A day in a Park

So one of my most favorite places in the whole of New York is Tompkin's Square Park in Manhattan, East Village. It's not the most comfortable place - where you can just sit down and eat your sandwich for late lunch or stop to have a coffee break on a bench. I mean, you can... but if you were to really open your eyes - that cup of coffee or that sandwich would soon travel to someone else's hands.

People live there. On the same benches many stop to have their coffee and sandwich breaks - not that I am saying we should not - but the reality is this --- the bench you and I sit to chill and catch a break, for someone - it may be home... a bed.

So we went there yesterday, to the park. With a bag of clothing, tea and coffee and a prayer station. And I am thinking as I make circles around the park, now and then stopping at random people just to talk... what is different about me. I have no money. Literally. My bank account had reached the pit of despair =P to like 10 dollars or so. I have no insurance and no idea what tomorrow will be/look like...But... I don't know what it's like to call a bench my home. I have a bed, 3 meals per day and two bags of frozen muffins made specially for me. Why? I have no answer. God's grace? His mercy? He is good. Yes- He is good. But just because I sleep in bed and Chris, a satan worshipper and an addict sleeps on a bench - does that change the Truth that God is good?

Okay, honestly, it is easy for me to say that the right answer is "no, that does not change anything..." Though my account is semi-empty, I still have a bed, 3 meals and those frozen muffins.

God... let me not be content with those 3 meals and yummy muffins - I need food that comes down from Heaven, from where your Kingship is perfect.

and God... have mercy on me and those who call benches their home. I don't know their pain and anger, but I know you do, the One who endured the greatest pain, rejection and betrayal.

...for all really is grace...

a day (or pieces of it) in a life of a lithuanian, living in New York with some really amazing korean people!

So this time I decided to use other means of technology to tell you about my life here in New York

Here it is =)

Press the link and Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5_TMke0Ki0

p.s. it's a youtube link. I am new to this - please be merciful and patient - but I will begin to do more

video stuffs for my updates - h'okay? =)

Bean Burgers and a Hole

Many things happened these last several weeks. Scraping, painting, cleaning, moving, more cleaning and more moving...and finally settling down in an attic with three amazing ladies =)

I will just briefly mention the fact that the Discipleship Training School that I was suppose to staff did not happen. It was cancelled. I will not elaborate a whole lot on this topic - I will leave it for my newsletter that will come to your emails at the end of this month (if you want to be included, please send me an email to gintares11@msn.com). BUT... there is another - Arts and Design DTS - that I am staffing/helping out right now. Just to let you know, it is a Korean DTS and I am honored (and challenged) to be part of this school! Just to mention some of my responsibilities: kitchen manager (as you see above we have great fun in the kitchen), ESL classes and Thursday Special activities (and whatever else they ask me to do).

We have 8 students and 9 staff. We are at the end of our first week and I am desperately in need of His grace. Our day starts at 6:45 am and ends when another day knocks on the door.

I have also started to preach/teach in a youth group service, in a Korean Presbyterian church. At the moment, I am in a trial period.

...and in the midst of all the early mornings, late nights, Korean galore, bean burgers, ESL classes and other yummy stuffs =p I find myself hitting a hole - located in my oral cavity. This hole makes me think a lot and think some more. So, I sat down and scribbled down a poem.

A poem about a Hole

All I think about is the hole in my tooth

So I ask myself - what does it prove?

Does it prove peace... or maybe joy?

The truth - this hole is starting to annoy (me)

Let's face it - a hole - it ain't no good

Especially - if it resides in your tooth

'A hole in one'- sarcasm here does not seem to work...

'It' - is it the hole or I?

I do admit - there's fear inside...

'Inside' - where I say 'Here God resides'

The Word of God - my soul and flesh divides

I have a hole - one day I won't

God is my good - on this I hold

Holes come and go - He will remain

God help me walk like this (the last 3 lines) - I pray...!

and to end... here's a song my heart is singing at the moment....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlZ_p8g4nsU

shalom... shalom...shalom...

a week of sanding, painting, dust and moving...moving...moving...

So everything you do, do it as unto the Glory of the One who loved you and gave Himself for you without holding anything back

this week was/is one I will never forget. I have the perfect recipe how to beat a major jet-lag (for those who do not know, I found tickets in my email to go to Europe for 2 weeks: Latvia and Lithuania).

So here is my secret recipe. Number one, come back to a house full of people (plus new people) who speak Korean 24/7. Number 2, next morning throw in a 5.30 am wake up to go for an all day skiing trip. While skiing, tumble down a gazzilion time, so what you would have a couple of hours of a semi-decent skiing time =p. Number 3, next morning, without any feeling of your body, wake up bright and early, to find out that there's a major renovation coming up and you are so part of it! And when I say major renovation...the video up there is just a tiny sample of what took place. Number 4, move all your stuff and plus stuffs of a couple more people into about 4 different locations over about a five day period. Number 5, sleep in 4 different beds over a five day period. And a final stir, get ready for the Discipleship Training School starting in less than a week!

Now this is team bonding! 

And all of this is for His glory! 

The house is now almost transformed for the upcoming school. Just a couple more dashes and comas and we will be ready to welcome our students!

Thank you for reading this!

Have a shalom filled day!