All Will Be Well

Lent in the Community

2012-03-01T07:14:00.003-08:00

Hello Blog.

It's been a while . . . 3 months to be exact. Please don't feel too bad, you're not the only means of writing that I leave unattended for extended amounts of time. I pulled out my journal the other day and thought, "hmm, it's been a while." Please keep in mind that I take this journal everywhere . . . to camp for the summer, on retreats, on road trips, in my pile of "things that can't get lost" as I move 700 miles across country, etc. In spite of it's constant presence, the last time I actually wrote in it before last night was October. Of 2009. So you see, it's nothing personal about you, it's a personal character flaw of mine. My bad.

Rather than try to sum up the last 3 months in a paragraph, I'm just going to skip it and jump right into my current days and thoughts.

For Lent, we as a community wanted to practice the spiritual practice of fasting from a specific item. We wanted it to be something we could all do together that would bring us together (and not cause division or seperation), would raise awareness in our own lives about bigger social justice issues, and would be something we actually notice. We decided to give up coffee and chocolate unless it is officially Fair Trade. We also encouraged each other to choose something more personal to work on throughout the Lent Season. I decided to give up meat, aka be a vegetarian, for Lent as well.

To start Lent, we went through the kitchen and purged it of all chocolate and coffee items. We put them away, out of sight, for the season. I did the same in my office. Now, I'm the first to admit that I love coffee and that I really like chocolate. But I was still amazed at how much chocolate is in our house and my office! Everything from cereals to granola bars to baking items to drink mixes. I did the same in my office and my stash of 10 granola bars was suddenly down to 2. :( Chocolate has infilitrated a lot more of my life than I would have ever thought!

The first two mornings of Lent, aka mornings without coffee, were tough. I expected a headache, but beyond that, I couldn't focus. I'd read an email and get to the end and realize I had no idea what it said. I'd sit and stare at my long to-do list without knowing where to start. Yikes! But as the week went on, things got better. (I can't imagine that it has anything to do with the Diet Pepsi I started drinking . . .) On our Tuesday Community Day, we went to a coffee shop that serves all fair-trade. I was delighted by the taste and before I knew it, I'd had two cups and still couldn't concentrate, but for opposite reasons. It had only been a week, but that caffiene suddenly carried a stronger kick. It's amazing how quickly the body adjusts!

Giving up meat has also been realized as a bigger deal than I initially thought. But first, here were/are some of my concerns as I transition into a Vegetarian for Lent.
1. Won't I be hungry? Meat has a lot of protein and protein keeps you full. Without protein, I'll be hungry . . .
2. I'll eat a lot of salad.
3. I will accidently order something at a restaurant that has meat.
4. I'll only eat beans.
5. I'll have troubles, err, umm, "digesting" all the beans.
6. I'll have to cook more.
7. It'll be hard.

I hope to revisit each of these questions along the way and see how these concerns are realized. But until then . . .

Again, blog, I apologize for my absence, but please don't take it personally. I do hope that Lent will give me motivations to blog more often and frequently. And who knows, maybe this time it will stick!

Grocery Tips & Tidbits

2011-11-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

One of my recent blogs caused quite a stir and I really didn’t mean to do that! The Wolff Pack is not poor and I’m sticking to that! I have heard from various people and sources that our ability to grocery shop within such a small budget is a bit of an anomaly compared to our peers in Denver and across the nation. I am in charge of grocery shopping for the Wolff Pack and it’s a responsibility I take great pride and pleasure in. However, I don’t think I do anything special so I am confused when people comment or think it’s anything out of the ordinary. I’m not entirely sure how I know how to grocery shop, but I blame it on my mother. She would take us with her to the store and I think I went pretty willingly. (Mom, if you’re reading this, just play along.) I know I got a good start by watching her grocery shop and I’ve also had the opportunity to put those lessons into practice over the last 4 years as I was responsible to feed myself every day. I think the best way to learn is to make all the mistakes for yourself. However, when you live on a $85 per month food budget, there isn’t much room for error. I’ve compiled some grocery guidelines, tips and practices that I follow, mostly for my fellow Dwellers across the U.S. If you (yes, YOU) have anymore to add to the list, please do so in the comments.

