Changed

We sang this song in church this morning, and the following words arose with my heart.

I have been blessed - now I want to be a blessing

I have been loved - now I want to bring love

I've been invited - I want to share the invitation

I have been changed - to bring change, to bring change.

While at my friend's house this evening we came across this youtube video based on this song. Enjoy, and allow the words to sink in.

How to Build Community.

During my Mission Year, I read a postcard I bought titled how to build community for a fundraiser. Afterwards, a friend of mine asked me if I would make him a collage based on this reading. I finished it earlier this week, and officially have my art hanging up in another person's home! Selling an art piece has been on my bucket list, and it felt great to cross it off! Below is a photo:

Along the edge of the canvas I wrote the different ways we can build community where we are at. They are: *Turn off your T.V. *Leave your house * Know your neighbors * Look up when you are walking *Greet people *Sit on your stoop *Plant flowers *Use your library *Play together *Buy from local merchants *Share what you have *Help a lost dog *Take children to the park *Garden together *Support neighborhood schools *Fix it, even if you didn't break it *Have Potlucks *Honor elders *Pick up litter *Read stories aloud *Dance in the Street *Talk to the Mail Carrier *Listen to the birds *Put up a swing *Help carry something heavy *Barter for your goods *Start a tradition *Ask a question *Hire young people for odd jobs *Organize a block party *Bake extra and share it *Ask for help when you need it *Open your shades *Sing together *Share your skills *Take back the night *Turn up the music *Turn down the music *Listen before you react to anger *Mediate a conflict *Seek to understand *Learn from new and uncomfortable angles *Know that no one is silent, though many are not heard. Work to change this.

I believe these ideas speak a lot of truth to the ways we can build community around us. While living in Atlanta, I have baked extra and shared it, danced in the street, learned from new and uncomfortable angles, and gardened with neighbors to name a few. Join with me, and find a way to build community with those who surround you. Living in community is a beautiful way to experience life.

A BEGINNING.

"AAHHH!!!"

"What am I doing?!?"

"I am crazy, absolutely crazy"

"God, you need to show up, because I took a giant leap of trust by getting on this plane!"

Welcome to the moment of panic I experienced as my friends Katie and Curtis picked me up from the airport on Thursday, September 1. This is an important date. It marks the day I moved back to Atlanta, GA to start a new beginning in my life. I have no job, and no house to call my own (but I am deeply grateful for Pastor Tim and Andrea who are allowing me to live with them until our house is ready to move into).

Although many aspects of my life are up in the air, I call this place home. As cheesy as it may sound, this is where my heart is. I love, and am richly blessed by my neighborhood, church family, and friends. People give generously with sincere hearts. I receive this as Pastor Tim and Andrea welcome me into their family. I have a spot around the dinner table and a comfortable bedroom, and they expect nothing in return. Laura, a dear friend of mine gives me her car to use while she is out of town. This is God providing for me. My needs are met, and I am grateful.

And I've been able to give my time in return, which I love to do (and I have a lot of it while I job search). I have:

• Visited Ms. Barbara at her hospice care. To sit with her was hard for me emotionally, but I was able to love her, and share life with her yet again.
• Squealed with delight as I saw Ameria. Stood and talked with Charles by his gate. Two meaningful relationships I built last year. It's so good to spend time with them again!
• Tutored at S.A.Y. Yes! It has been great to be with the kids again. But I was quickly reminded of my frustrations with the education system as I worked with a 1st grader who didn't know his letters.
• I got to drive Walter and Michael back to Tennessee. It was a beautiful and fun drive with two sweet boys. (Plus I saw the Great Smoky Mountains for the first time!)

Ah, sweet life. You meet me here. Here is to a new beginning full of unknowns. An adventure awaits, a beautiful, full, and scary adventure. One thing I know, I can't do this on my own. So I thank God for leading and guiding me through the motions of life, and for calling back to me when I stray.

Reflections of the Heart

Since Mission Year has ended, I have spent time processing this last year. So much has happened in the last 11 months, and it is difficult to express everything I have learned, grown through, and experienced. Today as I sat in Rembrandt, a favorite coffee house in Eagle, I wrote a prayer in my journal. One I want to share, because I think it simply shares lessons I have learned.

Your movement is everywhere

Your face is illuminated through everyone

Your hope lies in every community

Your love surrounds us

Strip us of the selfishness that consumes us

so we may see your face Lord,

so we may see the need of our neighbor

Give us teachable and willing hearts

so we can live the life you desire for us.

