Job Update-Part 2

This week on Monday, I went downtown to By the Hand's Austin site (Austin is a neighborhood on the west side of Chicago) to shadow a couple staff members while they did home and school visits. I went with one guy to one of the inner city elementary schools to visit a couple students that he is in charge of as well as talk to their teachers. Afterwards, I went with another staff member to the home of one of her kids and I listened in as she talked with his grandmother (who he lives with). It was very interesting and it was very cool to see how the staff work with the kids' teachers and parents/grandparents/guardians. And since you stay with the same kids for up to 3 years, you get to know their families very well.

Tuesday, I went to the Cabrini site to attend and observe the after school program there (this is the site where I'd be placed). Within about 30 seconds, I had a couple little girls attached to me. :) It was awesome. I got to talk to the site director there for a while beforehand, and that went well, but I felt a little nervous at that point.

Throughout the day, however, I was able to ask a ton of questions to staff members and hang out with the kids. I helped out in a 4th grade classroom and did some 4th grade homework (I need to work on some math!) and then I went to a 6th grade classroom for a while. It was cool because I felt like I could jump right in and work with the kids like I've been doing all year at my other internship. I had more of a chance to talk with one of the staff members in particular and she was able to answer a lot of questions and just share her experience with this ministry.

The organization drives the kids home on buses/vans every day, so I tagged along with that, too. It was a very eye-opening and helpful experience to see these kids walk into extremely run down apartment buildings in Cabrini.

After the day was over, I talked more with the site director. By this time, I definitely felt pretty comfortable there and I felt much more like myself talking with her. She said that what she's looking for is someone who is able to help with preparing Bible studies and working on chapel, and someone who has administrative skills. I think that those needs pretty much describe my abilities and passions perfectly! I want to be able to teach Bible to some extent and I definitely am a type-A, administrative list-maker. We both got really excited because it seems like what they're looking for is exactly what I might be able to bring to the table.

Thanks so much for your prayers. I did have to miss a class but I met with my prof this morning and got some of the missed material. I do have a final exam in that class next week, so I'd love your prayers for that, too! I was up since 2:45am working on a paper the same day that I did my Cabrini site visit, so thank you so much for your prayers, because I didn't know if I'd make it through the day. I'm glad I drink coffee.

Anyway, things are looking very positive. They're going to get back to me near the end of this week to let me know what the next step is. Please keep praying for wisdom for the organization and myself to see if this really is the best way to go. They all told me to really pray hard about it because it's a very difficult job--it's a lot of work and can be emotionally and physically draining--and these kids have so many problems that it's hard to leave work and not bring those burdens home with you.

Thanks so much for your love and support! I'll keep you updated!