Read all the ads for the local grocery stores.
Make a list based on those ads.
Stick to that list!
Grocery shop regularly so that you know what an average, good and bad price is.
Comparison shop. The stores that include the “Price per ounce” right on the price tags are SO helpful. Use them!
Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean it’s a good deal. (See #4)
Shop around. Don’t depend on one grocery store for all your groceries. Read all the ads, go where the sales are and don’t be afraid to try new places.
Don’t pay more than $1 a pound for produce. (Yes, this means you have to buy in season. And if you live in Florida, I imagine you are stinkin’ lucky because you have fresh stuff all the time!)
Don’t pay more than $3 a pound for meat.
Don’t buy the first thing you see. Check similar items and KNOW that it’s a good deal, don’t just assume.
You can either have convenient or cheap, not both. Learn how to do the work and save yourself a lot of money.
Buy things that are processed as little as possible. Processed often equals convenience, but it almost always equals “not as good for you” and higher price. One of the few exceptions is frozen fruits and veggies and sometimes canned fruits and veggies. But it usually only applies to those items that are not in season.
Learn how to cook. (I cannot emphasize this enough.)
Cook meals based on sales.
Eat leftovers.
Stock up on good deals and use your freezer.
A little discount is worth it. Though “10 cents off” might not like seem like great savings, it will add up over time. Plus, it’s a state of mind. If you start down the path of “it’s only 50 cents more”, that can quickly add up to spending $10 more than you need to in one shopping trip.
Buying in bulk is not always cheaper. Due to sales, sometimes two half gallons of milk are actually cheaper than one gallon of milk. Use that price per ounce feature and figure it out.
Just because it’s cheap, doesn’t mean it’s good for you. (Ok, so this isn’t price related, but it is one of my personal grocery guidelines.)
Know what basics you need and stock up when they are on sale.
Use your freezer! (And then remember to pull stuff out of it. I am still learning that lesson. When I moved out of my last apartment, I found stuff in my freezer that was several years old and totally unidentifiable. Gross.)
Learn how to scavenge food. (This is much easier as a volunteer.) I’ve been known to ask, “What happens to the leftovers?” on many occasions and it usually means the answer is, “You’re welcome to them!” It also means that sometimes you inherit giant pans of cheese, refried beans and rice. This is where the freezer comes in handy.
Learn to use a crock pot! They make very easy work of cheaper but more time consuming food products. Yes, it’s a lot easier to open a can of black beans, but for the same price, you could have bought a whole pound of dry black beans. (One pound of dry beans equals about 3 cans of beans.) By using your crock pot, you can cook an entire pound of beans at one time while you are at work, have what you need ready for supper and freeze the rest. You can also take advantage of cheaper but tougher cuts of meat. Put it in the crock pot with a yummy sauce and, tada! Delicious.
Don’t waste food. Use it or lose it. So either make only the exact amount you need or learn to eat leftovers.
When living as a community, communicate food hopes, dreams, goals, preferences and availability. One thing we have had to learn as a community is to label all the leftovers that go in the fridge so we don’t have “mystery meats” floating around and to communicate what we actually have around or want around. Food tends to go bad if left in the back and forgotten about. Also, people don’t eat the blackberries if they don’t know we have them!
Only open one thing at a time. (Yes, I realize I’ve digressed from grocery shopping, but it sort of applies, right?) Having 2 bags of identical chips open at the same time means that one is likely to go stale. Just don’t do it. Finish what is opened first before opening a new one. Having 5 choices at all times is a first world privilege, not a basic right.
Buy off brand. It’s ok, I promise.
Buy local and in season when possible. You can find some pretty amazing deals (and delicious deals!) at your local farmers market, if you know what you’re looking for.
Research your local grocery stores. Back in Iowa, there was an Amish-run salvage grocery store affectionately known as “Bent & Dent”. I’m not sure how they did it, but they had the non-perishable items for sale that grocery stores could not sell. I could find regular items for 10% of retail price. Cliff bars for $1.29 each? Yeah right! Try 10/$1! We found a place in Denver that operates as a similar business. The prices aren’t quite as great, but they are still better than the regular store.
Use coupons. (You’ll note that this is the last one on the list. I’m not really a couponer. I tend to have better luck with sales and off brands. However, if I took more time, I’m sure coupons could save us even more money. Hmm, I’ll have to look into that.)

Yikes. I did NOT mean to create “Johanna’s Top 30 Grocery Tips and Tidbits”. But that’s what I think about EVERYTIME I go grocery shopping. If you are just learning how to shop for yourself, pick one or two tips and get good at those. When they become second nature, add one or two more. You’ll learn quickly and save even faster! Happy Shopping!

Fully Acclimated

2011-11-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

Moving to Denver took some adjustment time. For the first week or so, it felt like was carrying around a 50lb. backpack all the time and was continually out of breath. (That did NOT help as we climbed our first 14er only 7 days after arriving at an altitude 10,000 feet above my usual 500 ft.) Even something as simple as climbing up the stairs caused me to pause to catch my breath. I mean, I know I hadn’t been running as regularly as I used to, but still, I wasn’t THAT out of shape, right? Back in Denver, life at 5,280 ft. was not the only adjustment I had to make. The air was much dryer than the notoriously humid Iowan Summers I had just come from. My lips were always chapped, my hands were in constant need of lotion and my nose was an entirely different issue. On the upside, my towels dried quickly, my curly hair stayed under 3 feet wide and I could hang my clothes up to dry in the morning and put them away that night.

Besides just a change in physical surroundings, I made some pretty drastic habitat changes as well. I went from living in a small, rural Iowa town in an apartment by myself to a BIG, urban city in Colorado with 4 housemates. I had to learn to take the bus instead of drive, grocery shop and cook for five instead of one and learn how to share my toys all over again. At work, I had to learn a new address and phone number, redefine what I meant when I said “we” and adapt into a whole new work culture. There were times amidst all of this that I never thought I’d adjust.