May we praise the work of your hands

And trust in your loving faithfulness.

Amen.

Ameria Prays for my Cooking

I have had a couple of mishaps in the kitchen this last week. First a batch of cookies I made for a community dinner did not turn out, and then I accidentally burnt banana muffins in the oven.

As Ameria and I were waiting for the banana muffins to cook (which should have only been twenty minutes or so instead of an hour -- oops!) she discovered Photo Booth. Her creation? A video and a prayer for my cooking skills. I hope you enjoy the glimpse into the life of sweet Ameria.

Hopes for a Community

Last Saturday while I was walking through the neighborhood I came across a hidden fence on an empty lot. It was painted with the hopes people before me have for our neighborhood. I was encouraged by the beauty that surrounded me. These hopes for our neighborhood are the same hopes my church, team, and I have.

We want the violence to stop. We want the children to stay off the streets and to be involved in educational and sport related activities. We want the drugs off our streets. We want the children to dream big and to believe in their gifts as they become our future generation.

These hopes were painted on the fence (there are more than I pictured). I don't know who it was painted by. It could have been a previous Mission Year team, an organization that came in to beautify our neighborhood, a school, or by youth/adults who live in my neighborhood.

These are hopes that are living strong, and I believe they will continue to. I am committed to live a lifestyle that can bring these hopes to fruition.

The Aquarium!

For my birthday I took Ameria to the Georgia Aquarium (one of the world's largest!) As we walked in to the aquarium, Ameria's face lit up. I am pretty sure we shared the same level of excitement, and I have been looking forward to this day ever since I arrived in Atlanta.

On my birthday I was able to share my privilege with a friend I care deeply for. I don't know if Ameria will have another chance to experience the aquarium. As we walked around every few seconds I would hear from Ameria, "Ms. Katherine take a picture of this!" "Ms. Katherine take a picture of me!" We saw jellies, beluga whales, manna rays, whale sharks, eels, beautiful coral, octopus, shrimp, and sea otters among many animals I've never heard of. My camera died half way through our time, because I took so many photos. (check out my facebook page to see them all).

Enjoy the video and commentary below. And if you ever visit Atlanta, make the aquarium part of your experience.

Mary shares her life.

I have been working on a school project with Mary at S.A.Y. Yes! Part of her assignment was to write about her background. Mary gave me permission to share the story she wrote about her life.

"My name is Ameria Kitchen. I am 12 years old and am in the 7^th grade. My birthday is June 30, 1998 that’s the year I was born. I have 6 sisters and 2 brothers. My brother Carlos went here [Kennedy Middle School] last year. I like having fun and being nice. I love my family and my friends. I want to take good care of my family. I have a mom and her name is Mary Kitchen, and my dad’s name is Horace, and he doesn’t have the same name as us. It is a long story.

My mom and dad always fight and I cry, because kids don’t want their mom and dad to fight so that makes me sad. I am always home. I don’t go anywhere because we don’t have a car, and that is hard for us.

I don't have lots of friends, and I am by myself. It is hard to not have friends, but I have my two grandmas, and my family, and my best friend Ms. Katherine that love me."

I became teary eyed after I read what Ameria wrote. I am thankful to be a friend and mentor in her life. I blessed by the life-giving relationship we have. My heart also mourns and breaks for Ameria. I have so many people in my life who love, pray, and care for me daily. Ameria only has a few. My deepest longing and prayer for Ameria is for her to know our Lord's love and delight. Join me in this prayer.

Jesus Loves the Little Children.

At church this last Sunday we sang the song, "Indescribable" The chorus as I'm sure most of you are familiar with goes like this:

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Later Sunday afternoon, Jarrod showed up at my door. As he worked on our Harry Potter puzzle he began to sing this song. The words are a bit off, but to hear him worship God in this sweet and pure way was a gift to my heart.

As I sat and listened to Jarrod sing I couldn't help but think of the passage in Mark.

¹³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Springtime Jesus

I'd like to share a poem that has meant a lot to me these past weeks. I think it is a perfect time to share it as we have entered into spring season.

Springtime Jesus

You, Springtime Jesus,
just as I'd settled down for winter,
you broke into my heart
and danced your love right across it
in a mad excess of giving.
Just as I'd got comfortable
with bare branches and unfeeling,
just as my world was neatly black and white,
there you were,
kicking up flowers
all over the place.
Springtime Jesus,
I tried to find a way to tell you
that there were places
where you could or could not dance.
I wanted to guide you on my paths
and have you sign the visitors' book;
but you laughed right through my words
and sang to me your melting song,
causing sap to fire the branches,
causing the flames of buds
to flicker into green bonfires,
causing a windquake of blossom,
causing burstings, searings, breakings,
causing growth-pain,
causing life.

