The life of an unpaid intern...

I left stranded (see last post) a little bit early to drive the 6 hours back here to Denver for the beginning of my internship with Open Door Ministries. The first thing we did when we got here was to learn a dance number for a person's going away party... cool. The next morning as interns we had to set up for the 5K fundraiser. I just spend a week in the wilderness and then I have to get up at 5AM to set up tents and ring cow bells? ...cool. Let me explain to you what I do on a day to day basis. Two other intern and I are the Urban Missions Interns. So basically we have groups come in and stay with us as we teach them about the city. We teach them about homelessness and encourage them to go and love on them in the downtown streets of Denver. We teach about gentrification and the affects it has. We lead them on a prayer walk and help to open their eyes to the darkness that happens on Colfax. That at night street corners become territory and motels and always rent by the hour. They even get a few lessons on humility. That's what we do now let me tell you about my life. I live with 7 others girls in a house with 2 bathrooms. I love it buts its not always easy. As an unpaid intern we do anything and everything with a humble heart. All for the glory of the Lord. Last weeks we weeded along side our group we had in for 3 days in a row. Now this is not typical for a missions trip, and at first I was appalled that what we were doing. Then I learned it had a purpose to further the Kingdom. Now let me tell you a few stories.

The first two Sundays I was here I spend the night in our church watching over sleeping homeless women so they could sleep well in order to go and face life the next day. It is really cool, its called "women's homeless initiative" google it! To hear the stories of some of these women would change your life and the way you think. Let me also tell you a story that literally just happened to me right before I walked into the house. I was walking back from church eating my PB&J sandwich for dinner when a lady pulls up next to me and tells me she needs help. At first I thought she just wanted directions but as I got closer to the car she had a panicked look on her face. She proceeded to tell me a long story about how her mother just died and how her sister had downs and would only get into a purple cab but she didn't have enough money for a cab because she was locked out of her house. She told me that she owned a house in the area and had a job and I could call the hospital, her job, anything, she just needed $20. I gave it to her and she said that she had to pay it back. While her whole story didn't add up, most of it did, and I'm impressed if she made the whole thing up. Now, I don't usually just give money to people, in fact this might have been the first time. But I did because when the Lord tells you to do something, you better do it! I will never see that lady again in my life and the money I gave her is now in the hands of the Lord. One last story for you. As part of our program we send out groups into the streets to talk with people. As interns we figured we better go to one of the worst possible places they could find when we sent them out. We went to civic center park. This park is right across the stress from the capital. One thing you will find when you interact with these people in the park is they start the conversation. It was me, another girl, and a guy. The first people to speak to us was a black guy and a Mexican guy who claimed to be brothers. They asked what we wanted to buy. We told them nothing and we just wanted to get to know our city. Then we were accused of being undercover cops because we had nice teeth. Then they asked if we were from the church... they knew that people like us did not just hang out in places like that. That day we didn't share Jesus with anyone, we just loved our neighbors. The things I saw in that park shocked me, every kind of drug was being bought and sold there, it was crazy, and there were people that I would not want to see in a dark ally alone late at night. But hey, I live downtown. When I says that I live downtown I mean, I live in the hood. I can't count the number of homeless people I pass by and interact with everyday. I can't tell you how many times I want to gag from the things I smell. I hear sirens by the hour. I don't walk any place alone. I carry a backpack instead of a purse because danger is a real thing. I carry with me granola bars so I can give food instead of money. I now even carry a lighter because people love their smokes but don't always have a lighter. I am in the heat of the battle, and my heart will remain heavy for the entire summer. I will live day by day relying on the Lord to get me thought the heart break and darkness I see and experience. But all the awhile I love where God has placed me for the summer!

Stranded!

Oh my goodness, one of the best weeks of my life. There is no way I can tell you everything because there is way too much. But I will give you the highlights.

