Minturn Family Shirts

Yes - they have family shirts. And tie-dye rainbow ones at that. You can't see it from this picture - but Carrie and Bryce have them too. It is pretty epic if I do say so myself...

Goodbyes

Instead of going to our site today - we had a thank you lunch for the agencies that we worked with all summer long. This was our team from Light and Life - they were an amazing group of people. It was sad to part ways for the summer. I never noticed it before - but poor Kevin was the only guy working with us. Well he never complained.

Milk Gives you Strength

This should be a new milk campaign - see little Alys (pronounced Alice) kicking away Steve, thanks to the power of milk. Gives you strong bones and muscles my friends.

Blackbeards!

During the last week of our site, Kevin and I took the kids to as many cool places as we could. Yesterday we took them to a movie in Riverpark and today all of Light and Life went to Blackbeards. It is a mini golf/ go carts/ water slide/ arcade family fun center. This was after many trips down the water slides that me and some of my girls wanted to go the bumper boats. As you can see they are so happy to do so.

FIRM Family Festival

Carolyn and Jaret who work with FIRM (Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Mission) invited us to go to the FIRM family festival where they have crafts and hang out time with the refugee families in Fresno. We brought sidewalk chalk and drew with the kids. We also were encouraged to participate in other activities, which included face painting for many of us. It was a great day, not only to see another person's site, but to play with these kids.

Monte and Wang Productions

So last night we did a Talent Show - it was great. And I performed a rap of epic proportions with my partner in crime - Joyce Wang. Jason beat-boxed for us. We are the coolest. I will now put my rap below for you to read.

Jason: FUI 2010! Word. This is a rap about all ya’ll

M: Here in Fresno it’s hot

J: Cool is something it’s not

M: Unless you live at Stone Pine

J: Where we have air conditioning all the time

M: Or live in the house of Pink

J: With swamp coolers on the brink

M: These are the peeps

J: You should meet

M: Inside both these cribs

J: We don’t tell no fibs

M: Hey Danae

J: Got money, money, money, mon-ey

M: Mack, Mack

Watch out for Lauren’s knee attack

J: Maybe you should be a ninja

M: Watch out Kevin may getchya

J: Unless you’re Jaret or Shannon Baker

M: You best be ready to meet your maker 

J: I think that’s really

M: RUE

Jason: Hey that’s my word!

J: Overused

M: If you’re a fly watch out for ALiu

J: He’ll beat you with a shoe

M: Eric can’t shut the door

J: Eric, door! Eric, door!

M: We have to tell him some more

J: Eric, door! Eric, door!

M: Vivian may think you’re crazy

J: And Betty says don’t be lazy

M: Maybe if you give Matt a cookie

J: He’ll shout just like a wookie

M: Glenda’s eyes stay open when she sleeps

J: That gives me the creeps

M: Sol would say don’t be scared

J: You best be aware

M: Because if Tramaine wasn’t saved

J: She’d cut you just the same

M: Tracey listens to heavy metal

J: I know! I know!

M: But Sarah plays the piano

J: I know! I know!

M: Lawrence sings all the time

J: Amanda writes up her own rhymes

M: They should collaborate

J: They will, just you wait

M: Sarah kidnaps her process group

J: (spoken) trust me, I know

M: (spoken) Oh, how long do you guys really meet?

J: (spoken) Monte – we are in the middle of rap – let’s continue or we’ll be here til midnight

M: (spoken) Rue!

J: Cameron’s foot is cursed

M: Only if a hammer hits it first

J: Shayne should be a model like Tyra

M: And maybe so should Lissah

J: Josth has a ‘T’ in his name

M: It sounds just the same

J: Krista makes good green beans

M: Zoe may sound mean

J: When she says “Get out, get get, get out of my house”

M: We could make a rap about that

J: (spoken) I know, right?

M: Shout out to Marissa Guzman!

J: And Marissa Newman

M: Don’t get in a fight with Bryson

J: He’s got muscles like Mike Tyson

M: Mariah likes to donate blood

J: It’s something that she loves

M: Maybe Julie can use a ton

J: Because falling down isn’t fun

M: Opera is Carolyn’s thing

J: It’s what she loves to sing

M: Michael had a fowhawk yesterday

J: After ten minutes it went away

M: Meghan does flips in the pool

J: I think that’s really cool

M: And that is all our interns

J: Can’t forget about Todd Minturn

Both: We say Todd, you say Minturn

Both: Todd!

Audience: Minturn

Both: Todd!

Audience: Minturn

M: This is FUI 2010!

J: What! What!..... What! What!

M: This is FUI 2010!

J: What! What!..... What! What!

Jason: Monte and Wang productions

M: Featuring Rue beats

J: What it do 

Process Group

Isn't my process group cute? Oh don't let them fool you, they are stubborn and difficult, and rarely want to process during actual process group time. But they can be cute sometimes. :)

From left to right you have Meghan, Michael, myself, Lauren, and Glenda, and we are holding Lissah.

The Honolulu

The Honolulu. I have waited for about four and a half weeks to come to Teazers. It is my favorite place in Fresno (well to drink tea that is) but it is on the expensive side. So I knew that I would take my mom here for Visitor's Day so I didn't have to pay with my stipend. Seriously - I love this place. I just wish they had one in SLO or Pasadena...

A.Liu With a Shoe

Sounds like a Dr. Seuss book right?

There was a boy named A.Liu
He had a really large shoe
Then he saw a fly
And thought: "It must die!"
Oh now, spare the fly my friend!
Do not send it to its end
But kill the fly A.Liu said he must
And the window he did also bust.

