Our journey has come to a close. As we watch the sun rise from our airplane windows, we reflect on the amazing opportunity we have been given through Mercer on Mission to truly reach out to those in need while embracing new wonderful cultures.

Our team has formed a strong bond of community through every experience of Mercer on Mission, including white-water rafting through the mountains of Georgia.

Bishop Merab of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Drake have led our team through Georgia as we form relationships with the church members and participate in the many projects of Tbilisi.

Reflections on Mercer on Mission

With three weeks of adventures and memories, where can one even begin? Should I talk about the vividness of Armenia's history with its ancient churches and its abandoned industrial parks? Should I talk about the beauty of Georgia’s capital mixed with graffiti preaching both hope and aimlessness? I don’t know, and while I wish I could be a poet with this, I suppose all I can offer is honesty. When it comes to Armenia and Georgia (and anywhere really), I don’t believe they can never personally be “real” for anyone until one experiences either place first hand. After all, I know Mount Everest is physically real. I’ve seen pictures of it, and I’ve read about it. Still, I could never adequately imagine how vicious the cold air must be, or how beautiful the view from the top would be for me. Likewise, I think the same will be true for the readers of this blog when it comes to Armenia and Georgia.Of course, I’m sure all of you love the fantastic pictures that have been taken, and I’m sure many of you must be dying to hear your daughters’, sons’, or friends’ stories in person. In my view though, there’s going to be an emptiness for all of those who weren’t physically there. None of the Service Scholars could do these two lovely countries justice in terms of description.Then again, the Armenia and Georgia of the Service Scholars will not be the Armenia or Georgia you’ll experience if you should ever choose to go. I doubt you would get the chance to meet many, if any, of the people we’ve been fortunate enough to meet. Naturally, you won’t work on the exact same projects nor have the exact same meals that we Service Scholars have had. You won’t have our comedic conversations nor our frustrating disagreements, and while I’m absolutely sure you have all had parallel experiences to the ones we’ve had here in the Caucasus, those experiences are still not the same.

So is this fact a good thing or a bad thing? I would say it’s neither. It simply is what it is. On the other hand, you might not want to take my word for it, because at the end of the day I’m no sage. I’m just a ditzy twenty-year-old who lacks the life experience of his elders.If anyone is interested, though, I would just like to say this. If there’s something you would like to do in this life, then do it! If you want to go to Africa, South America, or Asia, then go. If you want to build a home for a needy family, or build a well for a needy village, then build it. Embrace the fact that no one in this world will ever know exactly how you feel when you achieve success or experience disappointment. Embrace the fact that no one else will ever live the life you’ve lived.To the parents of this trip’s Mercer Service Scholars, embrace the fact that you are parents of the Service Scholars and others. Embrace the fact that no one else has experienced motherhood or fatherhood exactly like you have, and embrace the fact that you’ve raised your children so well. It’s all that any daughter or son could ever ask for.To everyone else, just embrace the past you’ve lived and the future you will live. The Good and Bad, the Crazy and Mundane, embrace it all. Your experiences are what made you who you are, and they continue to shape you.And that’s all I can really say. I’m sure you’ve all figured out the above ages ago, but again, it’s all that I got to say. I’m no poet, and I’m certainly not smart enough to write something inspirational for the ages. Still: if someone likes what I’ve had to say, then I suppose I’ve done what I should.

Peace.

Zachory R.

Reflections from Georgia

Georgia has been an amazing experience thus far. On Thursday we went white water rafting. It was an interesting experience to say the least. Though the scenery was absolutely beautiful, the language barrier between us and our guides created a challenge. Today alone we visited the convent St. Nino worshiped and is buried. St. Nino was responsible for bringing Christianity to Georgia. Then we went to the village where Bishop Merab's family lives. After arriving at his house and meeting his family we ate a big feast and played with his children. It was interesting to see how different city life seems to be from the village world. Tbilisi is a very energetic, youthful city while the village seems like a slower more peaceful way of life.

Tomorrow we will have a free day where many of us plan to visit a flee market. I think many others plan to visit the public baths. It is lining up to be an exciting, relaxing day. At this point I think most of us are ready to head home. I never thought I would get tired of traveling overseas, but I miss my house and my family.

