising up the next generation while I've been away at college. It can be easy to subconsciously fall into the mindset that God is only at work where we currently are. Thank God that this is not the case, because the impact that I am leaving is so small in the grand scheme of things.

I'm struggling to accept the fact that I have less than 3 weeks left in Harmons. There are so many things I still want to do and so many relationships I want to invest more into. I can only find rest knowing that God had a purpose for me this summer and I may never fully know what it was. Although I may never see the fruit of my labor I trust that God knows what he is doing.

Thanks everyone for the continuous support!

In Him,

Adam

HOLA!

HEY! It’s McKenzie.

The summer staff is reading Spiritual Direction, a book inspired by the thoughts of Henri Nouwen. To be honest, I am not really a fan of reading, and I really don’t enjoy being assigned chapters to read and having conversations about the assigned chapters. But, fortunately some things in the book have really stood out to me, so it makes the assigned reading a lot more bearable!

One chapter, called Who am I?, talks a lot about how we are God’s beloved. Even though the word beloved makes me cringe, the chapter has really made me consider the love God has for each of us. I am not sure that anyone can really comprehend this love, because no one I know can even come close to loving like God does.

Anyway, at one point in the chapter, the author is discussing how we answer the question, “Who Am I?” Like, if I were to write a definition of myself for everyone around me, what would I say? One paragraph says this:

“How much of our energy goes into defining ourselves by deciding “I am what I do,” “I am what others say about me,” or “I am what I have”? When that’s the case, life often follows a repetitive up-and-down motion. When people speak well about me, and when I do good things, and when I have a lot, I am quite up and excited. But when I start losing, when I suddenly find out that I can’t do some task anymore, when I learn that people talk against me, when I lose my friends, then I slip into the pit.”

He goes on to say that this approach to defining who we are is flat out wrong. None of these things define who I am. The only thing that truly defines who I am is that I am God’s beloved. It sounds kind of weird to say, “I am McKenzie and I am worth so much to God.” But it is so true and so forgotten in today’s world. It doesn’t matter that we have a lot of things. It doesn’t matter that we work 99 hours in one week. It doesn’t matter that a friend is talking against us right now. It doesn’t matter that we have made 400 mistakes in the past day. It doesn’t matter that we are recovering addicts. None of these things should be defining who we are.

Maybe this passage has a lot more significance to me than it does for you. This past week was one of those breaking points in my life – one that I think we all experience once in a while. Like when everything that you have been pouring yourself into backfires and breaks you so far down you can hardly breathe. Working in the store every day of every week all summer caught up to me, and I began to feel so weak and frustrated with every aspect of the store. I wanted there to be more clothes to give to the shoppers. I was frustrated with a few people who wait outside the store every day and ask for more. I was mad at myself for not being able to say no. I was mad that the kids’ clothes had run out again. All of these problems are out of my control, but I took all of them upon myself. If I was a better store manager, I should be able to provide for everyone. I heard people cursing me, saying that I couldn’t provide for their families. I saw people walk away disappointed that the store didn’t have what they needed. I heard Americans complaining that working in the store was boring. I was defining myself through the store, through the shoppers, through things that don’t matter.

The only thing that we should allow to define us is that we are worth so much to God, that we are His beloved. We are beautiful, precious beings to God, and we can never do anything that would make Him stop loving us.

Alright, that's all I have right now. Thanks for reading!

Just Bloggin

Hello Everyone! I am finding it hard to believe that we are already coming to the end of July. We are now finishing with our 5th group, and only have 2 more to go. This week has been the craziest that I have ever seen the Harmony House. With a group of over 50, there seemed to be someone every time around. At times it was a challenge to have so many people in the house, but we have overcome the obstacles and have had an amazing week.

The past two weeks since the retreat have seemed to just fly by. I have received a lot of help in these two weeks from a good friend and previous Courtyard Director, Debo, who leaves on Sunday. Thanks to Debo, we have had some of the best Courtyards the past two weeks.

This week I was once again able to spend time with my good friend James at the infirmary. On Wednesday, he was sick and was not himself. I was unaware of what to think; just watching him lay there in pain. I was fearful that it might be the last time that I got to spend with James. I remember praying with him, and for most of the way back from the infirmary. Praying that God would remove the pain that he has been suffering from. Thankfully, I received word on Thursday that James was back to his usual self, and most of the pain had left after taking a little medicine. It feels like such a relief to know that James is doing better than he has been the past couple of weeks. I look forward to the time we still have left to be able to spend together.

