ELCA Youth Gathering: week 7

I planned lunches for our group and 2 dinners.
Green Dot Stables: Black bean & tempeh sliders
I also had mushroom broth soup, truffle & herb french fries,
mac & cheese (for the table), and a PB&J slider.

This week was one of the most exhausting week's of my life. But it also was extremely fun! Hopefully some of the pictures will do a bit of justice to what we experienced each day.

A bit of background first. The ELCA Youth Gathering is a triennial event where ~30,000 ELCA youth, their sponsors and volunteers descend on a city that has experienced some sort of plight. While in the city, the youth do service projects. This year we went to Detroit. The people of Detroit were so welcoming. There are many news articles you can read about how excited they were to have us there. Previous Gatherings I've attended were in New Orleans (youth group sponsor) and San Antonio (youth participant).

We stayed at a swank casino hotel & got
these delicious turn down chocolates each night!

At this Gathering, ELCA World Hunger had a 27,000 sq ft space to turn into a 1/10th mile-long track in just a matter of days. Participants would carry a 5-gallon jerry can filled with water to simulate the experience of walking to access clean water and then carrying it back with you. On average a woman in Sub-Saharan Africa walks 3.7 miles (37 times around the track) each day carrying this amount of water (~40 lbs)--or sometimes more. Along the way, there were obstacles that made sense for one of four stories they could follow on the track. Each of the stories comes from a location where ELCA World Hunger supports water-related projects. We called this the "Walk for Water.

Inside the track, we had two main areas. The first was a donations area. Besides being an educational activity, it also was quite the fundraiser. We had a goal to raise $500,000 in the three days of the event...and there's even a family within the ELCA that agreed to match that money for $1 million raised for water-related projects! We had a screen that showed synod totals (like small regions of ELCA churches) which turned it into a bit of friendly competition. I'm happy to say that Nebraska started the week out in the #1 spot! Amazingly, we raised $402,000 at the ELCA Gathering. Absolutely incredible the power of the church.

The ELCA World Hunger team + Presiding Bishop Eaton
(this is before the chaos ensued on at the start of day 1)
...look at how awesome that photo frame looks!

The other main area inside the track was called "Dive Deeper." In this space, youth could learn more about water in many aspects. We had relay races to affix malaria nets to cots, team building activities to get water through piping systems from the municipal water plant to houses (this is based on the California drought), "Price is Right"-esque games to learn about virtual water content in industrial products, food, and water consumption in homes. ELCA Advocacy connected youth to advocacy efforts around the clean water act. And we even had an area to relax at our cinema (complete with turf, camping chairs, towels to lay on and picnic tables!).

start.
Each 5-gal jug weighs ~40 lbs

obstacle #1: Heat.
Not always perfect weather for water collection...

obstacle #2: Flood.
We called this the "noodle forest"

obstacle #3: Clinic.
You were diagnosed with diarrheal disease,
worms, or malaria. When you had diarrhea you 
had to sit on the latrine and read The Lutheran 
and learn about oral rehydration therapy.

obstacle #3: Clinic.
When you had malaria, you sat on a cot for 2 mins while learning about
malaria and then took your "anti-malarial" jelly beans. 

obstacle #3: Clinic.
"anti-malarial" jelly beans

obstacle #3: Clinic.
If you had worms, you learned how to wash your hands properly
on our very own Tippy Tap (thanks Pacha Soap for the idea)
and you also learned to spot clean water. 

obstacle #3: Clinic.
spot the clean water
(hint: it's the orange-ish looking one which has been treated with iodine)

obstacle #4: Change in Elevation.
The road may have been paved with good
intentions, but it's not always smooth. 

finish line/home.
You made it! Now go under our 5
awesome balloon arches!

photo op.
featuring nothing other than a balloon arch & the photo frame!

dive deeper entrance. 

higher/lower "Price Is Right" game.
virtual water content in industry: jeans, cars, paper,
water bottles, golf courses

grocery shopping "Price is Right" game.
Using your budgeted amount of water, how many food
items can you buy based on their virtual water content?
1 cup of coffee, eggs, t-bone steaks, cheddar cheese, apples

remembrance of baptism.
We had the globe and the baptismal font
anchoring the center of our space. 

And more than that, we had balloons. So many balloons! The balloons represented a dollar amount correlating to the money that we raised, so by the end of Day 3 we had an inordinate number of balloons all over the place.

Martin Luther even came for a visit!

Each day, 10,000 youth were invited into the COBO Center (where we were stationed) to listen to music, to play games, and to connect to organizations such as ELCA World Hunger and others. I honestly am not sure how many people we had at our "booth" each day, but my guess is that it was around 2,500-3,000 daily. Youth groups were waiting an hour and half on average to walk the 15 minutes or so around the track.

That's utterly amazing to me!

I think that says something truly profound about the youth of the ELCA if they were willing to wait so long to carry a 40 lb jug around a track. I was stationed at the start line of the track and quickly lost my voice after trying to give a short orientation to the track over the rest of the noise in the COBO Center. It was so great though! If you want to hear my spiel, just let me know. I'm sure I can still recite it, no problem.

