Ministry at Epcot

Each Friday is our "campus ministry" day. It is unique to other interns experiences because the "students" we talk with are interning at Epcot. There are over 5,000 international interns working at Disney - all starting at various times of the year, so the turn over is relatively quick.

We start in the morning, most importantly in the word together for a devotion. This gets our hearts and minds ready and focused on what's most important - obeying God and bringing Him glory - specifically in our soon-to-follow-ministry. We then have a training time on ways to approach Disney interns, road blocks we may face, creative conversation starters, etc. We then branch out in to our teams: Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.

We then head to the park to eat lunch as a team and pray for each country before walking around and talking with interns about their specific countries. The strategic part is figuring out how to bridge natural conversation to spiritual content. I am SO EXCITED to be focused on the French interns. I feel I can relate to them as I just got back from France, learning a new culture, making new friends, not having a car and even being new to Orlando. I've become facebook friends with several of them and I am hoping to practice French/English with them. I am hoping God will soften their hearts toward Him in the process.

This Friday, after our day of ministry, my roommates and I decided to walk around Epcot. One of my roommates, who is on team Africa, made a friend with a girl from Morocco. It was great to spend time with her and learn more about her life in Morocco, her culture, how she likes her internship and her experience here in America. Spending time with her was so great! It got me excited for the future friendships I know God has in store for this year.

Coming September 30th in Theaters

I saw this at CSU this summer. It was pretty good... Go see in theaters September 30th.

Fall

Fall here in Orlando is very different than the traditional Falls of Michigan I have grown up with. In fact, it's more like August weather daily - with the addition to daily showers at 4:30 p.m. When flying home last weekend (I was in on of my closest friends wedding) I took this picture:

Cool huh?

Anyways, recently, I have found myself "grieving" a little for the "normal" falls I have grown accustom to. The reds, oranges, yellows and browns of the changing leaves;

a glass of cold apple cider and a spice donut after a day of picking apples at Erwin's Orchard;

raking and jumping into the big piles of crunchy, fallen leaves;

even going to a football game or 10.

I hope you appreciate these things even more just for my sake! :)

Je manque la France

Today, some of my previous team, Chelsea, Eric and Nalani, along with their new team, landed in France today to begin their second year. I am a little sad I am not with them, but I know God has me here in Orlando for a bigger reason.

Today in my part of the office, we are having SMOOTHIE DAY! Smoothie King is coming in to make smoothies for those who work in the National Campus Office. My department, the conference and event team, helps plan days like this. Our goal is to make the office an enjoyable place to work and build community within the whole office - there are over 1,000 employees who work here at head quarters!

Prayer requests:

- I would find a church to get plugged into

- Meet some French girls at Epcot to practice French

- Getting officially settled into my new housing

Consensus: I need to take more pictures

Last year on STINT, of the 40 weeks I was living in France, I averaged 33 pictures a day. In the 3 weeks I have been here in Orlando, I think I have taken a total of 33 pictures. LAME!

This past weekend, I actually flew home for the wedding of my dear friend, Jennifer Flieman, now Visser! Jenn and I met through Campus Crusade, and became great friends on Summer Project (Yeahhh 08 VA Beach!). Brandon was there too!

It was an honor to stand up with them on their special day as they began the journey of marriage. As I have watched Jenn and Brandon's relationship unfold, I have constantly seen them pursue God individually, as well as making Him a priority in their relationship. I am excited to see how God uses them in ministry in the future. These two people are sold out for Jesus, are genuine people and love to have fun! Here is a video from their wedding ...