Who would of thought learning truth tables as tools for analyzing compound propositions would be so easy?

I didn't, but learning them is sure easy. Before I go into that let me aplogize for the bad grammar on the last post and all my other posts. I guess I don't take my time going over my writing like everyone else. I met with Mary Anne Meyer yesterday, the best counselor at PCC. We met to discuss the who ordeal about me not being able to graduate in the spring due to needing another class. She looked at my file and said it was a mistake on their part again. This is like the fifth mistake the administration has committed with my file. To list a few, having to take three extra courses I didn't need, not registering a class i signed for attended and got an A for it. The list goes on and on. But at last, as long as I pass the class i'm taking right now I'll have an AA at the end of this semester. Thank God, I thought I was never going to be able to finish.
This fall I will be finishing my BA at Washington State University. Go cougs!!!!!!

Tonight i'm hanging out with my boys. I plan on talking to them about what is going on with Harambee and me having to move out and all that. I think we might watch a movie or something. I wanted to go out and do something. But I only have $19 in the bank account. So, if you would like to contribute hit Pay Pal on the side. God is good though. A lot to be thankful about.

Tomorrow I head south. Spending sometime of my day in Lake Forest. Going for a conference and looking foward to it.

Nada que contarles....

Estos ultimos dias me la he pasado estudiando, tomando cafe, y mirando peliculas. Leyend un libro llamado, "A Gringo Manual On How To Handle Mexicans" by a guy who's last name is Gutierrez. In it there is an essay on powerlessness by the author and he also list some cases in which the "man" has gotten over on Mexicans. I like the book. I'm expecting another book by the same author called "The Making Of A Chicano Militant" about coummunity organizing, both books are about community organizing and empowering communities.

Today estoy en la escuela all day. It is boring here. I came in for an appointment with one of the couselors. A few days ago I received a letter from the school saying I didn't meet the criteria for Spring graduation. Not good news for right now. The counselor told me it was a mistake on my part and fixed the situation. She said there is nothing for you to worry about Sergio and you will be able to graduate in the spring. I decided to stay here and study instead of go home and study there. That was not a good idea. Its supa boring here. I did get some study done and watched some Seinfeld and Family Guy. Now i'm waiting for my class to start which is not for another hour or so.

Chilliando en el Higley's
I came up to La Cañada for a few hours to do email and enjoy some good cafe at the same time. I was thinking about how good God has been to me and still is. Right now by providing a condominium with plenty of space and food for me to enjoy. I spend the majority of the day quietly which is really nice. No one knocking at my door, needing something.
And although staying where I am is nice, the outside is no beautiful the way God intended it or maybe God didn't intended it to be that way. A couple of nights a go I witness a guy taunting a girl. I felt like stepping in but it seem like she was in a relationship with this dude. Instead I said a prayer and walked to my destination.

Its nice being surrounded by wise guys. Yesterday, my best bud and I went over to have Passover feast with Derek Perkins and his family. We shared the meal with the Carrascos, Williams, Little Ronie, Victor, and the Greens. Derek, the old testament bible scholar, read out of Exodus and what it means to us as Christians to celebrate the Passover. After we read from the bible, got an explanation from Derek, prayed, I got to carve the lamb leg and serve the meat. It was an awesome time of repentance, forgiveness, thankfulness, joy and peace and a greasy lamb leg.

Honoring Welcome

It seems like my days are longer now a day. Part of it because I don't have to tutor during mid day. I was thinking about what I miss in terms of the tutoring time I spent. Grinding the kids about their homework I don't miss, but I do miss seing them run eargerly to be the first one in line before getting signed in to afterschool program. It feels nice not having to worry about getting them to do their homework. I miss talking to the moms that came and dropped of their kids. Especially the ones that brought me food almost every day, from enchiladas to tamales when they dropped of their kids. I think I need to go and visit them let them know what I'm up to. I'm sure it was surprising when all of the sudden they didn't see me waiting from them at the gate.

Last night was awesome. I was greeting with candles and three welcoming hearts belonging to the three friends letting me stay with them. We gathered in a circle and they asked me how the house could be of better benefit for myself. I told them being their under their prescense was ministrying to me, having an open place where to rest my head. They took turns telling me how they feel about me staying there, they said it was an honor to have be stay with them and have the house be a place of rest, transition, and restoration from the last four years of ministry and serving that I've done. They also said they recognize and have seen how i'm been chasing after Gods heart, and seeking fulfillment in the Lord. It was good, it was what I need to hear right there. They told me to feel free to eat their food and ask for any help with finances or other needs that I have. Man! I was humbled.
My mentor and his wife asked to let me stay with them as well they would only ask me to vonlunteer at least a day with the center they run for children and adults. I told him i would problably be there every day. Thanks man.