Dr. Drake and Dr. Grant were graciously invited by Bishop Merab to sit next to him during Sunday service. Here, the follow the Bishop to the front during the beginning of the service.

A child, barely pushing two years old, is placed outside on the streets with a bowl, forced to beg. She laid there unmoving. Service Scholars walking by later saw her awake and alert, and were able to play and interact with her for a short while. With the help of Bishop Merab, we were able to find out more about her. Her cousin begs close by, watching the baby and making sure she is safe and on the mat. When it got chilly, she brought out a blanket for the baby and wrapped her in it.

A patron of the Betheli, a Refuge for the internally displaced and the elderly of Tblisi. Sharan is a refugee from Chechneya, lost to his family for ten years until he relocated then a few months ago.

The hosts of the Tblisi, Georgia segment, Bishops Merab and Elliya.

Service Opportunities and Group Excursion

Hello, family and friends! It has been two days since we have posted to the blog, but I assure you that we have been enjoying our stay in Tbilisi, Georgia. On Monday, we were given the opportunity to work at a nursing facility sponsored by the Baptist Church of Georgia. We toured the facility, spoke with the bishop, served lunch to the residents, and handed out bouquets of flowers to the female residents. Some of us also played with the children that came to visit their grandparents. Before we left the facility, a few of the Mercer Service Scholars were given the opportunity to speak with a ninety-year old woman who had lived during the time of the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. Her story proved to be a very interesting one, as she spoke about the religious persecution that she faced during the height of the Soviet Union. During the course of her story, she told us that she had received a vision from God to go to Georgia and to find the Baptist Church of Georgia and to worship there. She did precisely what the revelation revealed to her, and though she said that it was not easy to practice her faith, especially openly, she remained true to her religious beliefs. She encouraged all of us to also remain true to our faith and to let nothing stand in the way of proclaiming our Christian faith to the world. She was a highly motivational speaker, and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to speak with her. I hope that I will always be able to share my faith with others in both word and deed and to speak with the same level of devotion as she did regarding her faith. When we arrived back at the hotel, we were given the opportunity to go into town and explore the city. I did most of my sight-seeing at night, though after having dinner at a quiet, sit down restaurant located right behind the oldest church in Tbilisi. It is hard to find words to describe the beauty that one finds in this city, especially at night. Tbilisi comes alive with lights. The dome of the president's palace lights up, as does the bridge that goes over the Mtkvari River. The water tower, churches, and the Nariyala fortress are also aglow in a lovely, golden light. People congregate to play chess, sit by the fountain, purchase origami and an assortment of other handiworks sold by local vendors. Everything looks majestic, and it is like nothing else I have ever experienced before and certainly will never forget...

Today, we left the hotel around ten o'clock with the two bishops of the Baptist Church accompaning us. We boarded the bus to begin our excursion to Mtskheta and Gori. We stopped at a total of four monasteries and cathedrals. It was amazing to see their beautiful architecture and their phenomenal pieces of artwork. The frescoes located in the Cathedral in Mtskheta, known as Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, are very rich in detail and have been highly preserved since the 11th century when the latter part of the church was built. The religious history of the Cathedral at Mtskheta also is of interest. According to legend, a Jewish man brought back a piece of Jesus's clothing that he had been wearing when he was crucified. The man gave the garment to his sister who immediately died upon receiving Jesus Christ's robe. The woman was buried and St. Nino, the woman who brought Christianity to Georgia, asked for a church to be built on the grave of the woman. In order for the church to be built, St. Nino asked for seven columns to be installed. The seventh could not be installed until St. Nino prayed for its installation. Hence, the cathedral is named Svetitskhoveli because it means "life giving pillar" because the seventh pillar allegedly leaked a liquid that healed all ills. The most unique of the monateries that we visted had to be the monastery built out of the rock on the side of the mountain. Everyone had a great time taking pictures, and it was really neat to explore the underground tunnel that led to the opposite side of the monastery! Afterwards, we stopped for light refreshments and pleasant conversation with some of the members of the Baptist Church of Georgia at their residence in Gori before making a final stop at Stalin's birthplace, which is also located in Gori. We are looking forward to working more with our Baptist friends tomorrow after attending a memorial service in memory of one of the girls that had been killed in the recent train bombings in Norway. Please keep all of us in your prayers. May God bless you and keep you safe, always!

