breaking rocks

There is a woman that I see every day on my way to and from work. She has a large pile of rocks that she sits atop and one large base rock as her workspace. Her whole day is spent hammering mid-side rocks to break them apart into smaller rocks that will be distributed as gravel. She likely has more skill than I do and has long since ceased to smash her own fingers. So, she sits, every day, breaking rocks. It's rather unremarkable, and yet, it's a job.

I think that's the kind of job I would like to have. The gravel she makes is likely all over this city. It's at the gates of homes and businesses. It matters, even if only in a very small way, and she will never know all the places it's gone.

In August, I will move to the neighborhood of Church Hill in Richmond, VA to intern with a Christian non-profit called Church Hill Activities and Tutoring (CHAT). You may remember that I was a summer intern at CHAT about two years ago, so it is not entirely an unknown to me. CHAT serves the youth in a low income neighborhood building relationships and improving education and literacy.

I'm going to go to Church Hill and break rocks (figuratively). I'll likely have a small impact, and I won't know where all the things I've done and said will go. It's rather unremarkable, and yet, it will matter.

The Lord has provided for me in some pretty incredible ways throughout my life, and this upcoming year will be no different. I have never wanted for family, friends, shelter, food, or anything really (except maybe that Barbie car I cold drive around the lawn, but that one is on my parents, not the Lord). One way that I will really have to lean on God's provision this year is that I have to fundraise to cover the cost of CHAT employing me. I've done some fundraising before, but it's scary and weird every time. However, I have no reason to think that God will abandon my efforts now.

If you would like to partner with me and be a part of what I'm doing this coming year with CHAT in Richmond, feel free to contact me or my mother (who can then put you in touch with me). I'd love to share with you what I'll be doing and explain why I'm doing it.



Now, I just need to process leaving here and get ready for this big new adventure. I leave Rwanda on Saturday. That's less than a week away. This is gonna be real.