First, let me tell you what it was all about. Unusual Soldiers is a ministry that focus is on Dark, Despised, and Dangerous places of the world. These people live out the great commission. So this thing called stranded was a training event to go into dark, despised, and dangerous places of the world. So Sunday through Friday

Sunday: 

we get there and have no idea what to expect, I think we were excepting to literally be dropped off in the wilderness for days. We started with getting to know each other and learning about the ministry. Then they fed us dinner, I think we all ate way too much before we arrived and were over stuffed for fear of not eating for days. and then they kept feeding us. Then they told us our goal for the week. The goal was “to reach the vulture tribe for Christ” with this came a few details about the tribe. I believe this is when we made the list of anything and everything we could think of to take with us that would help us to accomplish this. A few things on the list were things such as sleeping bags, a Bible, extra rope, passport, and the like. Then we had to rate ourselves on a scale of 1-10 on our risk level. From this we were divided into 3 teams. The black team was the high-risk team and the other 2 were lower risk. Also based on the risk level was the number of items each team got to take to the wilderness. The next day was go time

Monday:

We got our supplies and were literally dropped off by some trees in a field and told to fine a certain spot. We wondered around for a few hours till we found it. Then each team had to build their own shelter. While we were building our shelter we came across a soft looking plant that we were going to use for bedding. One of the girls said she knew it was white carrots and they were edible. Well, we're in the wilderness, we might as well eat some. 7 of the 12 people had a little bit of what we later found out was water hemlock (more on that later!) After that it was late and we were all tired and were going to bed. Yeah right. After a few things happened we found ourselves hiking through some dense woods about 11pm. We did some team building, and then we all had to hike a trail, alone, without a light, and meet up at a certain spot. Once we all met up we ran into some “rebels." We talked with them for a little bit, some people thought it was a good idea to answer their questions about how many there were of us and where we were staying. So once we all got back to our camp about 2am it wasn’t very long until the rebels came and kidnapped a few people.

Tuesday:

Oh what an exciting day

We had to get our captives back, while being “shot” at, (figuratively, but kind of literally) in doing so I army crawled thought a cow pasture… Kim does not do those things. Once we had our captives back, they told us they didn’t think those plants were white carrots, but water hemlock, something we should never goggle, and anyone who even licked it was going to the ER. So, 7 of the 12 of us went for a little trip to the hospital. We were complete fine but had to go just in case. We had the whole hospital scared that literally every available staff in this small hospital everyone from lab techs, to secretaries, had formed a semi circle right inside the door and were waiting for us as if we were going to walk in half dead. Truthfully, we all should have already been dead. Water hemlock is the most deadly and poisonous plant in North America! Jesus for real had His hands covering us completely because no one even got sick! Can you say divine intervention, blessings, and how awesome our God is? WOW! Another blessing was while we were there we to telling the doctors and nurses why we were doing what we were doing. We got to tell them that we are crazy for the sake of the gospel. And that news got all over town! For the glory of the Lord. We got checked out and they sent us back. The doctor told us we should probably eat a steak dinner… we had a soda and a few chips. After that we had kind of a down time to process it all. Then we were told that we were going to the tribe that night. So we put together a plan of how to share the gospel with them and went. It was crazy, it was fun. Half way thought I was handed a live chicken that I held for about 45 minutes. Chickens are heave. We later killed and ate it… such is life.

Wednesday:

Was challenge day! Lots of physical challenges. A few people had to make tough decisions. From the decisions that we made we all got to get out of the wilderness. We had a nice big cookout and debrief time. It was nice to get out! And we got showers! PTL!

Thursday:

Went spend the day listening to the Lord and following His leading. We talked about next steps and where the Lord might be leading us.

Friday:

We did some closing things and said our goodbyes.

I was so blessed by my time doing this I learned so much about the Lord, and myself met some awesome people, and got an idea of a place to minister. 

Beautiful

This week here at CCU is the "beauty movement." This is a campaign about inter beauty over outward beauty. Tonight we had a chapel titled "The truth about beauty" these are my notes. We had two speakers.

Most of us believe lies about beauty.
While there are advantages to being "beautiful" there are disadvantages. With being pretty comes the pressure to stay pretty forever. Often this is where women find their worth.
1st Peter 3:3-5 says "Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands." This is our verse for the week! In verse 4 when the word gentle is used inter grace. Our internal self, meaning our heart and mind. Those who live with motive and desire towards God's law. A shift in our thoughts needs to take place. A soul makeover! When all is well with your soul it will come through your eyes.

Matt Jones was the next speaker.
Beginning to speak he said that because he is a dad and has little girls this is close to his heart and could bring him to tears.
All of us have some kid of baggage that we bring with us. Some of this baggage can come from our earthly father, but our heavenly Father can help us to unpack this baggage!
Beautiful defined is 1. having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about. and
2. Excellent of its kind. There is only ONE kind of yourself, so you are excellent! You have been created with excellence. If you don't agree with this, you are saying you think God made a mistake.