Sincerely,

Ashley Price, on behalf of the Mercer Service Scholars

Georgia on my mind!

We have arrived in Georgia, in eastern Europe that is! We attended church this morning at the Evangelical Baptist Church, and have already begun making plans for service projects for the rest of the week. We have dived right into a brand new culture, with a new language, traditions, and traffic conditions.We hope to continue achieving the goals in Georgia that we began in Armenia! (see earlier posts for goals and progress)

Reflections on Goals

As we leave Armenia, travel to Georgia, and begin our last week of Mercer on Mission, we are all beginning to reflect back on our original goals (posted in an early blog post). We have definitely been a part of leaving sustainable aid to families in need, formed lasting community with the families and fellow working Armenians as well as with each other, and have certainly learned several aspects of the Armenian culture. We hope to continue to fulfill our goals as we travel Georgia, and return home to continue to implement projects with the lessons we've learned.

Leaving Armenia... and a piece of us as well.

Today is the last day the Mercer Service Scholars will spend in Armenia. We will be shipping off tomorrow at 9:30 to Tblisi, Georgia. We could not have asked for a larger 'bang' on our final day. As usual, we went to the work site of the second family. We had spent the first two days making concrete and filling it into the floors of the house. Two days in and we had the job complete. Today, our job was to level out the slanted land behind the house and remove the mounds of dirt next to the house. This provided two things. One, the water can easily drain away from the house during rain, and two, the massive piles of dirt next to the house posed as a danger to the house. All along, we enjoyed the company of and played with Samson and Vahan. We were also surprised to have a short visit from Gohar, our guide from Yerevan. Afterwards, we enjoyed a large goodbye feast, inside the nearly completely house! It was bittersweet leaving. We had enjoyed our time there, and had greatly enjoyed the company of Samson and Vahan, who had gotten very close to the group. I can personally say, part of me remains at that house and with those two kids. It was amazing, despite all their hardship, they still could smile, laugh, play, and be merry like an other child. The amount of laughter those two brought to our group was spectacular.

After leaving the site, we refreshed ourselves and prepared for our goodbye dinner from Tatavik. After a night of toasting, smiling and feasting, we all moved to the balcony. During the dinner, we had heard loud music from the opposite room. Once in the balcony, we met an Armenia lady from Los Angles, California. She invited us to a engagement party, which the group wholeheartled accepted. Scratch that from the bucket list. Crash an Armenia engagement party. Check!

During our toasting, one thing stuck out. We had given the two families a lot according to Tatavik. But I have to politely disagree. The bonds, memories and thoughts that those two families, especially Suren, Samson and Vahan have given me are tenfold what I could have given them. If I could, I would pack those three boys into my luggage and bring them to the States. The joy of children is universal. Despite the language barrier, we understood on thing from the children that is universal in all languages. A smile.

Last Day in Armenia

Today was our last day in Armenia and our last day of work with the Fuller Center for Housing. We finished cementing the floor yesterday, so today we formed another bucket line and we used dirt and rocks to make the ground on the side of the house level. From what I understood about our instructions I interpreted that by leveling the ground around the house and by having the ground slope down we were preventing water/moisture from seeping into the house. One of the most amazing things about the Fuller Center is that they using so few resources. The most high-tech tool on either site we worked on was a cement mixer.

When we weren't working we were playing with two of the family's sons - Sampson and Vahan. They are such sweet boys - Sampson even gave a bouquet of flowers to every member of the group and Vahan loved chasing anyone who happened to be taking a break. Both boys helped out wherever they could often joined the bucket line or fetching tools for our project manager Jivan.

We ate two big meals today at lunch and at dinner. Dinner was a big feast where everyone took a turn toasting Armenia and the people we met here. After dinner we were invited to an engagement party taking place in the next room over. We danced with the future bride and groom and their closest family and friends. They were so genuinely happy to meet us and take pictures with our group. This is just one of a hundred examples I could mention about the friendliness and hospitality of the Armenian people.