Fast forward two months to my first trip back to Iowa since moving west. Brad and I went to his parents house for Thanksgiving. (Please note that they live on the west side of Iowa which is not the same as “my Iowa” on the east side. It was great to be in Iowa, but it wasn’t “my Iowa”.) Being back in a place that used to be familiar highlighted how much I really had acclimated to Denver. I noticed it first in the little things (my towel was still wet in the evening after showering that morning and my hair took forever to dry!), but also in some of the bigger things. It seemed weird not to have my four housemates around and I hesitated to take Hawkeye on a walk outside in the dark. It was so bizarre on Thanksgiving morning at the Turkey Trot that everyone knew everyone else. Brad ran into old high school classmates and it seemed like Brad’s mom had a connection to everyone. I was so excited to see Iowa Hawkeye fans and black and gold everywhere, but then I remembered that it wasn’t abnormal for Iowans to cheer for Iowa.

It was so bizarre for me to notice the little things that were once a normal part of my life. And it wasn’t even that long ago that these things were normal to me! I still don’t feel like a Denveran, (Denverite? Denverese?) and I probably won’t until I get my pair of long, brown boots that every woman in Denver seems to own. But I’m not a small town girl anymore either. I feel a bit like a chameleon that is half one color and half the other but doesn’t blend in with anything anymore.

It is for exactly those reasons that I love to travel. No matter how much or how little you pack in your suitcase, and no matter how far and wide you roam, you will always bring with you the very core of who you are. The “extras” will get left behind in the airport security line or forgotten with your toothbrush at the hotel. But at some point, when everything else has changed, you will find the very core of who you are has still traveled with you. I love discovering new cultures, tastes, experiences and memories but the discoveries that I value the most have been at my very core the whole time.

Cars

2011-11-14T15:03:00.001-08:00

I used to have a car. He was wonderful. His name was Borris and he was a double yellow, 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle and he was mine. I've always loved Beetles. Always. :) I did not bring Borris to Denver for several reasons:
1. I couldn't afford insurance and gas on my current budget.
2. I couldn't take all of my housemates in my car (it only fit 4 and there are 5 of us)
**and the most traumatic and realistic reason**
3. One week before moving to Denver, my car was caught in a hail storm and suffered 40 different hail dings, 2 cracks in the windshield, a broken headlight and a cracked taillight. It was a very sad day. On the upside, insurance paid for my car and relieved me of the worry of what to do with Borris while I was in Denver.

One thing I still struggle to grasp is the fact that I am no longer a car owner. Though I don't know the specific stats, I imagine a great majority of American's do own a car and I am no longer among that unidentified stat. *sigh*

Instead of driving, I can walk, ride my bike or take the bus. It's a lot cheaper, healthier (in 2 out of 3 options) and better for the environment. I mostly use the bus for transportation around the city. The bus is effective but not efficient. It has a different and more sparse schedule on the weekend than the week day, subject to the weather and not always dependable. If your first bus is late, even by 2 minutes, it can cause you to miss your transfer bus. Then you have to wait for the next one to come and in the end, you may be 15 minutes or more late to your intended goal. Going anywhere in the city requires planning ahead, scheduling and usually about and hour. I'm not going to lie, sometimes on weekends the thought of riding the bus to something (even something super cool) is too much and I choose just not to go. In order to get to work by 8:30, I usually catch the 7:20 bus. In order to make it it to my 6:15 spin class, I have to be sure to be on the 5:12 bus. It takes a while to get anywhere on the bus

Besides just being an inconvenience, depending on the bus can be bad on the work life as well. Two of my housemates have had the misfortune of sleeping past their alarm. Trust me, I am not judging. This could have very well been a story about me. The first one to oversleep fortunately has her own car and was able to drive to work and arrive in time. The other housemate that overslept the day after we received our community vehicle. Because of the good timing of this unfortunate incident, he was able to drive to work and arrive on time. But the question needs to be asked ... "What if we didn't have a vehicle?" Missing the bus in these circumstances could cost a person hourly wages, a bad review or even the job.

Having a car is a luxury in very basic ways. It allows us to go to two different grocery stores to find cheaper prices and better selection. It allows us to drive to the mountains for the day to "get out of town". It allows us to travel at our own time, on our own schedule and our with our own agenda. I do not miss paying for gas or insurance, but I do miss the independence and freedom.

We're not poor

2011-11-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

As a community, we receive $425 per month for food. That means $85 per person per month or about $2.80 per day. We have combined our resources and shop together, cook together and eat together. The standard for food stamps is about $134 per person per month, or $4.50 per day. We get 62% of what we would if we were on food stamps. Our $85 per month has to cover food, basic house needs (cleaning supplies, toilet paper, etc).

But we are not poor.

We each get a $100 stipend per month. (It's $94.35 after "they" take out "stuff".) That is all the spending money we receive. That has to cover any social expenses, personal hygiene and any personal bills.

But we are not poor.

Only one of us has a vehicle. We must rely on the bus, our bikes or our feet for transportation about the city. We do get a bus pass every month, but sometimes a trip that should take 45 minutes on the bus takes almost 2 hours. And there's nothing you can do about it.

But we are not poor.

We have $180 extra in our food account after 2 months. I have enough money in my personal account to enjoy spin and yoga classes at a local gym. Financially speaking, most of all, we don't have to pay bills. The $100 we get each month is ALL fun money. Our rent, utilities, cable AND internet is all covered for us. Any maintenance issues that come up in our duplex are passed on to other people to fix and pay for. We have health insurance and steady jobs. We are pretty well protected from emergencies and unexpected financial burdens. We are not poor.

