...I'm so bad at keeping in touch. we've been busier than normal but nothing extraordinary. easter was busy as usual, another holiday full of "programs" and entertaining the guests. its quite the dog and pony show we put on here for our guests during the holidays. i dont like it, but i have no choice...im just glad all the major holidays are over. except queens day, but thats a dutch holiday, nothing to do with religion so im hoping we wont have to put a little something on every day for 12 days before that...
i hope the weather back home is nice. its terrible here. today is the first nice day we've had since february. yeah, it was in the 50's and 60's for a few days back then. over easter weekend it snowed on and off for about 5 days. nothing ever sticks but it was really pretty, especially at night. someone said this is the coldest winter in amsterdam in like 100 years. nice...
last week i befriended a male transexual prostitute from bolivia. his name is musthafa. he came in dressed in full drag, high heels and all. he speaks spanish and calls me "mi corazon" or "mi amor", pet names like my love. he's really nice. it makes me sad of course because his life is difficult beyond what i can comprehend. but God really opened up my heart to him and when i saw him in the alley the next day he ran to me (in his 3 inch heels) and was so happy to see me. i havent seen him in over a week so im hoping he comes back to the city to stay with us again.
we also have a new cleaner here named elise, shes scottish and such a fireball. she was a prostitute for 25 years before God saved her and now shes hoping to get accepted into a program that helps rehabilitate other women who were involved in prostitution. last week i led film discussion and we watched the goonies. it was funnier to hear her laugh through the entire movie than the movie itself. shes great and i really like her. please pray for both of these people.
ya know, amsterdam is a funny place. its a tourist city so everything is super expensive. especially when the dollar is worth about as much or maybe less than toilet paper. there is such a diverse socio-economic culture here. at the city, where i work, we deal with so many homeless or impoverished people. the jordan, our sister shelter in the same neighborhood as our staff house, gets mainly wealthier college aged kids. the jordan is the second most expensive area in amsterdam. the first is over by vondelpark. there is atually a street over there that translated into english is called "we have millions". i thought that was disgusting. i mean its ok if youre rich, but to brag about it is lame. there is definitely a contrast in people groups here, its also the most international city in the world. somedays we have to turn away homeless people and thats really difficult, especially in the winter. and theres the occasional drunk guy who can barely walk or even talk. thats sad. but we have really great guests too, like thomas. a kid from the U.S. i talked to this week who asked me, "how do i become a better christian? i cant come a work in a shelter in europe." i told him to get into the word and pray. he said he doesnt do either hardly ever so we gave him a copy of the new testament and i told him to start talking to God everyday. he explained to me that his mom died this summer and he wanted to come to europe with his brother and friends because she never got the chance. the next day i came to work and saw him in the hallway reading the bible we gave him!
another thing, be praying for our staff. lots of us are sick and really worn out. we are short receptionists and this is the start of our high season. i have been sick for 3 weeks, im feeling better but have this cough that will not go away. and also pray for unity, there are a few people in the house who are gossipping and some of it has involved me and one of my best friends here. so please pray that God can fix what someone else has messed up. thanks guys. God bless.
