raindrops keep falling on my head...so this is portland!

It's a rainy day today in Portland.

Here at work, my desk looks out over one of the main streets through this huge bay window, providing the perfect opportunity for people watching. It seems strange to me how many people walk and bike about without raincoats or umbrellas on this chilly and wet afternoon. Their jeans are soaked through as they plod along in their LL Bean boots with green City of Portland issue recycling bags full of collected cans, or canvas shopping bags from Paul's food center or the Cigaret Shopper (proving you can be eco-conscious while destroying your own lungs...but I digress).

Is it because they don't own rain gear? Is it too cumbersome to carry an umbrella around town? Perhaps they weren't expecting the rain? Maybe. But I think most likely this rainy day is just inconsequential in the spectrum of rainy days in Portland. What is to me dreary and endless drizzle is nothing more than a simple summer shower for these seasoned Mainers (their title of choice).

And so I'm back in the position of an outsider looking in. I observe, critique, adjust, examine, discuss and dwell among people who have different quirks and patterns than I'm used to. And in the midst of it, I'm here to serve and work among the people who are native to this community. What I find odd they find natural. They've long since adapted to and created the norms and called it home.

Surprisingly, I'm finding it easier and easier to cope with, the more I throw myself among strangers. I'm gain such comfort and strength and vision in passages like 1 Peter 2:9-12. I am nothing more than a sojourner in this world, and nothing less than a child of God's glorious kingdom coming to earth!

As I've settled in here and begun to find my place in a new community, I'm continually in awe of the opportunities to boldly speak about the gospel. My roommate's supervisor is fascinated by "evangelicals" and continues to ask me questions about what drives such faith, how it plays out in concerns of justice, how to engage with this community, where I fit into it - and so I get to speak such fantastic truth over and over again! Even the things I have come to accept as norms, - like thanking God for a meal before I eat, or finding time to quiet myself and read my bible - are actions that speak loudly of God's grip on me. How blessed we are to serve a God who loves to meet us in every avenue of life!

Although I often find myself judging people who are inconsistent in their actions and words, I don't think I've ever really taken stock of how great an impact actions can have on understanding a person's character. Even among christians, I rarely encounter such acceptance and interest in study of scripture and a passionate faith - and yet here I meet that sort of response over the simplest things, from expressing interest in finding a local church to saying a prayer before a meal. We, the church, have much to learn from those outside the influence of our dogma if we are to truly be salt and light in a world longing for hope in truth.

This post is winding far from my original intent - to simply observe that I'm doing ok with the adjustment to Portland thus far, even though the culture is much different and the experience beyond what I could have planned for or expected.

I'm enjoying the slower pace of life. My work day doesn't start until 10, when Mackenzie and I arrive at the office (often before anybody else). We usually spend about an hour chatting, planning for the day, tying up loose ends from the day before. Then we start to work on projects, but workers and other staff drop by to chat about projects and experiences in the local industry. The work I'm doing this month is focused on conducting 35 employer interviews over the next few weeks to better understand their perspective on the industry's issues, particularly how they perceive worker issues and what their concerns are. It's so encouraging to see my coursework be put to practice in real life in an avenue I am actually super pumped about! Kendra...I even have hours of transcribing in my future...sans the old school recording equipment. :)

Our office houses the Southern Maine Workers Center (which birthed ROC about a year ago), the ROC-ME office and a healthcare reform campaign. But by office, I mean we all work out of one room a little larger than my dorm living room. It's cozy and sometimes a little loud, but generally pretty swell. Mackenzie and I are working on different projects, she's much more involved in getting local faith leaders to sign onto the Employee Free Choice Act, an act that will help workers to more easily organize in pursuit of living wages, fair treatment, benefits and generally more workable relationships between employee and employer without the intimidation about pursuing such rights.

I'm still at a place where I have a lot to learn and develop about my perspective towards government oriented community organizing versus locally oriented community development. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be in this position, learning so much and able to practice so much of what I'm learning.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement...please keep it coming! I'm looking forward to working with the local faith community later in the summer, which gives me a bit more time to study and ground myself in truth, but I would appreciate prayer for continued strength and endurance through new circumstances and the homesickness that will inevitably come. I'm going to try out a church this sunday, called Missio Dei (they're just everywhere!) and I'm hopeful about finding a fantastically gospel oriented community to worship with this summer.

One last thing...I started another blog to document my summer in photos for the summer. check it out!

oh! good news, the rain has stopped - and that staff guy with lots of questions, Paul...be praying for him, alright? He just came over and asked me if he could come to church with me next week. God is just so good!