When we were done each evening, we found a quick dinner and then headed to Ford Field for the nightly programming. There we heard from inspirational (generally young adult) speakers from within the ELCA and then also others who were just phenomenal. My favorites (although I'm a bit biased) were Mikka and Rozella. I also really enjoyed spoken word from TMiller Poetry. There's music, dancing, singing and general excitement at these evening programs...so overwhelming, but also very powerful.

Mikka sharing her story on Wednesday night. 

Rozella sharing her story on Saturday night. 

the view from my seat: Wednesday

the view from my seat: Friday

the view from my seat: Sunday morning worship

My goal for the 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering (in Houston) is to be cast on the Youth Gathering dance team. I don't know who I have to bribe in order for that to happen, but I've been trying to cast a wide net, early and often in hopes of my dreams coming to fruition. We shall see if it happens...

One evening, a few of us staff snuck off to Canada after the evening programming. We were headed for ice cream, but as it turns out, pretty much everything in Windsor, Ontario closes at about 10 pm. The option we were left with were McFlurries. Turns out McFlurries were invented in Canada! Who knew? AND they have different flavors than we do. I highly recommend the Rolo McFlurry.

At the very end of the week, we closed with a 2-hour long worship service at Ford Field. Getting 30,000 people through Communion is just an impressive feat, if nothing else. Presiding Bishop Eaton preached a compelling sermon, there were dancers, and much rejoicing! A great end to a great (and exhausting) week.

Want to see more photos of the experience...from the building demos in the office to setting up the space to the youth invasion? Look at our Storify!

Really the only downside of the whole experience is that my fanny pack broke on the final day and my heart is shattered with sadness. How am I supposed to keep snacks close by at all hours? Or where should I keep other necessities (like my phone, cash and ID) when I need my hands free for activities? I plan to investigate further to see if I can find a fix once I get back to Nebraska, but for now the sadness pervades...

everyone that walked or gave got a button,
respectively. For the brave handful that finished 37x's, 
they got a coveted 3.7 button!

I call this "Balloon Graveyard."

the "Spirit of Detroit" was renewed and re-excited by 30,000 youth! 

Nebraska: The Good Life: week 6

ice cream at work to help us get through meetings...?
Okay, twist my arm!
Youth Gathering prep requires ice cream!

It's really been too long since I was in Nebraska, but the past 3 weeks have been astonishingly busy, so I haven't written anything yet. Week 6 of my internship entailed many final preparations of for the ELCA Youth Gathering as well as the normal daily tasks. I even was seen around Chicago carrying a 3 ft by 4 ft wooden photo frame while I was trying to paint it (photos of the finished frame in the next blog!). I would like to think that me carrying the frame on the train wasn't the weirdest thing to see on the trains--weird things happen on public transit--but it's entirely possible that I became one of "those people" being odd on the train.

On Monday evening, the folks in the Young Adult Cohort had our quarterly call. These are the men and women I spent time with at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (yes, I will eventually write about this...) and it was so wonderful to catch up with them. We also decided to start a book club of sorts, which excites me to no end. The perspectives and experiences of people in this group are so powerful. I'm so excited to call them friends.

Less than $5 for all of this yumminess!

I discovered a Mexican bakery right outside my train/bus stop which I decided to explore one day while I was waiting for the bus. Turns out you can get entirely too many baked good for under $5. I will definitely frequent that place again! I also treated myself to sushi and ice cream from a wonderfully delicious shoppe named "Jeni's." They just nearly missed on getting the name right, but they DEFINITELY got the ice cream right! Each sundae also comes with a waffle cone fortune cookie with you're very own conversation starter question inside. I read "If I Stay" (Gayle Forman) this week and tried reading Diane Keaton's "Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty," but I couldn't get into it. I did make it to a dance class, but much of the rest of the week was doing boring adult things like doing laundry, paying bills, and packing for (2!!!) upcoming trips.

Enso Sushi: Shrimp Shumai dumplings

Enso sushi: spicy scallop & crunchy lobster roll

Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream: Gooey Butter Sundae

Upstream Brewery: pretzels and Gouda beer cheese soup

And finally, Friday arrived. I was heading HOME! I got a ridiculous amount of stuff accomplished in Nebraska while I was home. Dinner with Dad at Upstream Brewery in Omaha, breakfast at Back Alley Bakery with Laura, Dally's Deli for lunch, Kathleen and Chris Smolik's wedding (with amazing conversation with the Koopman/Benson clan), Fab Four reunion, breakfast with my parents at the Goldenrod Cafe, the Hastings Public Library's "Friends of the Library" Book Sale (shout out to my Mom for a VERY successful event as President of the Friends board), gelato with Dad, and wonderful quality time with Grandma on the way back to Omaha to fly back to Chicago. I got to drive my car (Ms. Annabelle) for the first time in 6 weeks. She's just the best car ever. I also checked my storage units and I'm so happy to report there were no dead rodents in sight--although probably not the most legitimate fear, it was still one I had. My biggest hope for a gorgeous Nebraska sunset did not come to fruition because it was overcast each evening around sunset.

