Leaving the Known and Heading into the Unknown... Yet Again

After packing my two suitcases and two carry-on's to the brim with the necessities I would need for the year, I was driven the airport to head off for another year-long adventure, this time to a country that I think is a lot like the United States – London, England.
First, I stopped in Chicago and spent a week with 49 other young adults at the ELCA - Young Adults in Global Missions (YAGM) Orientation, which was packed with speakers with knowledge beyond words, past YAGM's with wisdom to pass onto us, and the staff that has been praying for us since before we sent in our application forms. They each equipped us with their knowledge, wisdom, and prayers in hopes these things will be apart of us during our year-long journeys.

YAGM volunteers hanging out our last night in the US for a year:
Lauren (South Africa), Beckah (UK), Elayna (UK), me, and Heather (South Africa).

UK YAGM's in the Heathrow airport after our 8 hour
flight heading to our placements throughout the UK.

Shortly after arriving in London, I realized how incredibly lucky I was. The full-time volunteer coordinator, Beck, met Eddie (another YAGM serving at Springboard for the year) and I at the airport to show us the way to our homes for the next year. Beck not only lugged one my 50 pound suitcase through the tube, the train, and the bus, but she even made my bed, had food in the kitchen, and clean towels for me. These things weren't in her job description, she just did them out of the kindness of her heart (which I learned really quickly that this in how most everyone working at Springboard is). After unpacking, napping, and showering Beck took me on a tour around Peckham, the area of London I live near. She showed me lots of grocery stores, convenient stores, the library, phone stores, the “Pound Store” (like the “Dollar Store”), and WAY to many meat markets. As I was on this tour I noticed Jamaican music, Jamaican flags, Jamaican food in the restaurants and grocery stores, and Jamaican accents. I had no idea the area I would be living in would have any Jamaicans, but as it turns out Peckham has the highest population of Jamaicans in London! This is quite exciting considering I taught there last school year.

Springboard volunteers: Eddie (from MN), me
and Christi (from the Netherlands) checking out
the sights in London - Buckingham Palace.

Tower Bridge:
one of the many bridges to get to North London.

The Prime Meridian!!

Yes, London still has these phone boxes.

After a few days to sleep, rest, and sight-seeing we had our first training sessions through Springboard. This is where I met all the Springboard staff and helped us figure out what this year of our lives were going to look like and taught us some useful things to know - like how to write lesson plans, how to use the program we'll be using everyday, and how to use the resources in all of our schools - with, of course, our tea breaks. Then the big day came: our first day of school!

Flatmates: Ben (from England), Blesilda (from the Philippians), and I before our first day of school.

On Monday, Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon I'm at Kingswood, which is about a 35 minute bus ride. I tutor at Kingswood with Christi, the Springboard volunteer from the Netherlands. We have 2 lovely coordinators and a few long time part-time volunteers that Christi and I can get endless amounts of knowledge from. http://www.lgfl.net/lgfl/leas/lambeth/schools/kingswood/

Kingswood


Christi and I on our way home from our first day of school -
and YES we are sitting on the 2nd level of a double decker bus!!!

On Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings I'm at Elm Wood, which is about a 10 minute walk from Kingswood. We just started at this school and I have a wonderful coordinator who was a full-time volunteer a few years ago. It's really exciting to be able to see the beginning stages of Springboard at a school. We've been testing children non-stop since the first day I arrived at Elm Wood. We're hoping to start tutoring the children on Tuesday.
On Wednesdays and Fridays I'm at St. Mark's which is in North London about about an hour bus ride. My coordinator at this school also attends the church I go to, which is beautiful! There are only a few of us at St. Mark's, as it's a small school (only one class for each grade!) but it already feels like home. The teachers and staff are so friendly and welcoming.




Organizations I'm affiliated with throughout the year:
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) – Young Adults in Global Missions (YAGM's): The ELCA-YAGM program is my sending organization based in the United States. I found out about ELCA Global Missions through the couple I was serving with in Jamaica and then I found the YAGM program on the website. The YAGM program is for young adults between the ages of 18-28 and equips and sends them to Argentina, Uruguay, Malaysia, Mexico, Palestine, Slovakia, Hungary, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Time For God (TFG):
The ELCA-YAGM program partners with Time For God, based in London, England. TFG recruits volunteers from all over the world and then places the volunteers within the United Kingdom (England, Wales, and Scotland). TFG placed me in Springboard.

Springboard (SB):
Springboard is an organization which is based in schools around London and Manchester and tutors children who need help with reading, spelling, and writing. SB is the organization I will be working closely with. I will be tutoring about 12 children twice a week in three different schools in London. Each child I will tutor will be learning from a phonics based approach during 45 minute sessions.




Supporters for September:
Violet Wilson: 12th in honor of Sandy Keogh's birthday.
Stacey and Kent Cunningham: 29th in celebration of Mason's 2nd birthday.

Supporters for October:
Lynn and Craig Pykkonen: 1st in celebration of Dana's birthday.
Paula Merkouris: 12th in celebration of her wedding anniversary.