Financial obligations aside, we have each other. There are 5 other people available to help with just a phone call. We not only have food to eat, but we have people to eat with. Beyond our own little Wolff Den, we each have family and friends that support us and worry about us "living in the big city". We have church families here in Denver and back home. We have a puppy to snuggle with. We are not poor. We rich with blessings and an abundance of love.

A Day at DenUM

2011-11-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

As previously posted, I am the Volunteer Manager at DenUM. However, the last time I reported, I still didn't know what that meant. For the time being, I have more things figured out. (Don't mistake that for "knowing what's going on".) I spend about half of my time in my office working in my office, on volunteer "stuff" or with volunteers. The other half of my time is spent in Outreach. At DenUM, Outreach refers to the first floor where our clients come for food bags. There are three positions that make up Outreach and ALL, (I mean all) the staff at DenUM share these positions. If you are on Back Up, it means you are the first one called if things get too busy in Outreach. Intake is the person that takes each client to the intake station, asks a bunch of questions in order to update our records and answer any questions the client may have. The other position, MOD, or Manager Of the Day, sits at the front desk, greets all clients and screens for eligibility. My personal favorite position is MOD. I can't quite place it, but I enjoy being the one to greet people, being the front line and sitting at the desk! I don't enjoy saying no and turning clients away because they have either come too early (you have to wait 30 days between each food bag) or because they don't have the correct piece of mail (it must have name, address and a date less than 45 days old. It's harder than you might think!). I also don't enjoy the occasional "cursing out" that comes with telling clients 'no'. After my first, err, 'experience', I told my supervisor and she said, "Welcome to DenUM". It really is a part of life at DenUM and all staff have to learn not to take it personally because we are working with people that are carrying some heavy burdens. Most likely, if they need to come to a food bank, there are some things in their life that aren't going well. It's no surprise that some clients start with a predisposition towards frustration and anger. Anyway, I digress.

The "flow" of DenUM is irregular and unpredictable at best. We can predict our "busy-factor"based on some things, but none are reliable. Usually, when the weather is bad, we have fewer clients. Today we got 6+ inches of snow and had a whopping 11 clients all morning. After the bad weather has passed, we usually have a spike in the number of clients. Last week we were averaging almost 100 a day. There is a small ebb and flow based on food stamps and whether or not clients are receiving them or have already run out for the month. Apparently it is always slow when Tammy, the executive director, is the MOD. However, I'm almost convinced that it is extra busy when I am on intake.

Life is rarely the same from one day to the next at DenUM and it is impossible to predict what any given day will look like. But I like it. :)

Just like camp . . .

2011-10-21T12:53:00.001-07:00

In my former life as Program Director at Camp, I often lamented that the skills I was developing were not transferable. There isn't a high demand for someone highly skilled in Name Games, numerous variations of Tag and a great repertoire of Silly Songs. I still stand strong with this argument. No has yet to call me with a ice-breaker emergency or in desperate need of someone to lead a silly song.

However, my previous laments have fallen through. One of my jobs as Volunteer Manager is to process applications of potential volunteers, train them, check up on them and encourage them. That sounds pretty familiar to my life at Camp. Things really started to look familiar when Andrew, my former counselor at Camp, applied to volunteer at DenUM. Crazy of crazies! Andrew is doing a semester "abroad" here in Denver called, "Wartburg West" and one of the requirements is to complete some volunteer hours. So, Andrew found himself at my workplace, 788 miles from our good bye at Camp. I got to go through the volunteer process with him, just like I had gone through the application for summer staff process with him twice before!

Things got even more similar as Andrew was trained and oriented for volunteering at DenUM. Because I am was still in training myself, I only sat in on Andrew's training process as Amanda talked through things with him. I wish I had counted how many times I had thought, "just like camp!"

Here at DenUM, we work with a vulnerable population (just like Camp!) so it is important to treat everyone with dignity and respect (just like Camp!). Our clients come from a variety of backgrounds and lifestyle choices (just like Camp!) and it is important that we do not pass judgement or refrain from helping if able (just like Camp!). The first step when helping a client is to smile and say "hello" (just like Camp!). If you ever have questions, be sure to ask a staff person, don't just assume things (just like Camp!).

This list could go on and on!

Working at Camp is a lot of fun, but it's more beneficial than first meets the eye. People of all career fields and life stages need to know how to love people and work with people in a variety of situations. Working at Camp offers practice in a safe, controlled environment on a team of supportive peers and supervisors that are there to help. Working at Camp provides great work experience for more than just the education field.

Camp helped prepare me in more ways than I realized as well. Oddly enough, I learned how to work in an office at Camp. I learned to be self-motivated and complete my own tasks while still being responsible to my supervisor. I have learned how to work within a community and respecting our own personal roles within the organization.