This past week was also a little difficult for me in that my Grandfather was taken to the hospital on Tuesday due to small stroke. Knowing that he was lying in a hospital bed, and the rest of my family gathering there, was a struggle. However, he is going to make a full recovery, and I looking forward to being able to spend time together when I return home.

At the times of these struggles, it may feel like we are all alone, and that we to take everything on our shoulders. But God is always there for us. He is our Shepherd who watches over us. He protects and guides us. It is in times of struggles that he is waiting there willing to carry us.

In Christ
Michael

The life of a Jamerican

Hello all. It has been quite the summer and it is slowly winding down. There are only three weeks left and know for a fact that if I were at home working, summer would be dragging on. Even though summer is going so fast, I am determined to make the most of every moment. So for your entertainment I am going to give you a rundown of the fun things I do!! (Other than my job responsibilities).

…Walking to the store to get peanut punch (my favorite)---Peanut punch is like a chocolate peanut butter milkshake in a bag…MMMMM

…Sit in the kitchen in the morning and chat with friends (One of my favorite parts of the day)

…Visiting Nancy and Shalom with Mac

…Visiting Winsom and Nordia…and eating salt fish (doesn’t taste like fish but like salty jerky) and breadfruit (fruit that tastes like bread) and drinking lemonade. Sitting on their beds while they sing and being treated like a real friend.


…Walking to the store to buy sudsud and a blue bar. (sudsud is soap used for washing and a blue bar is used for whites and it gets them whiter than I have ever seen laundry)

...BEEF MEDLEY NIGHT!!! (the one night we don't eat chicken!)

...Making smoothies with Josh and Neil for the team (and eating all the fruit!)

…Making coffee with Dean and Ira…it is a real treat let me tell you.

…Hanging out with Jay (who is in charge of the store).

…Play with the Shaffer kids!

…Walk to my mento, Taylors, house and watch funny movies.

...Laughing until i can't handle it anymore.

I love Harmons. I love the people who have become my family and friends. I love walking down the street. I apologize in advance for all the people who have to deal with me when I get home;). Ha

K adios

Lovelovelovelovelove

Kristaaa

Bloggidy bloggin

Hello All!
This is John. It’s pretty late and I’m tired, but it’s my turn to blog so here we go! I know we say this about every group (and it’s always true), but the group from Hope Lutheran has been really awesome. They’ve worked really hard, and really loved on the Jamaicans a ton. We built a house for Lisa and getting to spend more time with her family was really a blessing. Over the last few weeks the Henry family has really blessed me a ton. From messing around with the kids, having some awesome conversations with Lisa and her parents, to getting cornrows, I really enjoyed the time. They came to courtyard tonight which was really cool (If any Louden/Wesley people are reading this, Lisa said thanks to you guys and I gave her the names of all you who helped build the foundation). So yea, It was a busy week, but I finally feel like I’m getting pretty adjusted to the schedule and my place here in Harmons. I finally know the majority of the people who come around the Harmony House, and I’ve gotten go deeper a lot with some of the workers, my mento, and a lot of other friends. Even though I’m getting excited for my next semester in of college, there’s no way I’m going to want to leave.
Besides the group, there are a couple other people who came down that I’ve gotten to know such as Debo, the Belts, and Jim. Hanging out and talking with Debo has been quite fun, as well as Jim and Jeanette. Life is definitely hectic, but I’m still learning to rest in God and he will fill me up to get through the day. Oh yea, did I mention the retreat was awesome? Definitely needed to get some relaxation time and it was a good time to refocus personally and as a staff. Oh yea, did I mention the rest of the staff’s awesome? Well they are. I’m really proud of them and they’re really good at their job and fit well into that role.
Yea, So I don’t know what else you guys would want to hear about. Hung out with Tarraine, a Jamaican I’m mentoring yesterday, and got to go to meals on heels at Judith’s that night which was sweet. I had a really good time talking to and working with Ganga today, as usual. Played some soccer in the field, then had all the Friday night activities. Overall, a great week and I’m looking forward to the next group of 50ish people. Hope everyone is doing well.
John

Hey everyone! Tay Tay checking in here.


One of my favorite memories from when I was younger was when my parents would let me stay up late and watch The David Letterman Show with them. A highlight of that show for me was the “top 10 list” so I thought that I would share my top ten list with you. Of course, I could quite possibly go on for hours about the reasons why I love being here, but these are just a few of the best! Enjoy!