Psalm 139:13-14 says that you were made for a purpose. Do you trust Him? Your works are wonderful, this is the way you made me!

Something I thought was so interesting was that when we see Jesus overturn tables, he was in the temple. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, Jesus got mad when people weren't seeing and using the temple for the right reason. Don't you think He's mad when we are not using our temple for the right reason!

We are damaged and we are hurt. That does not mean that we have to live like that! Jesus can redeem our hearts and our minds. Live for His purpose, living in His will for your life.

If you don't know to love yourself, maybe you don't know how to love your neighbor!

Its been forever, so let's catch up!

**I'm to tried to proof read this so sorry for the mistakes**
Where to start, I have no idea! Well, last May my mom and I decided that we were going to finally go to South Africa to visit our wonderful friends the Standers. So at the last minute we bought some tickets and went. Okay, so it wasn't that simple. I told my mom it was pointless to go for 2 weeks and get nothing done and barely know what was going on. So the plan was that she was going to stay for 3 weeks, and I for 7. Yea I know its crazy, but so worth it! Without boring you to death and telling you day by day, I will just tell the highlights!

Plane: packed like mad women, we beasted. watched the sun rise from the plane, so beautiful!

Lay over in Amsterdam: explored the City, red light district, left the city :0 to go to the Cory Tinboom house, eat good food, saw men in short shorts, meet people who lived closed to quincy! Haarlem cannabis paraphernalia was everywhere!

The beginning:

Let me just tell you that I loved finally getting there, Barry and Phil picked us up from the air port. Before I ever got there I decided I was going to be a big girl and go through immigration all by myself. Long story short the guy told me he was putting me back on the plane if I didn't get proof I was leaving the country at the end of my stay! Thankfully my mother saved by butt! After we all got packed in a very little car we started the 6 hour drive home. Bathroom stop! I got a very eerie feeling as a got out of the car late at night, I had to walk thought the gas station to the outside restrooms. This was South Africa! We got there and found chocolates on our pillows, sweet sweet Abia gave us her room!

First day at Church:

Oh man thinking back about this day brings nothing but smiles! I got to meet all the people that made up God's church! :) They were the sweetest, kindest people I have ever met, they hugged me and embraced me into the family!

Afternoon trips:

We went to a restaurant that is beside a train track! We played at ate!

WORLD CUP!

First game of the world cup, South Africa was playing. We took a TV to a local township and had a party! Loved of little children!

Fish and chips! :)

Then the craziness started:

Holiday club: AKA Vbs. For 4 weeks, 5 days a week! I loved it and it was so much fun! We did a skit everyday! And loved on kids! Did praise and worship, I had to pretend I new the songs that were not in english. People laughed for me, but it was for God so I just had to laugh also!

Before my mom left we went shark cage diving! My mother actually got in the cage, shocking, I know! And the day we left we real quick went to the hospital to visit people and give them stuff! We got to hold lots of babies and we also visited the children's ward. This was so awesome for both my mom and I! :) Then she had to leave! We all took her to the airport, in Cape Town. We went and looked at the stadium and saw all the crazy people! I was alone in Africa! ;) well, just without my mommy!

We went to the strawberry patch in the next town, we were going to see toy store 3 but it wasn't there yet!

I tried curry, not fun! Painful!

I had a sleep over with my girls!

Lots of people got baptized in the ocean! PTL

Barry's Parent:

We drove through the most beautiful, mountains ever! I would live there if I could, I have never see anything so magnificent I don't expect to see anything like it again! While there I shot a springbuck! Expect the unexpected! ;)

So I few days before I left I went to South Africa school! Oh my goodness it was an experience! I was the only one not in school clothes. So I was stared at, and talked about! But again I just laughed through it all! Right before the day ended someone threw a rock at me! Gosh, hate on Americans. I like to think I was talk of the school at least for that day "hey, did you see the american?"

Then it was my time to say goodbye! :(

The girls decided that they wanted to throw me a going away party! It was fun, we ate, we danced, we cried! I hated it! So then I got back home and started packing! Didn't get much done! So I started again the next day, the day I was leaving! So I was still packing and someone said there were whales down at the point! Of course I stopped packing to go see them, by the time I got back we really needed to leave for the airport, so I was just throwing stuff in my suitcases. I barely had time for more sad goodbyes! So... I forgot a few thing, my winter coat, and my cell phone! Oh the troubles that caused! But now I have stories!