So as my adventure in Armenia comes to a close I find myself a little sad to leave, but excited to see what lies ahead in Georgia. Until nect time,

Ryan Dickinson

Sevan, a Mustache, & Reflections So Far

Today marked the end of the second week of our trip - and it provided a wonderful break from our construction work with the Fuller Center. We travelled about an hour away from Vanadzor and spent the day swimming and grilling out at Lake Sevan. Along the way, we toured more old churches, rented paddle boats, got our fix of hairy Armenian men in speedos, bargained for souvenirs, and enjoyed each other's company. It was a chance to recharge for our final workdays here before we travel to Georgia later this week. The scenery was beautiful. The sun was hot. The food was good. The water was cold.

Tomorrow we will return to a nearby village for our second workday with the second family we've worked with in Armenia. By day's end we should finish pouring the cement for the floors inside the home. Just as was the case with the first family and our group, I think there is a great deal of mutual respect between us. They have welcomed us with open arms, and, though communication is difficult (smiles do the job adequately), it is obvious that they are humbled that we are willing to work beside them.

In other news, I decided several days into our trip that I would grow a mustache. After several days of not shaving in Poland and Yerevan, I decided to go for it. Dr. Grant has been calling me Rico Suave. It's goofy. It's ridiculous. But it's fun, and my hope is that it can help keep the mood of our group a bit lighter, providing comedic relief amidst our inevitable annoyance with each other. Even more, I find a bit of hoakie symbolism in it. As I grow personally throughout each day of this trip - experiencing cultural differences, being stretched emotionally and intellectually by problems and questions, and reforming my worldview little by little - my mustache is also growing a bit. It is, in a strange and possibly forced way, an outward sign of an inner metamorphosis.

A few reflections from our trip so far:

- Countless things seperate countries and people and regions and sects around the world, but one constant everywhere in the world is the joy of children. I speak for everyone when I say that I say that playing with the families' children on both of the Fuller worksites has been a blast. They make the work enjoyable and more rewarding because we know that we are playing a small role in ensuring a better future for them.

- The church is deeply rooted in Armenia, and the Armenians are very proud of their rich Christian heritage.

We've seen more than half a dozen churches already.

- Signs of the fall of the Soviet Union are still obvious here - especially in Vanadzor. An entire valley in the city is filled with the ruins of a chemical factory which stopped operation in the early 90's; it provides a constant reminder of the dire state of Armenia's economy.

- The people here are hearty and strong. They may not have a lot by our American materialistic standards but they enjoy life and maintain a distinct culture. Certainly there are problems here, and we can play a small role in providing our Armenian neighbors a "hand up," but we must be careful not to compare our American standard of living with theirs. I'm convinced that more is not always better.

- "To whom much is given, much is expected." This trip is providing me with a renewed perspective about how blessed I am, and it is challenging me to ponder my small role in a world full of problems.

Alex Lockwood

Water, Water, Water

Water has been a reoccuring theme on this trip for me and I would like to tell you all about it.

I am the designated water girl on our building worksites. As a team, we have been working to put concrete down on the roof and floors of the houses. One and a half buckets of water are needed to produce one batch of concrete. It is my job fill the buckets with water and pour them into the mixer. I'll be honest, it's a pretty cush job in comparision to everyone else working in the bucket line, which is basically passing buckets filled with concrete back and forth. However, water is essential to our project. Without water, there would be no concrete. I have enjoyed having this job because it is easy on my back. I like to think that every bucket of water I pour puts love into the house. I have been surprised by how much I am enjoying this service project. Don't worry Mom and Dad, I'm not planning on becoming a full time construction worker, but I have enjoyed the feeling of working hard to help a very deserving family. I am also the water girl because I pass out bottles of water to a very exhausted and sweaty team of builders. Indie has started to call me the "Water Goddess". I could be called worse, so I'm not complaining.