Top ten reasons I love being on Summer Staff…
10. Getting to hang out with the other summer staffers
9. Bag juice and Peanut Punch. Nuff said.
8. Being able to call Harmons “home”
7. Learning new things (like how to get mangos down from trees by hitting them with rocks for example!)
6. Doing laundry by hand
5. Knowing my way around Harmons
4. Spending time with the Shaffer Kids :)
3. The COFFEE!
2. Being forced to learn hard lessons and work through tough issues with God
1. Being able to build deep relationships with people in Harmons!!


Peace and Love,
Tay

Tough transition

Hey Everyone,

We are back from retreat week and just finished our first full day with Hope Lutheran. Retreat week was a much needed break for the whole staff although my week was a bit different. We drove to Negril Tuesday where the team stayed until Friday. However, I had to fly to Baltimore Wednesday to attend my 19-year-old cousin's funeral services. He was killed in a four-wheeling accident early Sunday morning. It was a difficult week as I tried to grapple with the death of one of my closer cousins, while at the same time trying to help console my Aunt, Uncle and their other children. Whenever someone dies at such a young age I think it's natural to question God about his plan. Sometimes after a little while things start to piece together a little bit and you see some kind of good that has come from the tragedy, but rarely does it ever make sense completely. But that doesn't mean that we can't trust God in our failure to understand.

Flying back to Jamaica yesterday completed a whirlwind of a week, and I must admit that I haven't quite re-adjusted to life in Harmons yet. It may take some time as I continue to think about my cousin while attempting to build relationships in this community. One thing I have been reminded of through all of this is the importance of trusting God. He holds the keys to life and death-- I don't have any control over when I exit this life. I am only 20 years old but I'm already realizing how quickly life is passing. To think that I have any control over my life is ridiculous. And that has helped me to trust God more this week. I find myself worrying so much less about how I'm going to build deeper relationships with Americans and Jamaicans because I know God is in control. I am less anxious before the devotional times because I know that God will be teaching the groups much more in their hearts than my words ever could. As a Christian, my greatest desire (should be but often isn't) to see God glorified. And when I look at scripture I see that God never has much of a problem with that. God will be glorified because he is in control. So what do I need to worry about?

I hope you are all doing well!

In Him,

Adam

Rested and Ready to Go!

Hey guys, Michael checking in again. This past week was our staff retreat week. For our week we spent a couple days in Ocho Rios, and then several days in Negril before returning to Harmons last night. We also had Joey Butler, who is serving as a spiritual leader to our staff this summer, and his wife Dawn down with us for the week.

The week gave each of us time to sit back and think about everything that has happened in the first part of the summer. Also, it allowed for us as a staff to sit down and have some one on one conversations to continue to go deeper in our relationships. Each one of the summer staff held a one on one with Joey to see how we are each growing. Part of what I have been thinking about and working through comes from Luke 12:48, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." This summer I have been given an excellent opportunity, am I doing everything that is asked of me? Also, as Christians we have been given the greatest gift of all, but are we doing what God asks of us? or do we settle in a comfortable position?

Tomorrow starts the second half of the summer. We are looking forward to the four groups that we are about to have. Tomorrow is also the day that Adam is returning! Adam had to leave last Wednesday due to a family emergency, but we are anxiously awaiting his return. It sort of serves as a measuring test of how far we have come in our relationships. We have come so much of a family that we have been in contact with Adam each day since he has been gone.

We are half way through our journey together, and are eager to continue on. Now that we are well rested, we are ready for the next four weeks, and our thankful for all of your continued support. To our friends and family, we miss you! To those who have been here this summer, we are so glad you came and want you to stay connected! To those who are yet to come, we can not wait to meet you!

Michael

STAFF PROFILE!!!

Full Name: Michael Lee Travelpiece
Age: 21
Siblings: 2: Amy (26) and Luke (24)
Job: Courtyard Coordinator
Hometown: Hobbie, PA
College: Geneva
Major: Sociology
Nicknames this summer: not any new nicknames, although I have been told that I look like a kyle
Favorite Meal in Jamaica: juicy patties, rice and peas, ice cream
Favorite Fruit in Jamaica: to hard to choose
Favorite Downtime Activity: playing hoops, futbol, playing with the kids, hanging out with all the Jamaicans
Favorite Sports Team: very tough, either Penn State football or Carolina Bball
Favorite TV Show: Criminal Minds, The Office
Favorite Music: Country with other stuff mixed in such as rap and Disney
What I'm currently learning: a lot of things, but really learning how to truly love those around me

Well, we are now finished with the first half of the summer. Next week we are going to be going on our staff retreat. This means the arrival of Josh and his family, but sadly we will say goodbye to Loyd and Candy. Our first three groups have been great, but I am looking forward to be able to spend some time with our staff. I want to say hello, and that I miss you to everyone back in the states. More to come after the retreat!

