Another beautiful Sunday in LA

http://www.cameron-cruz.com This is my friend Cameron! We're staying at his house, he's bomb, and you should give a little listen his way. We're about to do a screening at Downey First Baptist Church. There's no one here yet, and it's supposed to start 2 minutes ago.... :) I hear they're all on their way. Tonight we're going to see I Love You Man (yesss) and then tomorrow we are all doing individual screenings for African Studies classes. Hopefully tonight we're doing practice Q&A to prepare for that! Ok time to go round up kids for this screening!

less than a month left

Wednesday was amazing! We went to Paul Mitchell the CAO Institute in the morning. As always, the future professionals were just phenomenal people with such obvious talent and hearts of gold. They always take to our message of social justice well and want to be a part of the work, and also want to be friends too which is so fun. After the screening, Jessica gave me a facial and Melody cut my hair. THANK YOU BOTH, on behalf of me, my team, and the SoCal region that has to look at me daily lol. After she cut my hair, Melody straightened it! There's me with straight hurr. I may adopt the look more often? Who knows. 

Later that night, we went to Cal State Long Beach and met Sam, our awesome should-be-roadie contact (that makes 2 Sam's I want to see on the road...). I really liked Cal State Long Beach, both the campus and the people. You know when you step into a new place you haven't been before but you automatically feel comfortable, safe, and welcomed? That's the vibe I got at CSLB. We met a few really great people there then rushed over to APU, where there were more great people waiting. The screening was after chapel so I felt kinda connected there too, as I do a little to every Christian U we go to. I met a girl named Jade and her boyfriend Matt (or Mike, I always confuse the 2!) who started Selah clothing company in 2003 after seeing the first Invisible Children movie. She thought that her part to help was making clothes with a great message and donating 100% of the profits to Invisible Children, so that's what she has done. Hearing stories like Jade's are so encouraging and such a great reminder that there are thousands of awesome people in the world who can give me a lesson in being selfless. 

Over the next couple nights, the Rescue plan was made more clear. It's finally out! If you want to know more, you know what website to visit :) and if you don't, that's totally ok and I'll happily tell you over and over. It's www.invisiblechildren.com. Find a city near you hosting The Rescue on April 25th and sign up! The rest of the details are on the site. 

On a last note, if you pray I would really like prayer. I have been pushed to the point of exhaustion and have been sick for over 2 weeks now. I would really like to be restored to full health for so many reasons, only a few of which include the benefit of myself and my team. I'm thinking more so the kids in E.Africa. I know God works through our weaknesses but I'd really like to be healthy again so if you don't mind praying for me, please do. 

I'd love to pray for you as well! Just send me a message or leave a comment and I'll be sure to. Thanks for who you are and for reading my mind :)

-Ash 

see look i'm blogging more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtX8nswnUKU

like Casey told me, I like cat videos. Whatever, I love this little girl and her vid. "agh, Agh, AGH!"

Today we're in Apple Valley. It's in High Desert. On our way to church, Ash and I saw 2 tumbleweeds go by, and the wind had blown a shopping cart onto the highway and it was furiously blowing into oncoming traffic. Ahhh, High Desert. Tonight we're doing a screening at a church in Palm Springs (more desert). Tour is growing on me. I like these people, and I like doing screenings. Last night at High Desert Church I played this game called Can-Can Kabachi? That's completely wrong. Anyway, to play everyone has these like 2ft long ropes and you stand in a circle connected by the little ropes and then you run around and try to throw people into a garbage can in the middle. That makes no sense. But trust me, it's IN-TENSE. A girl fell on the ground and the guy next to her dragged her into the trash can. That's about the same time I quit the game. I've never been one to just walk up to random people and start talking to them, but being on stage somehow gives me permission to start talking to whoever and it usually works out well! 

I'm SO excited for Wednesday. If you don't know what Wednesday is, I'm not going to lie, I'm slightly disappointed. Wednesday is the reveal of the official rescue plan!! And seeing as how I know less about The Rescue than most middle school children, I can't wait for the revelation. Wednesday is also the day we go to a Paul Mitchell, and hopefully I can get my hurrr cut. Out of control. Anyway, keep your web browsers (?) ready for Wednesday!!

Thoughts from Cal State Fullerton

I'm still apologizing for being a terrible blogger. Oh well. On to better things!

So the other day I realized I'm not really a roadie. It was the day I woke up at noon and I was in a plush bed in LA with a gorgeous view and ate breakfast at a table next to Tim Allen. Then, I realized I really was a roadie later that week, when my eyes were crossing while I was driving because I was so tired but I stayed up til 2:45am trying to make the inventory count match the money we had and then forced myself to stay up and shower because it was the first one I would take in 3 days and my hair was starting to dredlock itself. How's life on the road? Bipolar. There are really sweet high points and some challenging low points, but I haven't cried either out of joy or sadness yet so there's still more experience to come.

A few days ago I was at a high school and came in for the end of the movie. It was the part where the "credits" roll and there's a line that says "thousands around the world will gather." I pictured what April 25th is going to look like, when I am surrounded by literally thousands of people who have left the comfort of their homes for one night to sleep out in a park with me, in solidarity with 3,000 child soldiers. Some people there will have seen a flier or heard from a friend and committed one night, while others will have been IC warriors who have literally given blood, sweat and tears along with money and countless hours of their lives to speak on behalf of the voiceless. Even though it was my 35th time seeing that part of the movie, I started tearing up. I know Invisible Children isn't a Christian organization, but I think that's one of the most Christ-like things I've ever seen. Well, am going to see.

Speaking of which, if you are reading this and you haven't seen The Rescue please go immediately to www.invisiblechildren.com and sacrifice 35 minutes of your day to see something close to my heart. Chances are if you are reading this, you're probably my friend. And if you're my friend, I'd think you'd be somewhat interested in what I'm doing with my 4 unpaid months of work. So check it out friend. Thanks.

I can't remember if I've said this or not, but I got accepted to graduate school in Chicago! I know, I'm so excited. (Living in SoCal, I was tempted to say I'm so amped or I'm stoked on it, but sometimes I just refuse to act like I live here. Take that, SoCal). This means that I will officially be living in the windy city. I'm SO excited. I've been looking at apartments, thinking of cute coats and boots I could buy, and making a "Chi City Dream List" with all the things I want to do when I get there. Then, today I realized that meant I'd be a resident of Illinois, and that does not sound appealing at all. So I may not ever leave the city. We'll see. I'm gladly accepting "city girl" tips, seeing as I've never been one before. I'm also accepting "how to live in weather too cold for God" tips, because I'm trying to pretend I can manage. Haha. I may actually die.

Certain things remind me how much I miss Florida and all that in entailed. Is is stupid to reminisce on high school and college with a tinge of longing? I think it's ok, because then I look at where I am right now in my life and I couldn't be more satisfied. Unless of course I could breakdance. And I could really be closer to God. That's something I'd like prayer for, if you're one to pray.

I PROMISE I'll try to post more! At least a funny video or something. Much love from the van down by the Pacific...

xo Ash