Then, there was Water Day. Ugh. Water Day is what our team calls the Armenian holiday that orginated from the church many, many years ago. The priests would splash water on people to symbolize the purity of Jesus. Today, this holiday is basically a national water fight. This sounds like a super fun holiday. I would probably love water day as an 8 year old girl. However, Water Day was definitely not fun for me. A group of us went to church in the morning for a traditional Armenian Orthodox service. The van dropped us off at a pizza place after the service. I had a slice of pizza and an ice cream sunday (yummy!). It was turning into quite a lovely day. This quickly ended the second we exited the restaurant. There were teenage boys stacked outside the restaurant with buckets of water and waterballons. I held up my hands and said in my sternest voice, "NO!". Obviously they did not listen. A huge bucket of water was poured all over me. My church dress and I were completely soaked. I was annoyed to say the least. I felt as if I had no rights. Of course, the men in our group did not get attacked. The teenage boys poured water on us to make our clothes tighter. This infuriated me. Lauren and I decided to break away from the group after that because we wanted to get back to the hotel faster because the rest of the group wanted to go to the internet cafe. We walked quickly and tried to avoid more boys with buckets of water. Lauren and I tried to dogde groups of boys by crossing to the other side of the street. That did not stop one group of boys who were probably around 12 years old. They were following us and I turned around and scram NO over and over again in my meanest, fiercest "Kim Lammers Attorney at Law" voice. Armenian women around the street started to yell at the boys to leave us alone, but they did not listen. I was once again drenched. I was furious by this point. However, I wasn't mad because I was wet. That was fairly harmless. I was mad that I had no right to say no to something because I was a woman. I felt as if I had no rights. To say the least, I feel very fortunate to be an American woman, where I have rights and the right to say no. My heart breaks for the women hear who have no voice. I am more thankful for my rights, my country, and my education than I have ever been from this experience. Don't worry Mom and Dad, I have never felt unsafe here, even during this incident. We are being taken care of very well.

On a brighter note, we traveled to Lake Sevan today. This was a day off of work for us. It was great to bond with the group and our Armenian guides. I got my tan on, my swim on, and oh man, it was great. (Don't worry Mom and Gmommy, I wore plenty of sunscreen. No burn for me). I am really loving Armenia and am having such an excellent time. This trip has been unlike anything I've ever done, including the Mercer on Mission I went on last summer. I am so thankful to Mercer for providing me with this experience. It has been wonderful and I promise to not let your investment in me be wasted.

-Kim Lammers

ps. No spell check on my computer. Please don't judge. I promise I am a semi-intelligent person.

Our helpers.Pictured are our two favorite new helpers, two sons of the family we are working for--Samson and Vahan. Vahan also has a twin brother not pictured. They have certainly jumped right in to help build their new house.

More water breaks... Other members of the team take a water break from the "bucket line" of passing concrete. Two and half rooms are complete on day one!

Water break. Members of our team take a quick water break as we keep working through a hot day in Armenia.

Work site #2! We have begun work at our second work site, have met a brand new family, and continue working as team mixing, hauling, and distributing concrete to complete another Fuller Center house.

Sevan, a Mustache, Reflections, & Themes So Far

Today marked the end of the second week of our trip - and it provided a wonderful break from our construction work with the Fuller Center. We travelled about an hour away from Vanadzor and spent the day swimming and grilling out at Lake Sevan. Along the way, we toured more old churches, rented paddle boats, got our fix of hairy Armenian men in speedos, bargained for souvenirs, and enjoyed each other's company. It was a chance to recharge for our final workdays here before we travel to Georgia later this week. The scenery was beautiful. The sun was hot. The food was good. The water was cold.

Tomorrow we will return to a nearby village for our second workday with the second family we've worked with in Armenia. By day's end we should finish pouring the cement for the floors inside the home. Just as was the case with the first family and our group, I think there is a great deal of mutual respect between us. They have welcomed us with open arms, and, though communication is difficult (smiles do the job adequately), it is obvious that they are humbled that we are willing to work beside them.

In other news, I decided several days into our trip that I would grow a mustache. After several days of not shaving in Poland and Yerevan, I decided to go for it. Dr. Grant has been calling me Rico Suave. It's goofy. It's ridiculous. But it's fun, and my hope is that it can help keep the mood of our group a bit lighter, providing comedic relief amidst our inevitable annoyance with each other. Even more, I find a bit of hoakie symbolism in it. As I grow personally throughout each day of this trip - experiencing cultural differences, being stretched emotionally and intellectually by problems and questions, and reforming my worldview little by little - my mustache is also growing a bit. It is, in a strange and possibly forced way, an outward sign of an inner metamorphosis.

A few reflections from our trip so far:

- Countless things seperate countries and people and regions and sects around the world, but one constant everywhere in the world is the joy of children. I speak for everyone when I say that playing with the families' children on both of the Fuller worksites has been a blast. They make the work enjoyable and more rewarding because we know that we are playing a small role in ensuring a better future for them.