I went to see "The Interpreter" last night. I enjoy movies that make me think and keep me in suspense. They story takes place mainly in the UN involving international government. It made me think about how we need to be careful about the words we speak and how you speak them to and how you convey them across. It was a good film.


song of the day, "Don't you forget about me" Simple Minds"

What the heck, I still have 7 weeks before I move up north...
Let me finish writing on this thing since i'm still doing ministry with the boys I'm mentoring. I figure I can finish this online journal until my time is up doing urban youth ministry in the big city.
This week has been a bit surreal for me. I was fired from my job and asked to leave where I was living all due to being guilty by association. So, I apologized for my lack of thought and I move out of my house and in with some friends.

Other than the sudden changes in my life, I'm good. Its going to take a while to process all my thoughts but its good. I've learned a lot about ministry through my stay here and the current results.

Yesterday I was hanging out with one of the families from the community. Catching up on how the plans for their daughters quincieañera are coming along. Hung out with one of my guys, visited a half way house for cocaine addicts and rested. Started watching season 1 and 2 of family guy. Funny stuff.

thats all whats going on con este vato loco.

As I was studying for my Philosophy class, I started thinking about Martin Luther King speech "I Have A Dream".
His dream was of a future in which his children would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. As I look around at my community, myself, the people that surround my life, the people that have surrounded my life in the past, I wonder how many of us judged by the color of skin. I'm thinking about how to teach that to they guys in my bible study. How can we as inidividuals look at someone and discern about them based on their character and not appearances. Many times I have judged based on appearances and I've learned not to do that. I have learned how to look at a person and examine them based on their character not the image they put out. I felt it when and know when people judged me based on the color of my skin, my nationality but I've learned to see pass the negativity into where that judgement was coming from.
Its good, I'm thankful that God has been teaching me so much.

I have never seen anything like it...

I am in Silverlake near the corner of Alvarado and Sunset. This place is called Lucy's laundrymat is a Starbucks/laundrymat/subway/checkncash all fused into one with fast hiwi. Thanks Rebe for el tip, I like it here.

Afterschool @ Harambee

Getting ready to start a little football game.


Run Keith run.


Jonathan getting ready to go after the QB.


Omar working the defense.


Go deep


Jeremiah covering Jonathan.


Kick off.


I said only one picture Sergio


Lupe always smiling.


Our associate director John Tipton working with one of the youth from the community.


Its about time Mr. Jones did some real work around here. Just kidding man.


One our junior staffers playing with the kids.


Vidi reading to Danny during homework time.


Its not always happy times at afterschool.

I took a career profile test and this is the results it gave me:


Your career profile shows you are a Commander.

As a Commander, you are the most equipped of all personality types to be a leader, and if you are involved in a project, it is difficult for you to do anything except lead. As a leader, you bring a strong blend of vision, accountability, objectivity and people skills. You have a unique ability to create innovative long-term strategic plans, while maintaining short-term goals and objectives. You make sure that a good idea becomes reality, rather than remain fantasy; and you understand and enjoy solving complex problems that are encountered along the way. You can sometimes seem upset or angry when speaking with others, but you should alert them to view it as nothing more than enthusiasm and "healthy discussion".

What has Sergio been doing? Too much if you ask me. I just got done applying for three scholarships for which i'm confident I will receive benefit. I'm sending a letter to the director of special programs for the school dirstict in which I will live in seeking a postion they open as a migrant home liason. The job is much like what I want to do for a career as an educationl counselor except with this job. I will be visiting with parents of migrant children at home. It sounds like a perfect fit for me, praying God will bless me. It is only a part time job but the pay is good enough to have steak a few times a week. Instead of puros frijoles and tortillas like I've been doing the last four years, okay okay its not that bad. Tomorrow l meet with the dirctor of the ministry for which I want to intern with. She is taking me out to breakfast and to do a pre interview. After the pre interview. I get a formal interview and if the formal interview goes well, I am put infront of a panel of the team leading this ministry. Its sounds like a lot but the benefits are great. The ministry is intense, almost like survivor, but in a ministry kind of way.
I'm defenitly excited about this one. I pray all you punks who read this are doing well. Pray for me. Peace from God because there is no other.