Park Playtime

This is my site: Light and Life Urban Ministries. Here we are at the park we serve the free lunches for the kids. We play with all these kids (who enjoy climbing on to of us, making fun of us, and splashing us in the pool) every day of the week. They are a crazy bunch of kids - but I love them just the same.

Chalk Days

The pink house sidewalk is now covered in chalk. Need I say more?

Adventures

So there are bonuses to starting your site at 8 am - it means you can be done by 1:30 and go on crazy adventures around Fresno. See Marissa and Shayne right now - trying to climb into the artwork. I think they are trying to pull the same trick Bert did in Marry Poppins. Do you think it will work?

Mafia de Agua

If you are going to get in a water fight - you best have these women on your side. They will get your enemies as wet as the ocean.

Ah, just another day in Pink House living - where crazy becomes normal and insanity breeds reason.

Balcony

This was my spot three years ago. Since I lived in an upstairs apartment, I would come out here all the time to talk, to think, or just to be.

This time around at FUI - I've spent very little time up here. Not that I don't want to (ok maybe I'm a little grossed out by some of the furniture) but I just don't need to be here all the time. But it still manages to be a great place to take pictures.

Habakkuk

Where is God and why is he taking so long?

This is the theme of Habakkuk. It's about a man who cries to God at why he cannot see the injustices that Habakkuk himself sees. And when he feels God does see the pain of his people - he will not do what Habakkuk believe should happen.

This is the book we manuscript as a part of our Intro to Urban ministry class. While I enjoyed the study, it was not one of my favorites because I don't really identify with Habakkuk. I know that God sees injustice and I know he does something about it. It's me that often doesn't see or want to see it.

The BBQ Fried Rice Experiment

This is our BBQ fried rice experiment. My contribution: I bought the pineapples. But let me just saw - it was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted, well most delicious rice that is. Thanks so much Kevin for taking something I find normally bland - to an dish of greatness. 

Worship Practice

Thursday nights have become the Pink House worship and prayer night. I am really excited that we are doing this because three years ago - we had a potluck/worship night with my FUI team. I was worried that we not be able to do anything like this because of our large group but we've made it work. 

Black and White Guitar

We are super cool at the Pink House. This is Julie pretending to be cooler than she really is embracing her artistic side.  

Stolen Sunglasses

My sunglasses are not only super cool - but super popular. As you can see from the several people who have stolen them.

The City

"Sing to the Lord a new song

For he has done marvelous things; 

His right hand and his holy arm

Have worked salvation for him. 

The Lord has made his salvation known

And revealed his righteousness to the nations. 

He has remembered his love

And his faithfulness to the house of Israel; 

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 

Should for joy to the Lord, all the earth, 

Burst into Jubilant song with music;

Make music to the Lord with the harp, 

With the harp and the sound of singing,

With trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn - 

Shout for joy before the Lord, the King. 

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,

The world and all who live in it. 

Let the rivers clap their hands, 

Let the mountains sing together for joy;

Let them sing before the Lord, 

For he comes to judge the earth. 

He will judge the world in righteousness

And the people with equity."

Psalm 98

Computers!

This is where we spend our Sundays - internet cafes. Our internet doesn't work very well at the Pink House so we take our computers from 3 pm - 6 pm and head over to a coffee shop or whatever, buy one coffee between six people and enjoy our computer fun.

Arm Wrestling

After a long week of working at tiring ministry sites we need an outlet to just be a little crazy. So tonight we decided that it would be a good idea to have an arm wrestling contest. Tracey was the epic winner and could not be beaten. Challengers came and went, defeated and frustrated, unable to defeat the champion. I was also unsuccessful but it was the best match until Cameron. Their battle went on for minutes so they had to call a break. I never actually found out who won. Probably Tracey.

Movies in the Park

Fresno has the awesome thing where they do movies in the park. They blow up a giant screen and show a movie every single week in the park. It is a really amazing opportunity to join the community of Fresno, watch a movie you'd probably never buy on your own, and just hang out. If only it was cooler...

Jenga

Jenga is the most popular game at my working site and therefore we brought it back to the Pink House. We have this new idea of taking out two at a time and trying to make it as difficult as possible. I think we are getting pretty good at it. 

Faces of FUI: Part Two

A. Liu. He is amazing. I often borrow his pictures and by borrow I mean steal.

This is Matt. He's from Cal Poly and he is great - well great when doesn't steal my sunglasses.

Faces of FUI: Part One

This is Tramaine - she is from New York and is one of my favorite people ever. Her favorite color is also purple.

This is Lissah. She is also my favorite. She gives me a hard time though.

Nap Time Fun

Note: don't fall asleep in public places at the Pink House. Chances are you will have a picture taken of you without your consent.

Sparklers

"I know you scared, but don't scared."

Marissa is totally scared of the fireworks apparently.

Hammer, Nail, Shovel

If you need a hammer, nail, or a shovel, just asks these experts. They can meet all your construction needs.

Free Food

FUI students love free food. I mean we love free food! We live on a $35 a week budget for the summer so we enjoy every opportunity we have to get free food. Today Matt and Jason (who work at the rescue mission) we given free desserts - cookies, pan dulce, cakes, etc. We also found out the World IMpact team as access to lots of free bread. It makes shopping less stressful when you have access to free things.

Joyce Wang

Joyce Wang is one of my favorite new people. I also love to say her full name rather very loudly around the Pink House. You should try it some time.