Springtime Jesus,
the fullness of life can be frightening
and I'm lacking in courage.
It isn't easy to live with a heart
that's wide open to invasion.
Teach me, Jesus, how to move with you,
step for step, in you love dance.
Touch my fears with your melting song.
Gift me with your laughter,
and, in the mystery of your Springtime,
show me the truth of the blossoming Cross.

I love this poem. I am so thankful God has broken into my heart, even into the places I try to seal off tightly. Mission Year has been a growing year for me, and parts have been really painful. But all of this growth has made me more alive.

A Time of Trials...A Time of Growth....A Time of Hope.

It was Thursday morning. A week before I would fly home for Spring Break. Three of my team members decided to leave Mission Year, Tyler and I, our neighborhood, and our church.

The decisions were sudden, unexpected, and hurtful. So many people were hurt by these actions. While my teammates were enjoying the comforts of home with friends and family, Tyler and I picked up the broken pieces. I sat with a good friend and neighbor on our couch and comforted him through his sobs. I told the kids they tutored goodbye for them. I watched how their absences affected church members, neighbors, kids, and other Mission Year teams and staff members.

Anger, pain, and hurt have been a big part of my life these last weeks, but I have also found a lot of hope.

I cling onto God's faithfulness and love. I find hope in the fact that these attributes never change. They are constant as we live through difficult and joyful journeys.

I also find hope in my greater community. I have been so encouraged and supported by the people who attend New Life Covenant. They helped Tyler and I pull off our fundraiser ( a huge success! More details to come). In the midst of the brokenness in my teams community, our church family demonstrates what true community is.

I've been thinking a lot about what life is going to look like when I return to Atlanta. It will be completely different from what I have known. Life with two people looks totally different. Our activities, outreach, hospitality meals, and evenings in will be unlike the last two trimesters.

No more Settlers of Catan, floor pillow fights with Josh, team dance parties after trainings, squishing in the back seat of the car, meals shared together, walks to the corner store to buy

sunflower seeds and Arizona's, or being told I look like a peacock. These are bittersweet memories for me right now as I mourn the loss of my teammates.

I am still grieving. I am still hurt, and at times angry.

I also have a lot of hope. Change is hard, but it can be oh so beautiful. We will find a new rhythm to life. Relationships will continue to grow deeper, more memories will be made, and summer is on the horizon.

This is the last picture our team took together before Janelle, Josh, and Colyn decided to leave.

Laughter

“A smile starts on the lips, A grin spreads to the eyes, A chuckle comes from the belly; But a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, Overflows, and bubbles all around" Carolyn Birmingham.

I was looking through some old photos that were taken at Twin Rocks. I came across a series of laughing pictures that were taken. As I looked through them my heart was encouraged.

Laughter is so sweet. Laughter can be healing. Laughter creates memories that are reminisced about for years. Laughter makes me feel alive. May you find joy and laughter in your day.

Spring is Here!

We celebrated the first day of spring by going out to Rita's for some free ice-cream! We were able to bring Mary and Jarrod along with us (Jarrod was visiting for the weekend). It was a great afternoon spent with friends. Small outings like these are memories I will treasure.

Ice-Cream on a Cold Day

Since Jarrod no longer attends S.A.Y. Yes! (read about it in the following blog) I am now able to tutor Mary at the church. God answered my prayer in a way I did not expect. Even though this transition has been painful and hard at times I am thankful for it. S.A.Y. Yes! is a place where Mary needs to be. God is at work in her life.

Mary has started to bloom. Her smile radiates in the couple of hours she is at the church. I hear laughter and I watch her play with the other girls. I saw confidence in her body language as a boy told her she looked beautiful. This is an encouraging place for her to grow socially and academically.

One cold afternoon as I was walking Mary home from S.A.Y Yes! Mary asked me out of the blue if I liked ice-cream. Of course! We started to talk about our favorite flavors and how we would have to go out for ice-cream sometime soon. Mary invited me into her apartment with a huge smile on her face. We walked into her small kitchen and Mary went straight to the freezer and gave me an ice-cream bar. She was so excited and giddy about this gesture of generosity. I gladly received the ice-cream and was richly blessed by Mary's love.

