My Fifth Blog

Do you ever wonder why birds aren't as amusing when you aren't eating something at an outdoor cafe? I do. It keeps me awake at night. I've had nightmares about birds leaving me alone when I'm not eating outdoors. I might ponder that a little too frequently, but through the tears and the sleepless nights I've realized something, maybe they're just after the food you're eating. That started to really annoy me though, my hard earned dollar is mine to spend, and why should a bird feel entitled to it at all? Can the bird not find a decent job? The city bird is the most despicable bird of all, it decides the wild is too wild, and decides to try to leach off of the rest of us. I don't understand birds at all.

Let's set aside birds for now, I'll get back to them later. I have more important things to say. Right now I'm in Sydney with my parents and little sister. While walking around watching street performer after street performer, I've reached an undeniable conclusion about all street performers throughout the world: the human statues are a disgrace and a joke. You know what I'm talking about, the street performers that will where shiny clothes, where a mask, paint their hands and face, and stand still and then if you walk close enough they'll move suddenly for shock value. I've always wanted to sneak up on one and scare it. That'd serve it right. I bet they don't even have an annual convention or forum to validate themselves. No corporate plane, no paid vacations, no overtime payments, not dental, and no health benefits (not that it would matter in australia seeing as a doctors appointment is $5). Does anybody benefit from standing still? The only people the Human statues fool are children under 4 who have way smaller brains than me. Has it been any child's dream to be a human statue? Has any parent anywhere encouraged this type of behavior? If my child where to say, "I want to stand really still and then give people a heart attack and then ask them for money because I think that's an honest living." I would have no hesitation to ground him for at least a year.

I was walking by the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney on our first night here, and I saw the doorman opening the door and I became slightly envious. What a great job, all you have to do is greet people with more money than they know what to do with, and the bigger your smile, the bigger your tip. Imagine opening a door for money. I can't help but remember the new-age saying, "chivalry is dead". In my sociology class we explored that belief briefly, after a heated debate, we came to no conclusion, the class was too divided. We were asking whether the men caused it by refusing to be chivalrous, or if the women caused it by acting less than lady like. I have reached a new conclusion, it's the doorman's fault. Why open the door for a woman (or man) if you aren't getting paid for it? It's also a new-aged belief to leave your work at work, and keep your personal life personal. So why do anything you would do at work if you aren't making a financial gain for it. What about me?

Let me subtly transition back to human statues. Not only do I find it impossible to respect them, I find it even less respectable, if they're constantly moving. There's one right outside some shops across the harbor from the Sydney Opera House that's a joke. I didn't see a single coin in his hat. He was always adjusting into a different position, thinking maybe the next one will food somebody. After studying him for about 15 minutes, he had success on a toddler who was walking over to examine the hat at the statues feet. The hat would have been put to better use on the toddler's head though, I've always thought babies trying on adult clothes was cute. I frequently buy clothes several sizes too big and take a picture in the mirror, but it's not as cute as the birthday cards in hallmark.

I've always wondered why people are alarmed by statues with an upside down hat at their feet. People should have advanced enough to realize that's another person. We're supposed to be the most sophisticated animal, but even after my family installed a fancy invisible fence, my dog was smart enough to not run outside the yard after she got shocked.

Now that I've got all those thing I've been meaning to say off my mind I can get down to telling all 5 of you that read my blog what I'm actually doing in Australia:

I'm living in Clarkson, Western Australia with Michael Parker, his wife, and 2 of his children. I am learning youth ministry from Michael and Dave Brewer through a program called the Catalyst Program, which is an alternative school. The kids enrolled in the program all struggle with a mainstream school setting, for one reason or another, they can't function in a regular school, whether that reason is an interest in a different subject than the rest of the students, or if it's trouble with the law, or anything in between, they can find a place they're comfortable with in the Catalyst Program.

The Catalyst Program was going to offer a place to stay for the students who don't have a place to stay also, but that fell through after the Carabooda house was puled out from underneath us. Michael is still working on finding a place for them though; right now in Perth, there is no place for youth other than their parents homes, even if they are abused there. Unless the kids know the right people to find a place to sleep, they're going to be living on the street, which is frequently the reason they've been in trouble with the law. Right now, their are 4 people working for the Catalyst program, Michael, Dave, Gary, and myself, and support from a few more good samaritans who make everything possible.

I lived in a house with 4 homeless kids for 3 weeks and spent all of the money I saved for my trip (on silly things like food, petrol, and credit for my phone), which is a time I look back at fondly, and I truly miss. If anyone had asked me if I could continue living there at the time, I would have faked a bitter laugh and said I couldn't last another day. While I was there I didn't realize I had a purpose, I had a reason for why I was there. I really wish I had realized what I was at the time.

I also am involved with the church Michael runs (the Ocean Keys Community Church). The most important word of the title is Community, not only because of the incredible community that's been built at the church, but because of their focus on helping everybody outside the church, and putting their life aside to help somebody else's. They are some of the most amazing people, the don't seem to want more and more for themselves, they see what they have, and want their lives and luxuries for people that don't.

Sunday mornings are nothing like I was used to when I was working at Trinity Lutheran Church, which was much larger than the Ocean Keys Community Church, and had a larger staff than OKCC. Trinity does some great things, but there are some differences. Here, the Pastor goes to set up the church in the space they rent at the local youth center 3 hours before church starts, the congregation waits for the notorious fiery and thought provoking sermon, which frequently will spark a question from somebody mid sermon that's on everybody's mind. At the end of the service, we discuss each other's week, play some pool, drink coffee, and make jokes. It's great knowing I'm a part of that, however insignificant my role is, it's still good knowing I contribute. The church isn't so large that it's formed into groups, they are all very much one group, and it's inspiring to see people united in a time where everybody seems to be polarized politically, economically, and otherwise. None of the inane arguments matter at all the minute you get through the door of the Ocean Keys Community Church, because they really are a community. 

What I've learned most from the program is akin to the title of that wonderful 80s hit by the band Journey, "Don't Stop Believing". Although it has a slightly different meaning here, instead of believing in a small town girl living in a lonely world who took a midnight train going anywhere, or a city boy born and raised in south Detroit, who also took a midnight train going anywhere and happened upon the small town girl, I've learned to never stop believing in people who struggle with their meaning, with their future, and their general outlook on the world. They might be cynical, they might seem like they're into the wrong things, but that's what their life so far has taught them; it's Michael's job, and Dave's job, Gary's job, and my job to show them their is purpose, meaning, and good in the world. It's an impossible message to give to some of the kids, who have been through more than I can imagine at their ages.

For a minute, try to imagine growing up with an abusive drug addicted, drug dealing mother. You're 15, and you have a father who's forgotten you. You formed habits from your upbringing that you're trying to break, but need help with. You live day to day, hoping you can find something to eat today, that you won't get caught stealing something to eat. You don't have a dollar to your name, you hope for money, but it seems like it'll never come. Unless you've figured the world out at 15, your probably not going to grow up and brag to your friends over an expensive meal that your life is a hallmark story of rags to riches.

It's funny how you're reminded of what you're really around to do. Too often we get caught up in a rat race, and forget you can help more than just yourself. It might take a small reminder now and then, but it'll come, and you'll remember. Whether it's a panhandler that catches your eye in a way that makes you want to cry, or if it's kind words you've heard that you want to pass on, something will remind you. My ambition is more than just for myself, it's for the people I can help to get to where I am.