Oh, I almost forgot. I got an email from PRISM magazine, telling me the like the pictures I took from them. They are reviewing and will contact me as soon as they decide which ones the want to use. I'm not singing victory over this yet but i'm excited if they do pay for using them because then I can add that to my resume.

I have been busy finishing scholarships applications, and applications for Heritage University and Washington State University. The several essays I have to write is what is taking me the longest to complete. Alos, getting in touch with both schools to get information on where to send transcripts.
Filing for scholarships is always frustrating because of the number of requirements they ask of their applicants but its a learning process and it has been teaching me patience. In the future I would like to start a fund but for now I need to focus on applying for funds so I can finish my degree.

 
You are an Internet Addict ... IF ...

You refer to going to the bathroom as downloading.

Your bookmark list takes 15 minutes to go from top to bottom.

Your nightmares are in HTML and GIFS.

You start introducing yourself as "Jim at net dot com."

Your heart races faster and beats irregularly each time you see a new WWW site address on TV.

You turn on your intercom when leaving the room so you can hear if new e-mail arrives.

All of your friends have an @ in their names.

Your dog has its own home page.

You can't call your mother... She doesn't have a modem.

Your phone bill is as heavy as a brick.

You don't know the sex of three of your closest friends because they have neutral nicknames and you never bothered to ask.

Your husband tells you that he has had the beard for 2 months.

You wake up at 3 a.m. to go to the bathroom and stop and check your e-mail on the way back to bed.

Your wife makes a new rule: "The computer cannot come to bed."

You ask a plumber how much it would cost to replace the chair in front of your computer with a toilet.

Your wife says communication is important in a marriage... so you buy another computer and install a second phone line so the two of you can chat.

More Pictures

We didn't do nothing too exciting on Thursday. Pastor Lynn had the boys over for a bible study. After they studied they made thank you cards and helped her clean her house.

The boys having bible study.


Making thank you notes.


Playing a little piano.


Ferni helped cleaned the outside of the house.


Chuy got to do the vacumming.


And Bryan got to do the dusting.


After we got done at Pastor Lynn's house we went over to say goodbye to Cheryl and Glenn at The Center For Sharing. That evening Anne invited us to have dinner at her house. Good times. Part of my community was there to share the night with us. After dinner and dessert we worshiped and prayed together.

Anne and her younges son Simon.


Group shot


Not exactly sure what Rigo was doing in this one.


The next day friday at 4am we were on our way back to California
Sunset on our way down highway 97


We stopped in Klammath Falls to get some hot chocolate and rest a litlle.


The boys enjoyed being in the snowed very much.


Brying trying to catch some snow.


After we left Klamath Falls we followed this thing for about 30mins. I was a little worried about the road conditions but thank God we were able to get across Oregon safely.


I stoped in Winema National Forest to rest and allow the boys to run around a little bit. They enjoyed trying snowballs and making snow angels. And i'm glad they took the camara with them.







This has been the longest trip I have ever taken with youth. And I am committed to never doing that on my own again. It was both physically and emotionally draining. I got a lot of rest over the weekend but not completly recovered.

Pix Wednesday

On Wednesday we drove out to Jubilee to visit with Ramiro at Jubilee and see some of the guys I've helped get up there. We had fun eating, worshiping and playing soccer with them.

On the way to Jubilee


Took a picture with Jose, ex-sheriff and now doing counseling there, and Miss Rose who is incharge of office administration.


Eating brunch with Ram.


Bryan was happy with the food.


My nephew Eric


Worshping at Chapel


They have a good worship band compsed of boys from Jubilee


Getting the tour of the dorm. This was inside of Ramiros room.


This was inside Chris's room. The other guy that gave us the tour.


Ramiro is learning how to play the guitar.


Chris played some Nirvana for us.


We didn't get to ride horses for liability but we got to pet some of the animals which was not as exciting but problably safer than riding the horses.


Ramiro guiding the miniature donkey hold up.


My nephew and Ramiro testing out their roping skills.


Ramiro posing with Thor


Rigo trying to mess up thors due


One of the many horses at Jubilee


Chuy liked the steers they had


More miniature donkeys


Nice horse


A little soccer


The boys got a ride in one of the tractors by jubilees educational director


On the way back from Jubilee we stoped at Broetjes apple packing plant to tour the plant and pick up my mom. Thats mi mum.


Apple sorting


The boys checking out the line


group picture


I guess they really enojoyed it.


That evening we went to visit a church and their youth bible study. This is a group shot. The bible study is called power zone led by Carol Shue and Nancy.



I'll put up more pictures later. I'm still tired from the drive and want to sleep.