As I write this post it is a Sunday afternoon. Normally each Sunday I walk down to Mary's apartment and pick her up for church. Today I wasn't feeling well so I called Mary to tell her I wouldn't be able to pick her up. I went back to bed and later I woke up to a letter a housemate slid under my door. It was from Mary and it said:

Ms. Katheren,

I do not know how to spell your name but I hope you feel better and we can go to church next Sunday. Ok and see you tomorrow at say yes. :) Love you!!!

Oh my, my relationship with Mary means so much to me. I am so thankful for this year where I have been able to mentor and build a relationship with such a sweet girl.

A Hard Day

Jarrod.

One of my favorite kids.

I tutor him everyday at S.A.Y. Yes!

His smile lights up a room.

I receive running hugs from him.

I have watched the way he has grown since August.

I was gone for a seminary retreat in Nashville, Tennessee this last week. When I returned back to English Avenue I learned that Jarrod moved back with his mom. He no longer lives in our neighborhood. My heart broke. I was looking forward to sharing a meal with him on Saturday night. Instead I saw the requested spaghetti, green beans, and key lime pie sitting on our counter untouched. This was his reward for improving his grades at school. When I asked him what he would like to do Jarrod's response was to eat dinner at our house. Precious answer.

I am trusting. Trusting that this is where Jarrod needs to be right now. I am trusting that he is receiving the care, attention, and love he needs. I am trusting that he will discover what it means to be a good friend and to have good friends at school. I am trusting that there will be people in Decatur who will mentor him.

I look forward to Jarrod's visits in English Ave. I don't know when they will be or for how long.

In the meantime I will hold onto many of the sweet memories I have with Jarrod.

*Jarrod wrote me a card. Inside it said, "Mary was a good mom, you might be one too."

*The flower he shyly brought to our house for me.

*Pretending to be chased by aliens and wild wolves on our walks home from S.A.Y. Yes!

*Conversations like the following:
Jarrod: Miss Katherine, aren't you going home in February?
Me: Why would I go home?
Jarrod: For Valentine's Day.
Me: But that means I wouldn't be able to spend it with you.
Jarrod: Oh, good point.

and...
Me:Pluto is now called a dwarf planet.
Jarrod: Is that because dwarfs live there?

and...
Jarrod: Miss Katherine, normally I would run away from you, but today I am going to be good and walk with you.

*Today is a hard day. My first day of S.A.Y. Yes! without Jarrod. I pray that wherever he is, Jarrod feels loved and cared for and that others can enjoy his sweet laughter and loving smile.

Generous Hospitality

Every Saturday we invite people to come and share a meal with us at our home. It is an event that I look forward to every week. There is something special about inviting a neighbor over to eat a meal. This last week my team and I were invited to Charles's home. A man in our neighborhood who we have become good friends with. The hospitality they showed us was such a blessing.

As we arrived we were greeted by many of the grandchildren who live in the house. They beckoned us to play the Wii and before I knew it I was dancing along with Michael Jackson (yes, I do have some sweet dance moves). Once our entertainment ended we were invited to the table where a great feast awaited us. Oh my, we had all different types of wings, enchiladas, salad, the most amazing sweet tea, and potato salad. (I didn't like potato salad until I came to the South -- the same with Sweet Potatoes). We ate in style and had a wonderful time of fellowship.

Once dinner was over Charles pulled out his photo albums. I got to see pictures of him in the 80's with his family reunion t-shirt and knee-high socks with the classic blue and red strips. I loved looking through his photos and hearing stories about his past and family. I am so thankful for their generous hospitality. Charles is very dear to my heart.

Valentine Tea Party!

This month Margaret Ann and Miss. Dean hosted a Valentine Tea Party for the S.A.Y YES! girls. Oh, what fun we had! The girls made Valentine cards and we all enjoyed a meal full of grapes, sandwiches, delicious blueberry scones, and an assortment of drinks, which included lemonade, hot apple cider, and tea. We are so grateful for Margaret-Ann and Miss Dean’s wonderful hospitality!

Love is in the Air!

Hi friends!


I'm excited to be part of what God is doing through Mission Year this year. The poor are being cared for, relationships are being developed, and the Kingdom of God is being built! But Mission Year cannot continue to spread the love in some of the most under-resourced neighborhoods in our country without your help.



