By: Lindsay GoodrichShe made me feel welcome as soon as I met her. It seemed like she encouraged me every time I saw her. She is mature and wise beyond her years. She is laid back and willing to go with the flow while at the same time, eager to bring new ideas to high school program to make it the very best it can be. She has made the transition from program participant to Ciudad Nueva staff this year and it has been beautiful to watch. Allow me to introduce Vero Aldabe.It’s amazing to see Vero giving back to Ciudad Nueva in her work on staff, as youth program assistant. She is a living … [Read more...]
Funny Face, Internships and Empathy
By: Tessa Valadez Audrey Hepburn is my favorite. Hands down. She has such an incredible presence in films and brings with her a genuine delight to her roles. I've watched so many of her films, but one that seemed evasive over the past couple of years was Funny Face. Don't gasp or say, "You love Audrey Hepburn, but you've never seen Funny Face?" No. But I have now, so all is right with the world again. Before I begin, please allow me to draw you into a memorable scene that caught my attention. Not only do I love the blocking and lighting, but the conversation is what got the cogs … [Read more...]
Sharing of Resources
A key component of Christian Community Development By: Sami DiPasquale Recently I have been sharing about the key components of a lifestyle dedicated to Christian Community Development (CCD), a holistic framework that we strive to pursue in our Ciudad Nueva community. In the last few months I have written about relocation and reconciliation, and today I’d like to delve into the third component of CCD: the sharing of resources. Here is an abbreviated overview of resource sharing by seasoned practitioners in the field: When men and women in the body of Christ are visibly present and living … [Read more...]
Wisdom in a Bottle Cap
By: Tessa Valadez "I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." - E.B. White My friend, Lynn See, showed me this picture the other day and all I could get out was, "hmm... yep." She had mentioned that it reminded her of us. She and I both enjoy the arts. Anything. You name it: theatre, dance, film, writing, painting -- anything that allows one to enjoy life and express the beauty in its glories and complexities. There is sorrow, there is hope, there is broken, there is mended, there is … [Read more...]
How to Prune a Vine Wrapped Around a La-Z-Boy in the Pride Lands While Being the Center of the Universe
By: Tessa Valadez "Bloom where you're planted," a friend told me. I narrowed my eyes at the idea. She continued, "God calls us to that, and it's incredible to see what he can do when we stick around and decide to bloom instead of uproot ourselves every time we get a tad uncomfortable." I nodded. Yeah, it made sense. I kicked a pine cone, watching it scatter across the crunchy park grass as we strolled and spoke. I have a hard time staying rooted when the going gets rough. At least, in my mind. This entire year, from August until now, has been a tad uncomfortable. I've been pushed off … [Read more...]