Back Alley Bakery: Blueberry stuffed French Toast

Congratulations Chris and Kathleen! I'm so excited to have been able to celebrate your wedding day with you. I have so many memories tied to growing up with the two of you...the letters you wrote to each other in the notebook in middle school before and up to starting to date, Kathleen sneaking down to the Blue Moon during dance class breaks to see Chris, color guard, dance classes and so many more. Congrats again! :)

LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE BOOKS! Friends of Hastings Public Library Book Sale

BOOKS FOR DAYZ. Friends of Hastings Public Library Book Sale

Russ's gelato

The Fab Four at it again! 

Groom selfie! Congrats Smoliks! 

whoa we're half way there (and some big news!): week 5

homemade apple strudel!

**I had a really fabulous week, but as I sat down to write this, I found out that a 7-year-old boy was killed only a few blocks away from me last night as he watched fireworks with his family. Not only does that make me quite sad, but I found out about it only because it's trending on Facebook, not because anyone in the neighborhood knew anything about it. His father didn't realize at first that his son was shot, the gunfire sounded like fireworks. Another 26-year-old woman was also shot, but has since stabilized (at last I knew). These two were only some of those shot or shot and killed this weekend in Chicago. It's put a different lens on my adventures this week and I just want to, at the very least, speak to the violence that is around me. I also recognize that the violence around me, is not only in Chicago, but also in Omaha and Hastings too. 

This week started with homemade apple strudel by Pedro. What a wonderful and delicious treat to come home to after a long day at the Pride parade last weekend!

Work this week was busy for many reasons: my wonderful supervisors returns from their European vacation adventure, it was a 4-day work week, and there's only a few work days until we leave for the ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit. It's coming down to crunch time, y'all. And that's sort of scary! But things are falling into place. I can't wait to share photos with you of the end results.

Mikka brought back Swiss chocolate with silly looking characters.
Thanks Mikka!  

Swiss chocolate!
My first task was to call my Dad and brag about it :) I'm the sweetest daughter!  

Specific adventures this week include dance class, a last-minute cancelled trip to Indianapolis, two friends giving birth to babies (welcome to the world James and Maura), brunch (x2!), a White Sox game, fireworks (x2!), BBQs (x2!), frozen Kefir, being invited into community with a wonderful hodgepodge of neighborhood women who have experienced it all, an invitation to preach at a church in a train station, a visit from a Memphis friend, coffee house blog writing, frustrating experiences waiting for buses, shopping, guest blogging, and Sunday afternoon strolls around the neighborhood (including seeing a beautiful old church converted into a house, which Jim absolutely would have loved!). Books this week were: Friendfluence, Omnivore's Dilemma, Cuckoo's Calling, and Graceling. Netflix was limited only to The West Wing...such terrible fashion, but such wonderful sass from so many characters. 

Ann Sathers: brunch #1
Each entree comes with 2 sides...2 cinnamon rolls=1 side!
Nommmmm

Ann Sathers: brunch #1
crab cakes benedict, 2 cinnamon rolls,
2 biscuits with honey, orange juice

US Cellular Stadium: White Sox vs Orioles

the view of downtown 

Go Sox...?

Shark Week sponsored fireworks

Shark Week fireworks 

Shark Week fireworks

Shark Week fireworks

Orange Restaurant: brunch #2
Chai Tea French Toast 

Orange Restaurant: pear mimosa

apparently I have a gorgeous backyard!
BBQ #1

Although we went to see the Navy Pier
fireworks, someone stood in front of me the
whole time, so I couldn't see them. Luckily,
others were lighting them off right next to/above
us, so we still got a show!  

fireworks raining fire down on us

Cafe Mustache: breakfast burrito and chai tea latte

Walking through the neighborhood I stumbled upon this random
Italian ice shoppe out the side of a building. Obviously I had to stop.
Miko's Italian Ice. 

Miko's Italian Ice: black raspberry and mango

Some REALLY big news this week was that I was officially accepted in the MPH program at UNMC. There wasn't much doubt, but I'm happy that it's official that I can finish my degree. For the next year, I will be the graduate assistant for the Service Learning Academy which supports 4 service learning opportunities/partnerships for UNMC students and the Omaha community (Decreasing the Donor Deficit--bone marrow transplant registry; EMPOWER--partners with the Women's Center for Advancement on education components for women and families affected by intimate partner violence/domestic violence; do juSTIce--the organization I've been with for the past 3 years that offers free chlamydia and gonorrhea testing and treatment to inmates at the local county jail; and Bridge to Care--refugee health program to connect refugees to care that also provides health mentoring to refugee youth and families). I am passionate about these causes and am excited for the year to come!

I'm also excited because next weekend I get to make a speedy return to Nebraska!! I absolutely CANNOT wait to see a sunset over the plains. I'm also hoping for watermelon and sweet corn while I'm home. I plan to get a trip to Back Alley Bakery and Dally's in also. All in addition to a wedding of some of my favorite people! Maybe I'll be able to get a quick drive-thru around Fisher Fountain. Gotta soak up all things Hastings! It's going to be the quickest 42 hours in Hastings, but it's going to be awesome (and exhausting).