I need your support to continue strong in my ministry here! We are doing a Love Drive for Mission Year during the week before Valentine's Day. Please show me some love and consider making a special contribution toward my Mission Year.

https://www.missionyear.org/love/katherinelangley

If you donate $50 or more, you get a special-edition Love Drive t-shirt! Thank you in advance for your support of me and Mission Year.

The Good Samaritan

I want to share a story about Jarrod with y'all. It was a blessing to hear from my housemate Josh.

Saturday is our community outreach day. On Thursday I told Jarrod I would come over to his house to take him to the church to finish his homework project. As I entered his house I saw him on the couch, sick, with tears in his eyes holding a Pepto Bismol bottle. My motherly nature took over and instantly I wanted to take care of him. So my roommate Josh and I went to the store to buy medicine, Sprite, and some popsicles (because every kid wants a popsicle even when they aren't sick). We enjoyed loving on him.

Sunday morning as I walked to church I see a bright eyed Jarrod who comes running towards me. Instantly I knew he felt better. During Godly Play (the Sunday School program my church holds) the lesson was on the Good Samaritan. Josh worked with Jarrod this morning and asked him what it meant to be a good Samaritan. Jarrod's reply was, "it's like when you and Miss. Katherine came and took care of me." Oh this comment warmed my heart.

I am glad this act meant so much to Jarrod. My hope and prayer is that through this experience Jarrod will see how he can help others.

A Shopping Cart

I was walking to work a couple of weeks ago. As I crossed the street I saw an elderly man push a grocery cart up a steep hill. As I walked behind him I felt that wonderful tug of the Holy Spirit say, "offer to push this man's cart." I lacked the courage and felt super uncomfortable, so I ignored the feeling and this man as I walked quickly past him.

For the rest of the walk I was unsettled. My heart lacked peace. As i kept walking I imagined Jesus walking in my place. With great love, sincerity, and grace Jesus would have pushed this man's cart and I believe his life would have been changed. In this moment I received a glimpse of why Jesus' ministry was so powerful. He spends His time with ragamuffins, adulterers, snobs, and sinners just like me.

Olafur Arnalds

My housemates and I have watched this video a lot this past week.

There is such depth and beauty in this song and video.

Peace and love to you all.

Crab Legs and Ke$ha

Every weekend we have a hospital dinner where we invite neighbors to our house and fellowship together. This past weekend we invited Billie and her son Rashiid over. They attend our church at New Life Covenant and our team has built a great relationship with Billie.

Billie is an INCREDIBLE cook! She had us buy crab legs and shrimp. We cooked the seafood together in our kitchen and I had a ton of fun eating crab legs for the first time. It is definitely an art and I think the dead crabs got the better part of me.

After dinner we had an epic dance session to Ke$ha with Rashiid and later on he had "snuggie" dance offs with the guys on my team.

We found a lot of joy and laughter this last Sunday. It is needed when there is such brokenness in our neighborhood.

*the epic dance video will be on this blog once I can upload it to the Internet.

Community and Brokenness

Today at my meeting I read a part of the book, "Community and Brokenness" by Jean Vanier. I was deeply encouraged and challenged by the chapter I read, so I decided the best thing to do is share what I read.

"To be in communion means to be with someone and to discover that we actually belong together. Communion means accepting people just as they are, with all their limits and inner pain, but also with their gifts and beauty and their capacity to grow: to see the beauty inside of all the pain. To love someone is not first of all to do things for them, but to reveal to them their beauty and value, to say to them through our attitude: "You are beautiful. You are important. I trust you. You can trust yourself." We all know well that we can do things for others and in the process crush them, making them feel that they are incapable of doing things by themselves. To love someone is to reveal to them their capacities for life, the light that is shining in them."

"To be in communion with someone also means to walk with them. Those of you who have had the privilege of accompanying people in distress and inner pain know that it is not easy to walk with them, without having any answers to their problems or solutions for their pain. What they need is a friend willing to walk with them in all that pain. They do not need someone to tell them to try to forget the pain, because they won't. It is too deep......"

"People may come to our communities because they want to serve the poor; they will only stay once they have discovered that they themselves are poor. And then they discover something extraordinary: that Jesus came to bring the good news to the poor, not to those who serve the poor! I think we can truly experience the presence of God, meet Jesus, receive the good news, in and through our own poverty, because the kingdom of God belongs to the poor, the poor in spirit, the poor who are crying out for love."

As I read this chapter I realized that I want to make this my prayer. I came to Mission Year to serve the poor, but come July I want to discover that I too am poor.