Homebound:

Half way to the air port realized that I didn't have my phone. I really wanted to cry!

So we got to the airport, and found out that the plane was delayed "because the captain was sick" mhmm Barry's said he was hung over. Probably. So I called my mom on skype to tell her I didn't not have a phone and my flight was delayed. So Barry and I sat there talking on skype to different people! All the while my computer was dying, when I finally realized it and went and bought a converter to charger, I only had like 15 mins to charge it! I was suppose to pay for an escort so I didn't have to fly across the world by myself! They were bad at their job because one person said I need to pay for it ahead of time another said I could now! So after like a 6 hour delay I finally got on a plane with a kinda "mall cop" person only helping me at the beginning. Someone who was pretending they knew what they were doing! I was better off alone! So I got on the plane, and was seated next to an old drunk couple, for 12 hours! Oh joy! About 10 hours in the flight, a flight attendant came to me and asked "are you Kim Dettmer" I asked "yes" She then told me that I was a "meet and assist" but that I couldn't be because I was not handicapped. She told me she would see what she could do! She came back and told me that there was nothing she could so and I was going to miss my flight and I would have to go to the transfer desk and get the next flight out... tomorrow! So I kind of panic, "ok Kimberly you can do, all you have to do is walk through the Amsterdam airport by yourself and find the transfer desk and hope for the best, and pray you don't get kidnapped sitting in the airport all night without even a cell phone, you can do this" that was my pep talk to myself. So the plane landed and I got up, and I happened to get off the plane next to this girl, and we started talking. She was sent from heaven because she was scared too, also going to America! She got a soccer scholarship to a school down south. She also had to go to the transfer desk. So we walked together! :) Never got a name or a picture, and forgot the school! But she made an impression! So as we are standing there together in this forever long line this lady starts yelling my name and I'm thinking "oh gosh this is weird what do I do" and I shyly said "that me" she said "follow me" uhh lady, "why?" She told me that my next flight had been delayed too, and it was on the other side of the hall, literally, 100 feet from where I was standing! I don't think I've ever been so excited in my life. Oh and my the way if I had missed that flight the next on was the next day, so I would have asked for a hotel, but I wouldn't have been allowed to get one because I was not 18! So I was asked a million question and "who helped you pack?" So there I was praising God for this and I thought I better tell my mom that I was going to make that flight. She thought I wasn't going to make it, and I should not have. There are no seats and I don't want my stuff stolen, so I pull out my computer while standing, as I feeling every eye looking at me! So of course I update facebook before messaging my mom on skype! So stupid! Just before I hit send on skype my computer dies, with no way to charge it. Wonderful, so my mom now thinks I missed my flight! I'm now board, what else is there to do but eves drop on the people next to me. From what I could gather I think it was a school trip. There is a teenage guy and a teenage girl both with southern accents, and all I can remember now is, there was some Major churching going on there, and me laughing to myself! hahaha It was kind of pathetic! And now we board plane #2 of 3 and guess what? I'm in the exit row seat next to the window/door! That was not where I picked my seat to be! And Guess what else, next to another old creep. I had to sign I paper saying I was able to assist people if the plane went down! (Later I read the card thing and in a water landing which was 90% of the flight my exit would not be used, smart people I tell you) And you know what those exit rows are cold, I wanted to cry half of the flight I was so cold! Then we got a customs forms, and I was asked the drunk next to me what to do because I wanted to get through with my biltounge (jerky) but I was scared of the dogs. So I went back and forth on weather to lie or not! I told the truth! So therefore they made me get an extra search! After customs! Woohoo! Those people are scary! They found my jerky and put it in the trash! But I'm still proud of myself that I got it out of South Africa, I was told it couldn't be done! ;) When they found that they also found the alcohol I brought back for people! I didn't even think that I was not allowed to have it. Opps! The lady said "its for your dad right?" I said "yep" and she let me keep both bottles! So I'm back in America and I'm good going to my 3rd and last plane. I had to make a starbucks stop though! :) and I got there! I tried to charge my computer but then it was boarding! That was a no go and my mother sill had no idea what was going on even thought she had been up all night trying to get information, they said I was not on an international flight! Dumb! This plane had 3 seats all the way across, it was small! And the flight was only 40 mins! I was happy, but tired! We had a trainee flight attendant that took half the flight to say the safety stuff! And they she walks back and asks if I'm Kim Dettmer. I said yes. Mind you not one flight attend said a word to be on plane #2! This lady asked me if I needed help! It was not her fault her but I was tired and annoyed I said "umm no, I think I'm good, my mom was just worried about Amsterdam, all I have to do is get my luggage and find my mom, but thanks I think I'll be okay " So we landed and got off the plane! As I was walking to the luggage part, I thought I saw my mom but I told myself "no its can't be her, only people with tickets for a flight can get back here" I carry on to get my bags, I walked passed all the other families, no mom! 10 at night and I feel alone in the St. louis airport! I had no idea where to go, so I go to a help desk and ask if there is a pay phone, HA! So I asked where there was an outlet, she told me! So here I was sitting in a dark corner of the airport with a Mac on my lap and 4 bags! Prime target much! So I called my mama from skype... "Hi mom, where are you?" "Sitting at your terminal, waiting for you" "what the heck, I thought that was a secure area, well keeping walking to me" To this day I still don't know how she got through! So we hugged, and I think she cried! Now HOME! As I walked closer to the doors I felt it getting hotter and hotter! I just came form cold weather, and BAM heat wave, it was so hot! Like in the 100s! I slept on the way home and for the next few days. I Loved getting all the welcome back hugs, smiles, and texts! Even though I had to ask everyone who they were because "I left my phone in South Africa" Loved every moment of my trip!