There was going to be a picture, but it would not load...

Michael

Staff Profile!

Full name: McKenzie Mary Sauser
Age: 21
Siblings: 2 older brothers, Justin and Brett
Job: The STORE Manager
Hometown: Anthon, IA
College: University of Iowa
Major: Speech and Hearing Sciences
Nicknames this summer: Mac, Mackey
Favorite meal in Jamaica: Patties, Rice and Peas, Jerk Burgers from Island Grille, and Gloria’s French Fries every Friday
Favorite fruit in Jamaica: Pineapple, Papaya, and Black mangoes
Favorite beverage: Peanut punch or Tru Juice
Favorite downtime activity: Going to Opal’s or Nancy’s house
Favorite color: PINK!
Favorite sports teams: I LOVE SPORTS. NOT! But I do have a little love for the Cubbies and the Hawkeyes!
Favorite TV Show: Grey’s Anatomy, American Idol
Favorite movie: Tommy Boy, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days … anything without mythical creatures or scary things
What I’m Currently Learning: To try and see things through Jesus’ eyes and have an attitude like that of Jesus

Blogging experience number 2 was a little easier than the first since I kind of had to tell you about myself in my staff profile! So I hope you feel like you know me better!

Today I went to Shaique’s house to roast cashews with her. Yesterday she brought some cashews to the Harmony House and she agreed to make them again today, in order to teach me how. When I got to her house, she had already picked 30 or so from a tree behind her house. We put some rocks together and filled in the spaces with sticks. Her brother started the sticks on fire and we put a big lid of a kettle on top of the rocks. We put all of the cashews on the lid, over the fire. She demanded I stand 5 feet away from the fire, because otherwise a burning cashew would get in my eye and I could go blind. Fortunately, none of the cashews flew that far but we did get to eat some roasted cashews, hot off the fire.

Well, that’s all for now. Thanks for reading. Hopefully you can roast your own cashews at home now!

KRISTA'S STAFF PROFILE!!!!

Full name: Krista Nicole Diller
Age: 22
Siblings: Andy!:)
Job: Assistant to the directors
Hometown: Lancaster, PA
College: Geneva College
Major: Biology-Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist
Nicknames this summer: I acquired “bam-bam” for a little, now it’s back to “shorty”
Favorite meal in Jamaica: Pepper steak and mashed potatoes!
Favorite fruit in Jamaica: Pineapple
Favorite beverage: PEANUT PUNCH! (It’s like a chocolate peanut butter milkshake in a bag!
Favorite downtime activity: walking the roads of Harmons
Favorite color: Brown
Dominant hand: Left
Favorite TV Show: House, Friends
Favorite Movie: Serendipity, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Singing in the Rain
Hobbies: I’m pretty good at sleeping and doing dumb stuff with friends
Favorite Music: I love music, all kinds…music is liiiiifeee…ha

Yet another turn of mine to blog! Everyone get excited. Harmon’s has been great the past few weeks. It’s activities has contained plenty of walks to visit friends, peanut punch drinking, bonding with the summer staff when mice were found in the staff room, and just overall good times.

I have quickly learned that home isn’t just the place where we live, but the places God calls us to. All the summer staffers catch ourselves saying “Let’s go home” when we are away from the Harmony House and each time I hear it, it puts a smile on my face. Harmon’s feels like home because of the wonderful staff I am surrounded by, being able to walk to Jay’s with Tayler, visiting my mento Taylor down the road, shouting people’s names when I walk by their homes, and feeling love being poured out in each conversation. Home isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling.

So whether home be Lancaster, Geneva College, Jamaica, or my new residence in Fairfax Virginia (Which I am super excited about!), I know that I will love each “home” just as much as the last because God is calling me to great things and everything that occurs will lead me somewhere new, to a new home, where even if my family and friends are not present, God is in total control and I will always be home.

I miss all of you at home and people from previous groups!

All love all the time,

Krista