the weekly diJESS

i realized i jumped right into blogging about FOCUS and NST… i didnt even bother explaining or give an introduction for anyone who doesnt know what either acronym is or what my job as a missionary is all about. that will come in due time… promise! after a 13 hour day of training im super ready to get some sleep but i knew i couldnt sleep without saying a few things about today.

• today was our first day of MPD [mission partner development] training. a fancy term for fundraising. yup! we fundraise our salaries. i wont lie… that was a huge turn off for me. who in the world would wanna fundraise their salary?! but its completely humbling and there are so many misconceptions ive had on fundraising. not to mention this isnt “just fundraising” …. we have legit classes and learn about fundraising from a biblical standpoint. we had to read 2 books before coming here and they have def helped in relieving some fears and have given me a reality check in how much i need to trust God. if this is where he has called me, then he will make a way. if i do my part and genuinely work hard, he will do his. class today made me feel and eased some anxiety. not to mention steve is entertaining and an engaging speaker. plus FOCUS is legit in that we get 5 weeks of training.
• i love my college. the college of st lucy has some of the funniest, down to earth and insightful women ive ever met. its gona be a fun/phenomenal/wonderful 5 weeks with them.
• i know ive raved about how great the newman center is here but im also gona have to rave about how BEAUTIFUL the campus is too. univ of illinois at urbana champaign is sooooooo beautiful. so serious. i love walking around the parts of campus ive had the opportunity to walk through but i really want to take a day of my weekend to spend more time exploring. 

reitz lawn say what? this is the view from when i was standing at the union center and across the lawn is an auditorium. ill try taking a pic tomorrow from the opposite side looking towards the union. even the student union is really nice!

i said i wanted to come back and share- voila! i should probably be in bed because tomorrows rotation has my college [what we call our dorm small group. not my placement] for 8am holy hour. so yeah, sleep needs to happen really soon because our schedule runs from 8am-9:45pm. training… woop woop! which leads perfectly into the official first day of classes. i moved in saturday and the weekend was mostly spent getting acclimated to the place. the only official things on our schedules between the 2 days were opening adoration/p&w, mass, character formation and meals. everything else had been a free for all which is why today was very exciting. our first day of classes/training :) a good way to describe today would be a syllabus day because we went over the significant general but not so general things we’d need to know - mission statement, the main thing, leadership formation curriculum with other talks that gave clear vision and defined our work. we have classes about 5 hours a day with a lunch break in between. 

switching gears- last night was the first time my college hung out. I am in the college of st lucy. basically colleges are small groups that comprise of veteran and new staff. here at training we live in dorms and there are 2 dorm rooms per suite, 4 girls all together in 1 suite. and i think its pretty safe to say there are typically 2 suites per college; there are 8 of us women in the college of st lucy. i looooveeee st lucy. i dont know her all that well yet but im so excited to get to know her.

speaking of getting to know…. i am so grateful for getting to know mary bergida. she has played such a huge role in my formation. i think i can safely speak on ericas behalf that we both love her to pieces. 

i posted friday.
i posted saturday.
“and then sunday i rested…” (quote from sherwin as i tell him about my blog)
today is monday… im posting! i’ll share more later :) 

as promised…. i will update more often! how can i not? there is so much to say. I HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD. 

• i am blown away. the newman center is incredible. A CHAPEL, dorms, cafeteria, laundry room, work out room…. i dont know what else… but ALL IN ONE BUILDING. you dont have to leave!!!! except to go to class lol the university of illinois at champaign has a BOSS NEWMAN CENTER. i dont have to leave this building to sit with Jesus. when i leave my room and walk across the building, i can sit with Him… 24/7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what what!? and the chapel is absolutely breathtaking. the stained glass windows are beautiful. the paintings are beautiful. siiiggghhhh
• babies!!! kids!!! there are so many here! catholic families are so beautiful :’) 
• i cant wait to find out where i am placed. im not sure if we find out next weekend but i hope so!!!! we’re all so anxious and excited.
• i honestly believe my co-workers are saints in the making. same with the people at st. a’s…. saints in the making i tell you!
• i love that training began in adoration/praise and worship. 
  
  
   

its 10:48pm ( central time ) and we all said we would aim to sleep at 11 so we could have 8hours of sleep before getting back on the road tomorrow. We being Laura, Megan and I— 2 FOCUS new staff that im carpooling with. so what am i doing here on tumblr? I genuinely want to make an effort to post at least once a week. Yes, life is going to get really crazy but all the more reason to jot it down. There are too many good memories and good times that i dont want to slip away as more good things come. I have so much faith that only good things are to come. I know full well that there will be struggles, burdens and probably times of tears but it all comes with growing up right? And in those moments, i hope that i can take all those emotions and share them with jesus openly in prayer.

anyways i wanted to share a few highlights from my most recent philippines trips :)

• i learned on last years build that every person has their own GK experience. we each live with our own families…. therefore we each receive a different experience that can note be duplicated. our families love us in a unique way. in that same respect i knew going into this build it would be a completely different experience, i was right!
• filpino children are so cute.
• We had a priest named Father Rick come on the trip with us. He is LEGIT
• i had a “DUH moment” epiphany type thing- I made the connection that being on the GK build was an opportunity to practice charity and loving people that i meet on a day to day basis and forming genuine relationships with those people. thats going to be my life for the next two years! 
• in the GK villages, there are always those kids who are super outgoing and bubbly and not afraid to run up to you and hold your hands. its good to spend time with them but its also important to look for the child standing off to the side. the lonely… or those who feel forgotten. thats who i need to look for. thats who Jesus looked for; the lost, the broken, the lonely. i got to do that for one little beautiful girl.
• i learned how much i take for granted spending time with my family- especially my grandparents. they are such beautiful inspiring people. i love listening to my grandparents talk to other people when theyre just sitting along the beach. my favorite is hearing them do boss work in defending the Catholic church. 
• i love my family. both sides. 
• hearing my 2 year old cousin say “mahal na mahal kita” then kiss me as i held him in my arms made me really happy 
• nanay and tatay are two of the strongest people i know. 
  
  i want to come back and post more about my Philippines trip.
  Im gona have so much more to say when i come back on tumblr. FOCUS new staff training begins tomorrorw. im in champaign for 5 weeks. more adventures.
  
  MPD is kinda stressful right now… i hope to learn to love this ministry BUTTTT
  i love my job. :)
  back to work! 

gonna keep it short and simpe— huzzah! another milestone. I praise God for all the graces He’s blessed me with. And to keep it brief like i said i would… beginning tomorrow, life will never be the same! i did a terrible job with keeping this thing up to date but i will make a better effort.  i want to share my adventures with you [whoever is reading] 

Philippines bound tomorrow. I come back May 23, head to Gville May 24 and then May 25 drive to Chicago for FOCUS new staff training until June 30.

Stay tuned…..
:) 

i keep saying how im going to sit down and write it all. there is just SOOOOO MUCHHH though. 

ill just start and end with— classes end next week. my last undergraduate semester EVERRR. it hasnt fully hit me. it does get a little more real everyday. God has been so incredibly good to me. I couldnt have asked for a better undergrad experience. Goes to show how His plan trumps mine. every. single. TIME!! Learning to surrender. With 2 1/2 weeks left with my Gainesville family, i constantly need to remind myself to live in the present. the moment i think backwards or forwards, i lose the now and being fully present to what i am currently experiencing.
/end word vomit/