So, even though I am 788 miles away from Camp and only brought one carload of stuff with me, I've managed to bring a lot of Camp with me. And camp seems to have found me at work and in Volunteers. Camp is more than just fun and games, it's a whole lot of life learning. :)

Not your mother's pressure cooker

2011-09-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

Today for Community Day we headed east to Aurora to help can peaches to donate to Metro CareRing. (Two of my housemates work at MCR.) When Antonio told us we would be doing this, I envisioned the 6 of us joining a group of older women in a church kitchen with a pressure cooker working away over the stove. I had images of mason jars everywhere, canning rings and a good time.

Boy was I wrong.

We ended up at the Aurora Cannery, owned and operated by the Latter Day Saints and joined 75 other people in an operation that can best be described as a factory. In the main room, there were a whole bunch of conveyor belts, lots of clanging, banging, wooshing and beeping. I spent some time on the "Quality Control" line with about 20 other people. The peaches just kept rolling by as we looked for "things we wouldn't want to see in our can of peaches," including pits, bruises, skins, etc. Even though the peaches went by quickly, the time did not. Fifteen minutes felt like an hour . . . I knew when it was time to leave the QC when I couldn't think of a good reason NOT to eat the peaches. :)

I returned to the "Labeling" room to help make more boxes, manually glue on labels that didn't take through the "labeling machine" or my favorite job, tape girl. Once the cans are rolled through the automatic "labeler", but if they don't stick, then it was my job (for a while) to manually add the glue and stick the label. Once the cans are labeled, they roll through to the "automatic box stacker rack", someone puts a box on the thinger and pulls out a box full of 12 cans of peaches. He then puts the box on the roller and as the tape girl, I would fold in the flaps, tape it shut and pass it on the the "flip and label" person. In the "peach room" had lots of things going on, much of which i did not understand. I do know that there were 3 HUGE pressure cookers (I could barely reach half way around the barrel!) that were going full throttle all morning. The cans were in the labeling room and traveled through a big tunnel thinger into the peach room, down to the "peach packing station" and some how into the pressure cooker. Then onto the labeling room, to the boxes, to the palates. It was an amazing process.

Yes, I realize that none of this makes sense. To summarize, it was a factory! It was fun though! I enjoyed making boxes, taping and getting into the swing of things. It was fun...for a day. Even the fun jobs would get old after awhile. To tape boxes and only boxes all day for days. Yeah, that would get old. Many of our clients in the job services program at DenUM are limited to factory options because of a criminal background. Those with a record can't apply for most jobs that involve people and are left with few options. There are so, so many obstacles to overcoming the hard knocks of life. I've learned so much already and I've only been here a month. I can't even imagine what the rest of the year has in store for me!

Are morals a luxury of the rich?

2011-09-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

I’m quickly learning how much of a life of luxury I’ve had. I may not have had a butler or a personal driver, but I did always have meals, the safety of knowing where I would be living for the foreseeable future and more shoes than one could possibly wear in a month. During my “Washington Era”, I lived pretty simply. I didn’t have internet or cable, I kept a pretty tight budget and tried to avoid frivolous spending. Here in Denver, I am finding those values to be quite helpful. There are not many areas that I have had to cut back due to lack of funds. The biggest difference is food.

You may know that I like food. (Pretty much every aspect of it from planting to cooking to eating. The only part of food I don’t like are the dirty dishes!) And though I kept a modest food budget in Washington, I did allow myself more than a few luxuries. As a house, we have to watch our food budget very closely. We get $2.83 per person per day. (It’s even less than I realize!) We have generally decided that our favorite brand is whatever is cheapest. That usually means that organic produce is out of the picture and generally “things not on sale” are off the list as well. While I would like to make a vote for sustainable food and farming with every food purchase I make, that is simply a luxury I cannot afford right now.

Today at work, one of my co-workers sent us a suggestion for a game to play. It highlights many of the hidden struggles of poverty and just how many luxuries many of us take for granted. How important is your child’s school play? What about doing “the right thing”? Or your health, is health insurance a priority to you? I’ve played this game many times today and it’s amazing how many choices must be made just to survive.

I’d encourage you to check it out: www.playspent.org. It might just change your mind.

Bad Coffee

2011-09-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

Tuesday is our community day for the "Wolff Pack". (The "Wolff Pack" is the nick name for the five young adult Dwellers and the "Wolff Den" is our humble place of residence.) This means that none of us work on Tuesday and we spend the day immersed in different organizations and communities within Denver. We started our day at Bus Stop Ministries where we helped serve breakfast and then enjoyed some fellowship with those in attendance. We then scooted over to The Network to engage in a "ministry of fellowship". The Network is most easily described as a coffee shop for homeless people, but that doesn't really do it justice. It's a place for people to come hang out, engage in a Bible study and drink free coffee, tea, etc. It's a place to get out of the weather (if needed, so far Colorado weather is AWESOME!), have a seat in a safe (physically and emotionally) place and get some rest.

Our job was to talk to people. Hang out. Just be. You don't have to be around me very long to figure out that I like people. I can talk to most anyone and enjoy striking up a conversation. However, through all my years in church youth group, Mennonite education and service projects, I'd never served Jesus in such a simple and natural way. I didn't have to build a house, serve soup, sing songs or do anything special. I could just sit at a table, drink really bad coffee and talk. (As a side bar, it was really bad coffee. Combine cheap coffee, sitting on the burner a little too long in a pot that hasn't been really washed in a while and you get really bad coffee.) It was such a novel concept. I loved it! I heard stories of all sorts that day. Stories of life on the road, job searching, girl troubles and the problem with the Broncos. Some people want to talk about the situations and obstacles that consume them and cloud their entire life view, others want to forget about it for a while and just talk about football.