Thank you to all of you who are praying for me, encouraging me, and guiding me to God's words. Please continue to send mail and e-mail's, everything is so appreciated (even if I'm only across the "pond").




Prayer Requests:
- Praise to God that He has provided another church to support me throughout the year. The Lutheran Church of the Ascension youth group from Chicago, Illinois contacted the YAGM staff about wanting to support a YAGM throughout the year. This has been an answer to prayer and a cause for thanksgiving. I am excited to partner with the Ascension youth group as I know they are excited to learn about another culture through global missions. Please pray for our relationship for the upcoming months.
- Praise to God for my home church in Woodbury, MN. They have given a generous amount of support for my year of service. Please pray for our bond to continue to strengthen, even while away.
- Praise to God for all the Global Mission and Young Adult and Global Mission staff. They prepared and prayed for us before we even sent in our applications. Pray that God will give them some rest before they start the interview process again and praise to God for them as they will continue to support all of serving in all parts of the world.
- All of the YAGM volunteers that are serving throughout the world - for their hearts to be open for what God has planned for each of them, for God to calm their anxieties, and for them to come along side those they have been placed to live with and work with.
- All of the TFG volunteers throughout the UK - to settle into their placements, adjust to a new culture, and for God to use them where He wants to use them.
- For all the Springboard full-time and part-time volunteers along with all the staff - for knowlegde to tutor the children diligently, for an understanding heart and paitent mind with the children, for continuing unity and community, and for God to use us as He sees fit.
- For those who support all the volunteers in the YAGM program, TFG, and Springboard - for their peace of mind that we are safe, for an open heart to be changed by the volunteers experience, and for God to use the supporters to share our experieces with those around them.




Ways to keep in contact with me throughout the year:

Address (I LOVE MAIL):
Dana Olson
7 Banfied Way
Nunhead
London, England, UK
SE15 3TX

E-mail (I LOVE E-MAIL'S):
DanaEPO@gmail.com

Web-Blog (lots of pictures):
www.DanaEPO.blogspot.com



Like it says above, I love mail and e-mails full of Bible verses and encouragement, but I would also love up-dates from all of you. Please send me the happenings of your lives so we can keep connected on a more personal level.


Talk with you all soon!
Dana

Life is CRAZZZZZYY.....

Good evening everyone!



Now that it’s been almost 4 months since I've last written anything, I thought I should up-date all of you at the happenings of my life and the children’s lives.



First of all Shamoy, Adrian and Dasha, and Richardo all went into foster care since I’ve been back. Even though we miss them so much here at the house, we know that God is taking care of them in their families they are with now.

I got the exciting chance to meet Ion’s adoptive parents and they are WONDERFUL!!! They have decided to sell their 2 story beautiful Victorian house in Indiana and buy a one level house and refinish the 2 bathrooms to make one bathroom large enough for Ion’s wheelchair to fit in. I know Ion misses them dearly, but he’s still laughing and giggling like himself.

This week we welcomed 7 new children into our house. 2 girls about 1 ½ years old and 1 girl that’s 7 but because she’s so severely malnourished she looks as if she’s 4. 1 – 9 month old boy, 2 – 1 ½ year old boys, and 1 – 2 year old hydrocephalic boy. It’s been so crazy trying to give all of the kids’ attention they need. Pray that God will provide us with a few more staff that love Him.

Yvonne’s adoptive mom and dad left a few weeks ago. They are WONDERFUL and I miss them already. They have been here a few times before so we’ve built a friendship. I can’t wait for Yvonne to get home to them too, she’s perfect for their family! They live on a farm and Yvonne LOVES to go down and help feed the chickens.

Speaking of feeding chickens, we built 2 chicken coops. 1 coop for chickens to lay eggs and 1 coop for chickens for us to eat. The kids love to help feeding, watering and playing with the chickens. Pretty sure I won't have anything to do with them though because I think it's kinda nasty, but I'm glad we have them so we can save LOTS of money in the future not having to buy chickens or eggs.

I know there are thousands more things going on at the house, but I can't remember right now. I'll have to try to remember for another up-date. There have been a few exciting things happening in my life since I've up-dated last though:
I went home for a week at the end of February through the beginning of March. It was nice to be in the states, I missed my own bed and the nice hot showers :) It was also great to see all my family and friends. The freezing cold and ice I didn't miss one bit though. While I was home I sent in application for the Young Adults in Global Missions (YAGM) program through the ELCA church. I was contacted a few days after I was back in Jamaica and was invited to addend the Discernment-Interview-Placement weekend a few weekends ago, which I did attend. I have accepted to volunteer through the ELCA-YAGM program which is partnered with the “Time for God” organization in the UK. I'm not sure where I'll be serving or what kind of setting I'll be serving in, but after meeting the coordinators and hearing all about the program, I'm REALLY excited to be going. I'll be heading to Chicago at the end of August for a week of orientation and then I'll be heading to the UK for the year. So if anyone wants to visit Europe, come on over and I'll travel with you ;)

I know it's been awhile on my end of the up-dates, but please send me an up-date with your lives. I would love to hear what's going on and know how everyone is doing.

See you all soon!!

Dana