Woops

It's almost been a week since I last wrote. That's really bad, considering I'm supposed to be writing everyday or every other day for class. Oh well. I can't really change that now, can I? I'm just doing this over my lunch break at my internship instead of my usual 30 minutes of Minesweeper. Good game.
But back to life. Wednesday, we discussed our readings on the Garment District and sweatshop labor. Then Paul's acquaintance from church came and told us about her job as a fashion designer. It was interesting to see how oblivious she was to abuses factory workers experience. After her little diddy, we all went to the Garment District and toured Santee Court, which is a new area of lofts. Then we broke up into small groups and went our different ways. Each group went to a ocuple sweatshops. It was fascinating; you just find a store and look up. If there are curatins over the windows, chances are, it's a sweatshop. Then you just find the entrance, climb the stairs, and walk right in. Easy as pie. I found the accessiblity so odd. But there, my group went to two sweatshops and talked for a while with each owner. I was so surprised. I had expected these awful conditions and miserable employees, but it seemed fine, and the workers were just chilling, sewing and listening to their headphones. We learned that the first factory owner was having difficulty because of the recession. She was getting less product orders and was a litle worried, but still her business kept going. Lydia at one point asked if it got really hot in the room and the owner told us yes and that it got especially hot during the summer. I think the second factory was more eye-opening than the first, because the woman who owned this one admitted that it wasn't a great job. She told us the workers would be better off elsewhere. She also explained to us, very honestly, that sometimes the manufacturers don't pay her on time, and so she cannot pay her employees on time. It's a cycle, and the contractors are not the ones to blame. Well, sometimes they are, but Ive found that the real culprits are the CEOs of big retail companies who take their enormous salaries and ignore the workers underneath them who can barely afford housing. After our visits, we all came back together and ate at Taco House #3. So good. I got two tacos, beans and rice and tarmarindo for $5. I was happy. We discussed our findings and were dismissed for the day. I went back to the center with Jonathan, Josh and Alicia. Alicia worked, and Jonathan wrote a paper, but we also hung out and watched the lost Anchorman movie, entitled Wake Up Ron Burgundy! It wasn't as good as the first, but still hilarious! Then the four of us ate dinner at McDonalds and then proceeded to Brianna's and Bethel's for a rooftop worship session. It was fun hanging out with everyone outside of a school setting.
Thursday I arrived at work to find some cute little flowers on my desk. I thought to myself, "This place is great." I did my work and then Heili told me about the staff Valentine's Day party. They had forgotten to inform me previously, but I didn't mind. They all had drawn names to see who their valentine was and they made litttle gifts for those people. So cute. Heili made me one that day. It was really nice of her. And then we all snacked on the foods, and I went home. And Allie, Emily, and Gabriel came to visit me!! That was the best night in a while. We just talked and laughed and played Tourette's. Fun game that prompts intense laughter! (Especially when you're playing with Emily!) Then Gabe went home and Emily and Allie stayed the night so they could go to class with me in the morning!
Friday we went to school and mostly just discussed how our internships were going. I'm not going to lie, I was jealous people are out doing cool things while I'm stuck in front of a computer in my lonesome cubicle for 6 hours. I'm learning that I'm more of a "go, do" person. Then, because it was raining, we went back to the house and played cards some more and watched Friends. Then they went home and Lydia and I watched Ella Enchanted. It's such a cute movie. I don't care what you say. It was good to just have some roommate time.
Saturday, I took off and went to APU for the day. I can't tell you how good it was to get out of the city and away from all its problems. I'm glad I was able to be there for Carolyn in her time of need, even though I didn't do anything personally. But we took attention off of her and made truffles! Emily and I are experts now! Then I almost missed my bus back to LA, but ran and got there just in time to have the doors shut on my body. Oh well, I was on the bus! And on my way to USC, where I was meeting Becca and Casey, the man siting next to me on teh bus silently handed me his phone number. Thank you, PJ, but I will never call. Then we met Guy and Alvin and all their UCLA friends at La Fonda, apparently a world-famous Mexican restaurant with live mariachi. I found my husband that night, but he doesn't know it yet. Guy bought me their CD, too! Then after the show, I went home.
Sunday, I went back to the Dream Center for another show, I mean, service. But I had to go so I could do my project due Friday. Four of the top 30 American Idol contestants were there, and the pastor invited them up onstage. They talked a little bit about how they are excited that God has placed them where they are in this time, and they asked us to pray for their ability to use their gifts to witness. After church, there was almost a catfight outside. Really? I found that incredibly ironic. Then I went home adn wrote my papers.
Yesterday was Monday. (And someone's lunch smells really good right now!)We had just read all about homelessness, and it was time to see it first hand. So we broke up into pairs and went to Skid Row. Bethel and I ended up taking Sweet Dreamer out to lunch. It was pretty obvious how she got by. When we got to the small cafe, she took off her jackets to reveal this tiny little dress thing that had a deep plunge and no back. Did I mention that it had been raining? Even with her three jackets, she must have been cold, with wet jeans and socks and flipflops. Poor woman. But we bought her a pastrami sandwhich (her favorite!) and talked about life. We talked about boyfriends, and she told us it was better to have many and not just one. "More money that way!" (yep..definitely a prostitute)She mentioned that her sons were taken away from her becasue of her drug problem, so we assumed that this was the reason she was living on the streets. It was pretty cool getting to chat with her. After she left us to go smoke, Bethel gave the rest of her lunch to a man we passed on the way in. Then he proceeded to talk to us for 20 minutes, neither of us understanding a single thing he was talking about. But there was a point when I looked in his eyes and suddenly thought, "Hi, Jesus." Because I could see his kindness in this man's eyes. It was ironic then, when another man walked by and warned us that the other man bites. We ignored him and kept listening. I think that man just needed some ears to talk to. After that we all met up back at the regional center where people began to tell the stories of their encounters, each getting a little more heavy as they went. The last group, Christy, Brianna, and Jesse, had met two men who felt worthless. Both had been in and out of jail, completely devoid of any hope. One of them had even tried to hang himself the last time he was in jail. Most of us were in tears by the end of class. We prayed for all we witnessed and heard about. When we got home, there were SO many people there. Nayeli is in the hospital again. Juanita says it's worse than last time. Lydia and I went to our room to watch Taken. It was so intense, but it was an amazing movie. Incredible. Then we kind of did homework and went to bed around 9. Beautiful.
Pray. For the homeless people we met. For Nayeli and for our patience that runs thin with all the little kids around all the time. For Carolyn and her family. For my ankle, which still hasn't returned to normal yet. Miguel Lozano told me to get it checked out, but I'm stubborn. And what pain it does cause is avoidable. I just can't ever point of flex my foot. And even then, the pain is tolerable. But still, pray for healing so that I don't have to see a doctor. And keep praying that I find a church. I think I may go to New City again this week, because Brianna's group invited their homeless friends to church, and I'd like to support them. But after that, I'm going to continue looking.
Thank you for your prayers and your continued support. You are greatly appreciated.
But now, it's back to work for me!
Tracy