I hope to return to The Network. I could really go for some bad coffee. :)

DenUM--week 1

2011-09-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

As of Tuesday, I am officially the Volunteer Coordinator at Denver Urban Ministries, or DenUM for short. I am yet to figure out what that means, but I am in the process of learning all about DenUM. Our mission statement is: (and yes, Tammy, this is from memory.)

DenUM inspires hope as an advocate and trusted provider of needed services.

Today's Need...Tomorrow's Hope.

I have been very impressed by how actively this mission is lived out. It is seen in daily life, available services and big picture goals. Some of the services we provide seem obvious:

--emergency food bags to feed 3ish people for 3ish days

--computers for job searching and resume making

--assistance with job applications, etc

--rent and utility assistance

--free legal assistance once a month

--free hygene products

--clothing referrals

I'm excited that we offer these things, but not all that surpised that we do. However, our list of services continues, and these surprised me. I never thought about there being a need for them or how helpful they can be!

--a voicemail. Many of our clients are just getting out of correctional facilities and living in a Half-way House. If a future employer calls and hears that, they will often just dismiss the application. However, by having a personalized voicemail and local phone number, it allows these clients to play on the same field as other candidates. Imagine how freeing and empowering that might be!

--"Finding and Keeping Work". Once a month, a job consultant who specializes in felony-friendly employment, comes in and teaches a course about how to find a job, even with a less than perfect history and what kinds of steps to take to keep that job.

--Thanksgiving Baskets, at Thanksgiving time, we give out 500+ boxes containing everything needed for the traditional Thanksgiving meal. This helps families feel "normal" for once. Regardless of financial status, life position or whatever, they too can enjoy a table of bounty and celebrate a holiday just like their neighbors from nicer 'hoods. Poverty and hunger does not just infringe on the physical needs of people, it wears on the emotional health of individuals as well.

--A place to celebrate. Our director, Tammy, told us that some clients will come back to DenUM just to tell us about getting a job, finding a place to live or other exciting news. They tell us because we care. They tell us because they have no one else to tell. It breaks my heart to think that our clients may not have anyone else to help celebrate life's big and small victories, but it is so touching to be able to help celebrate with them.

I know that I have much to learn about the culture and resources of DenUM, but so far, I love what I see. Yesterday we talked a bit about our volunteers. One volunteer, Kevin, has been helping for over 15 years. He is generally helpful and a little too eager to chat. He's not the type that would generally be considered "Mr. Popular" and many people may feel a bit awkward around him. However, he is a part of DenUM. I loved what Tammy said though. "If you don't love Kevin, you probably don't love DenUM. Because Kevin belongs at DenUM." I love that.

I'm off to more orientation, more training, more head-spinning details of which to keep track. This blog was originally meant to share about the overwhelming generosity that has been shown to and is shown by DenUM, but I ran out of time! I am doing well, I love my house (the Wolff Den), my housemates (The Wolff Pack) and my new job.

Mountain Climbers of the West

2011-09-05T19:28:00.000-07:00

Hawkeye and I have made the big move to Denver. We can see mountains out our bedroom window, camped in the middle of mountains and say things like "fourteener".

It's been a crazy whirl-wind around here! On Sunday, Brad and I stuffed his little car to the brim with all my belongings. On Monday, we folded into it with Hawkeye on my lap and headed west. We made it with very little problem and I started the process of moving in. I am very glad to have my own room. Although I am looking forward to (and have already greatly enjoyed!) having housemates and a house-full of automatic friends, it is a big transition to have people around all the time. It's nice to have a place that I can call all mine and can escape to as old habits die hard.

We (as a community of Dwellers) spent the next several days grocery shopping, house shopping and generally running around Denver like crazy chickens. By the end of it, I think we all had a bit of a glazed-over look on our faces.

On Thursday, we packed up, ran some more errands and then headed south to Buena Vista for some camping and orientation. We had a wonderful camping spot in Cottonwood Lake Campground and set up our home for the next several days. We were joined by Antonio's family and parents, Brad, the director of DOOR and his family and a board member of DOOR and her friend. We spent time cooking together, laughing together and having a great time. On Saturday, 8 of us took off early for Mount Yale and started our climb. By noon, we had summitted, ate lunch at 14,200 ft and were on the way back down the mountain. Many of the other climbers warned us that we would become addicted to hiking 14ers. I can see why they say that. :)

Sunday was a pretty relaxing day spent at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Resort. It was a giant, naturally heated hot tub like I've never seen before. I could get used to THAT!

On Monday we packed up our things, cleaned up camp and headed back home. We (the Dwellers) pretty much just laid low at the Wolff Den. (I've taken to calling our house the Wolff Den because we live on Wolff Street. It's not official, but I keep hoping that I if I am persistent, it will catch on.) It was really nice to be able to chill out and do nothing with my housemates. I have been quite worried about being able to find down time when I'm surrounded by people. However, after tonight, my fears have been relieved.

