Hambones' Reply

yo peeps,

as usual, life is crazy and i don't have much time to write, but
here's my status on things for next year and the AT:

I like the idea of the flip-flop if everybody's cool with starting
later. Exactly how late will depend on several factors. I'm now
taking steps to actually apply to this Eastern MA program and ask a
bunch of questions about it. It's the maiden year, so I have a
feeling things are VERY rough and there might be a lot of logistical
nightmares in front of me. At the same time, I love everyone I know
who's involved with Mission Year and Eastern, so there are sure to be
some kind spirits to ease the pain of the process.

The website says that the last class officially ends June 25th. But
from May 14-June 25, it only has one full time class listed and one
2.5 day class with "follow up September-December." Whatever that
means! So I'm in the process of getting answers on what all that
means. Maybe it will be so involved that I can't do both it and the
trail at all (in which case I'll choose the trail). Maybe it will be
so lax that I can find a way to take the one class early and the other
correspondence or something and I'll be done the first week of May. I
don't really have any way of knowing until people get back to me.

Other than the whole Eastern possibility, hopefully paired with some
work with Build-a-Bridge, Intl, an arts education organization in
Philly that works with at-risk youth where apparently Trista McGetrick
works now...I don't really have any concrete job opps for next year.
Unless I fall back on working for Urban Promise again. I'm really not
feeling the call to this at the moment, but there's nothing I dislike
strong enough about it to give it a definite "no" before I have
something else lined up. As for going back to Chicago, I also have
been unable to find any good connections there yet. I'd love to be by
the fam and a few other peeps scattered about, but there haven't been
any really attractive living or working opportunities that I've found
so far.

In terms of the trail itself, I really know almost nothing. I haven't
been able to get my hands on a book and my internet time is very busy
and limited. I'm going to have to get my info from you guys until I
can get my hands on a book, etc - probably not until I get home in
August. I did meet this lady at one of the places where I work who
told me she had some great videos about it that she would send me, but
I haven't gotten them yet. If I do, I'll be sure to pass them on to
y'all after I've had my share.

Motivations-wise...at first I was really concerned about the need to
"help people" during that time and a fear that 6 months of not working
was a really selfish thing to do. The more I've let the idea simmer,
though, the less I've been concerned with those factors. It just
feels like a cool thing to do. Not cool as in "I'm more hard core
than you", but cool as in amazingly challenging, fun, beautiful, and
spiritually eye-opening. Renee Marshall told me she loved the
community she ran into on the trail, and sometimes she wishes the
Church would be more like the people she met there. I think
interacting with God's children will be a big part of this journey.
I'm not sure if I'll need the trail as release from the city or
not...I'm not 100% burned out yet, but who's telling where I'll be in
a year. If I can spend a year or two in the city, though, I can
certainly spend 6 months in the wilderness. Sounds like a necessary
balance.

There's also the fabulous factor of you guys. I feel like this era of
life is exasperating, especially in the realms of careers and boys and
marriage, children...a lot of crazy crap going down, even within our
little quaddie. A couple of the only solids amidst all this are God
and friends, and I can't imagine anything more healthy and clarifying
that a lot of quality time with both. After that, who knows what'll
happen. We may never have a chance to do something like this - just
us - ever again. Maybe we will, but I don't want to let the
opportunity pass. Especially based on my converation with Loo
yesterday, I've been appreciating how unconditional the love of
friends really is, and how beautiful an institution it is. SO much
less perverted by the world than romantic love, I think. Amen to
that. And Amen to you!

On that note, I gotta sign off. If I forgot to add anything, I'll try
to let you know tomorrow...I'm leaving early Friday morning for
Atlanta for the weekend, so tomorrow is the end of email contact with
Lizzy I guess. I'll let you know when I get any answers from the
Eastern people, too.

I love you all SO much! miss you mucho! you are beautiful!

mwah,
Devo