Sorry, I know I said I would trying and keep it short.

One Day Without Shoes!

Today, April 8th, is One Day without shoes! It's not just a day to disobey the school rules, it's a day for a greater cause! There are several reasons to go barefoot, 1. Raising awareness for the children who go 365 days a year I all weather without shoes! 2. It is a personal experience that gives you an insight into what these people go through on a daily basis.

Here are some facts that children live with as their lives!

• 400 million kids are at risk of hookworm which enters the body through the soles of (bare) feet. (how sad and gross is that) Untreated, the disease may lead to impaired cognitive development, reduced school attendance and ultimately, decreased productivity as adults.

• In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to food, clean water and to seek medical help.

• Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.

• Often, children are not allowed to attend school barefoot.

• In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.

• All this is 100% preventable by wearing shoes.

Children in developing nations or 3rd world countries don't have that choice. It was very good experience going through a high school barefoot all day. My heart break for children that cannot help themselves! I cannot go a day without thinking of them! I didn't write this to make you feel guilty, promise, but if it did, maybe you could do something to better the world today!

Check it out http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/index2.php

Why we celebrate on Sunday and not Friday!

Until this year I never really thought about how so many people get caught up on Good Friday and don't think about the resurrection until Sunday morning when their preacher reminds them! Good friday is not one of my favorite days, I don't know why! Maybe its because the church always talks about the cross, but sometimes totally forgets about what happened 3 days later! I think the Easter season needs to just be about the resurrection and the celebration of that! It just bugs me a tad bit, I mean good friday is good, but Easter sunday is Amazing! So I will choose to rejoice, now, and every time when they talk about the cross in church and I look at Measha and whisper yell "Don't forget about the Resurrection" :) You really just can't leave Resurrection out of the story because He has Risen!

While I'm think about it, you know what I love? I love good Godly fellowship with good Godly people whom you can have great conversations with! It just makes my heart happy! I heard a story tonight about a really messed up kid who came to know Christ! Hearing what he had been thorough and the things this kid had done, then him finding Jesus just made me over joyed! Oh how the Angels must of praised on that day!

I always have been afraid of being that cheesy Christian! Today I got over that fear in study hall, I pulled out my Bible and an n amazing study book my wonderful friends got me for my birthday, and began to read! Now before I get to how that went I will start by telling you now I can to put my books ob my backpack! I wasn’t having a very good morning for whatever reason, and I was already running late but as I was walking out of my room I saw my Bible! My mother was standing right there, and as I picked it up I yelled at her “I’m going to take this with me today because I need some Jesus in me because I’m MAD”. So I did, I continued to have a bad day until I got to study hall and read my B-I-B-L-E go figure! It read 3 days worth, and it was all about pray, so I wrote out my prayers because my book told me to! I didn’t like my handwriting, but I loved my time spend with God! So as I was consumed in my reading I missed the bell, so I was the last one to leave, now Mr. Mosley is my study hall teacher, as I got up I caught his eye and half smiled at him. I don’t know what he did back but I think it was good. The rest of my day went well even thought I only had to classes left! I think I may begin to enjoy study hall more then driving!