Tomorrow, Chad and I start work at DenUM. We have a bus route mapped out and scheduled time to head out.

I will have more pictures to come, but haven't found my camera cord in the unpacking process yet.

Peace and grace to you all!

Variety is a luxury

2011-08-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

I am about knee-deep in boxes and packing piles. My "August Project" was to downsize from a fully furnished and over-stuffed two bedroom apartment down to a bedroom (or less). I am limited by space, both in transporting and storage, by time, and soon, by funds.

As I downsized my closet by more than half, I realized that I still have a lot of clothes. Sure, I donated a big pile of clothes, but I still have a closet, dresser and a stack of drawers full of clothes. Do I really need three orange-ish shirts? Do I really need six pairs of pants? Let's not even talk about shoes. I have my closet organized by color and I love looking down the row at the ROYGBIV rainbow of choices in the morning. It holds the promise of great possibility. :) Though the hangers hold many options of clothes, they also hold way more than a week or two's worth of clothes. However, limiting myself to only 10 shirts also limits me to only 10 options on any given day.

I also enjoy great variety in the kitchen. I keep a list on my fridge of all the fresh produce I have on hand to encourage me to make healthy choices. Considering that it is summer time in Iowa and my mother has an abudant garden, I consistently have a list too long for my "Produce Board". I can enjoy 5 different kinds of fruits or veggies in one day and have 5 more options the next day! Oh the life of luxury! Starting in just a couple of weeks, I will be living in Colorado on an even tighter food budget. Fresh, locally grown produce of all colors may become a hot commodity.

I like having options. I like having choices. I like my variety. But this is a luxury I never considered as such. *sigh*

I leave you with a part of a poem brought to my attention by Garrison Keiller in The Writer's Almanac on August 9, 2011. (I have it posted in my bedroom to remind me that it's OK to downsize.)

In Walden, Thoreau wrote: "Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old; return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. God will see that you do not want society. If I were confined to a corner of a garret all my days, like a spider, the world would be just as large to me while I had my thoughts about me."

And, "If the day and the night are such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs, is more eleastic, more starry, more immortal, -- that is your success. All nature is your congratulation, and you have cause momentarily to bless yourself."

Fundraising

2011-08-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

ugh. I'd rather run a marathon.

I wasn't even the type to ask my parents for money when I was a teenager. But here I am, 8 years past teen-dom, sending out letters to all my friends and family, trying to collect money to support my year of voluntary service in Denver. According to this letter, here's my situation: "The Dwell program provides housing, groceries, insurance, emergency medical grants and travel reimbursement. It costs them $14,000 a year per volunteer. Part of my responsibility is to raise $6,500 of the total. The remainder of the cost is covered by the agency I will be working with (DenUM) and the partner denominations. "

That's right, folks. Six thousand, five hundred dollars. I could try to convince six and a half people to donate $1,000 each. Or maybe thirteen people to donate $500 each. Or maybe I could find 130 people to donate $50. I really don't expect people to donate more than $20, but that would mean I need to find 325 people that are willing to do that. I only have 416 friends on Facebook, and many of them are former campers and staff and under the age of 21. It seems less likely that they would have an extra $20 lying around . . . .

I am very thankful to my church for helping support a great majority of my fundraising process. It cuts down the number of needed donors grately. I am also very thankful for some of the groups that have made contributions on my behalf.

So far in this process, I have been blown away by the generosity of my friends and family. My hope for $20 has been a much bigger reality. Inspite of my hesistance to share, I have been overwhelmed by the generous financial support and the emotional supportive as well! (I speak very generally of "people" here.) When people ask what my plans are, the eager eye contact and thoughtful follow up questions prove that their intrigue is more than just a social chit chat. (I also see a glint of wishful thinking as they picture life in Denver.) It has been humbling and very honoring as well. I am touched and thankful.

This is not to say that my fundraising is done. Not so much. If you are interested in joining my network of supporters, you may do so by going to the DOOR website (http://www.doornetwork.org/) and clicking on the "Donate" button. Please put my name and "Denver" in the description or designation line.

To summarize my thoughts for the night ... People want to help. You just have to give them a chance.

JUST a volunteer?

2011-07-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

As people start to hear about my plans for this fall, many automatically assume that I'm taking a role of leadership within the DOOR network. It's not their fault. It's the "box" that I've put myself in! For the past 7 years, my job has been in a position of leadership. I'm the Program Director at Camp and have a staff of almost 20 people during the summer. Previously, I was a Hall Director and had a staff of 3 and oversaw a residence hall of about 100 students. Before that I was a Resident Advisor and was responsible for a floor of about 40 girls. I like to be in charge of stuff. When you're a kid, they call you bossy. When you become an adult, they call you a "leader". :)

Many people are taken aback a bit when they realize that I'm going to be just a volunteer. Just another person in the house. I, however, am looking forward to it quite a bit. While it is rewarding to be the one to oversee and help build a community, it sometimes leaves me on the outside. There's a bit of a wall between staff and supervisor that is hard to overcome. It's possible, but not always likely. I'm very much looking forward to being a part of the group, but not ultimately responsible for it. I'm looking forward to being just a volunteer.

