Keokuk Internship: Spoiled

Wow, every new adventure I’ve done has left me with this feeling. On the first day of classes every school year I get home in the afternoon and take a very deep nap. I had to do the same with Seattle. Boston’s first day was also as taxing. I’m not feeling like it’s impossible, thankfully, but I am noticing that the energy I spent on the first day was mainly through absorbing. I’m not sure how much they know about me yet. I haven’t talked and shared a lot. They do know that I’m good with technology. It’s kind of sad that when I was showing Matt my laptop’s internet connection through my cell phone we realized that it was faster than the church’s connection. Hopefully with the new building the service will improve! Today I got most of the VBS stuff set up on my computer and I’ll transfer it to their server tomorrow morning. I think we may have over 100 kids this summer for the combined VBS we do with the Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist churches.
I am learning people’s names pretty well, though, and am incredibly excited about the new building project. The energy and fellowship that I saw with the team working on the new building was great! Rodger (who I’m living with) and Matt (the Associate Minister at Keokuk) were telling me that the volunteers are retired people who spend four hours each day building the inside of the new building. And I’ll tell you: they have skills! Everyone there gets involved and has a great time talking and sharing in the different projects. I’m still working on names, but the women (Carolyn, Phyllis, Shirley, Mary and Patty) who were working on cutting and installing the ceiling tiles were hilarious. It was obvious they loved the group they were in and the project they were doing.

To say I’m spoiled by the congregation so far is a complete understatement. Bill (the Senior Minister at the church) is gone this week at Week of Compassion meetings and Peter and Annaliese’s Wedding in TX, so they’re having me use his office until next week. When I came in this morning, there was a gift basket that just plain made me giddy! In it was bottled water, Cheerios, trail mix (how perfect!), a Wal-Mart gift card, and something that completely shocked me but was exactly what I needed: a YMCA membership card for the summer!!!! It’s already off to a fun start.