The end is near. . .

2011-07-20T15:53:00.000-07:00

My days of being Program Director at Crooked Creek are numbered. I have my work days and remaining vacation days all mapped out. I can count the number of programs left on one hand. I have my final to-do list to do. Most of the things I do at work will be the last time I do them. At home, I make packing lists and piles of things to get rid of. I’ve started putting my stuff up for sale on the classifieds and think about what else I can give away. The end of my life as I currently know it is quickly wrapping up.

However.

A new start is near! In just over a month, I will be living in a new house, a new city, a new state and a new part of the U.S. Life will look nothing like it does now. But I am excited! I am looking forward to getting to know new people, a new way of life and a new way of doing things. I am excited about being a part of a community, rather than facilitating it. I can already tell that my new housemates and I are going to be friends. I can just tell. J

However.

I am nervous. It’s been a long time since I was 18 years old, getting ready to move to a new place with new people. I wish I would be over this by now, but the same worries keep going through my head.

· Will they like me?

· Will I fit in?

· Will I have enough “me time”?

· Will I be happy?

· What if I’m not good at my new job?

· What if I do something stupid?

· What if, what if, what if. . .

One advantage I have in my corner this time that I didn’t when I was 18 is the truth that I’ve done it before and can therefore do it again. I know that I can adapt into a new community. I know that I can make friends. I know that I can learn how to do a new job. I know that I can find happiness wherever I am and in whomever I’m with. I know, because I’ve done it before. I don’t have to rely on faith to know that God has prepared a way for me, I already know.

About my blog

2011-06-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

This blog is intended to be an account of my adventures while serving with Dwell in Denver. Allow me to make some disclaimers first.

I've never been a writer. I was a music major in college, I spent a lot of time practicing, not writing.I make sense in my head, but not necessarily on paper. I will most likely compose most of my blogs while running and then attempt to recreate them in a post upon return.

I have a dog, Hawkeye. He's adorable and I'm practically obsessed with him. There will be lots of pictures of him, lots of stories about him and even a blog or two through his eyes. And I don't even feel bad about that! I got him from a rescue shelter in August, 2010. I think he is a yorkshire terrier and most likely came from a puppy mill. He didn't really know how to be a dog and we've made great progress over the past year. He does very well as a Toto to my Dorothy. :)

I also love the Iowa Hawkeyes. I'm an Iowa girl, through and through. I am very excited about the mountains and all that Colorado has to offer. However, I will never forsake my love for the Hawks. :)

I don't have a "blogging voice" yet. I'd love to be like Joy the Baker, but I'm not. I'm Johanna. This blog will be an exploration in that and hopefully I'll eventually settle in a style. But until then, well, good luck. :)

I think in list style. You may have noticed this already.

The name of my blog comes from a song. I will leave you with the lyrics:

All will be well, and all will be well, all manner of things will be well.

Our Lord said that all would be well
All manner of things would be well.

All will be well, and all will be well, all manner of things will be well.

With all the sadness wrought in this world,
The good shall always prevail.

All will be well, and all will be well, all manner of things will be well.

In all the doubts that shroud simple truths,
We pray for the wisdom of God.

All will be well, and all will be well, all manner of things will be well.

Give us the faith to trust in your love
When things are concealed from our view.

All will be well, and all will be well, all manner of things will be well.

Our faith is firm and stands on the Word,
The Word that endures for all time.

All will be well, and all will be well, all manner of things will be well.

And so we pray to trust in the hope
That all manner of things shall be well.

All will be well, and all will be well, all manner of things will be well.

Text: Julian of Norwich, The Revelation of Divine Love; adapted by Steven C. Warner
(All Will Be Well, #98 in Sing the Journey)

And so it begins

2011-06-04T06:14:00.001-07:00

Hi! My Name is Johanna and I'm the Program Director at Crooked Creek in Iowa. I only get to say this for 3 more months before I have to find a new way to introduce myself. Starting September 1, I will be living and volunteering in Denver, Colorado with Dwell. (Dwell is a program of DOOR Network. You can read more about it here.)

Many of the details of my life in three months are still very foggy. Where will I be working? Where will I live? What are my housemates like? What will daily life be like? I don't have answers for any of these questions yet, but I'm still excited.

I'm excited to meet the people behind the names and Facebook pages of my housemates.
I'm excited to dive into a new means of service and bring hope to a struggling place.
I'm excited to be in the mountains. MOUNTAINS!!
I'm excited for a new adventure.

I've always wanted to do a year of voluntary service. It's always been something that the people-who-know do. My older cousins, fellow church members, the cool college kids that seem to get it. I always wanted to fit into that category. I've always had plans to do this too. After high school? (missed that one.) Maybe I'll take a year off in college? (whoops! missed that one too.) It's OK, I'll go after college. I'll go to far away Africa and commit to service for 3 years! (Actually, I ended up 45 minutes from home.) So now is the time. I'm tired of saying "someday" and have declared, "TODAY!" Every step in the application process and preparation process has been a bold declaration of "TODAY!" Today is the day that I stop making plans and start doing them. And I'm excited. Very excited. :)