- The church is deeply rooted in Armenia, and the Armenians are very proud of their rich Christian heritage. We've seen more than half a dozen churches already.

- Signs of the fall of the Soviet Union are still obvious here - especially in Vanadzor. An entire valley in the city is filled with the ruins of a chemical factory which stopped operation in the early 90's; it provides a constant reminder of the dire state of Armenia's economy.

- The people here are hearty and strong. They may not have a lot by our American materialistic standards but they enjoy life and maintain a distinct culture. Certainly there are problems here, and we can play a small role in providing our Armenian neighbors a "hand up," but we must be careful not to compare our American standard of living with theirs. I'm convinced that more is not always better.

- "To whom much is given, much is expected." This trip is providing me with a renewed perspective about how blessed I am, and it is challenging me to ponder my small role in a world full of problems.

Alex Lockwood

A Fantastic Finish

We finished the roof today… our group really pulled together towards the end and finished the challenge with a burst of unexpected energy. For the last few lines of cement, Siramarj and Artog wanted to help, so our team got a dose of Armenian sass from the two eight-year olds. I really love how some games are completely universal, like water fights and piggyback rides. It really didn’t matter that our communication transcended language.

As the roof crew cleaned off the last wooden slats and the unused rocks, the overall effect gave us all a moment of pride. We did this, a team of Armenian men and about fifteen American twenty-year olds and two professors. We even got to pet cows today!

The feeling of completing a project really inspired everyone. Our after-work coffee break, with local pears and a crumbly lemon cake had a celebratory feel.

During the meal, Karen, the father approached the table and asked if we would like to see a horse. Yesterday, most of the group rode a pair of ponies before we went into the nature park. Hoping for a repeat, we all nodded and he disappeared.

Later, after most of us had forgotten about his offer, Karen comes cantering up the road on a grumpy brown pony. We got lead around the yard, but one of the funniest moments of the afternoon happened Anuj grabbed Suren, the four-year old, and put him in front of the saddle. Then Malik hopped up behind Anuj and the three of them posed on that unhappy little horse like they were kings.

Anyhow, I'm getting sleepy, until next time,

Debbie

The Armenian Apostolic Church, Water Celebration, and Fuller Center for Housing Community Visit

On Sunday, the Mercer Service Scholars were given the opportunity to visit a local Armenian Apostolic Church with Tatevik, our Fuller Center for Housing contact, serving as our guide. Upon entering the church, we were given two candles each to light. Tatevik explained that the Armenians often will light candles as prayers. All of the women were given scarves to place over their heads as a sign of reverence. When the ceremony started, the curtain separating the congregation from the altar was pulled back, and several altar boys carried out a banner that had the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus featured on it. The faithful formed two lines so that they could kiss the lower part of the banner where there were two crosses. Some of the women placed incense into a small container when it passed in front of the banner. Then, the head priest carried a cross, which he held out to the church members. Each of them kissed it, myself included, as a sign of being one with Christ. The church service then proceeded with readings and responsorial hymns, which were organized by the choir. The artwork in the church was very rich in colors and details; most of the scenes were depicted of Jesus's life commonly found in the Bible. The main picture over the altar featured a picture of the Virigin Mary and Jesus, similar to the one found on the banner. The voices of the faithful praying and the songs of the choir that sung like angels were a testimony to the devotion the Armenian people have to God. In fact, the service was so beautiful that it caused me to cry at its beauty. It was truly a moving experience for me, and it is one that I will never forget.

After church, as we had a free day, we were allowed to tour and shop around the City of Vanadzor. Tatevik had told us that a religious celebration would be taking place during the day. This celebration called for water to be placed on people as a sign of purification. I thought that it would be much like the traditional water that my home church uses to remind me of my baptismal promises, but boy was I ever wrong! Many children, most of them young to adolescent boys filled buckets, bottles, and any other containers that they could with water and threw them at the passerby, sometimes chasing them right into the street! Some of the participants even filled bags full of water and dropped them from the balconies, spraying unsuspecting people below, including myself. It was a fun occasion for all, albeit a wet one. I became soaked several times over, as did many of the other Mercer Service Scholars. To give you an idea of how much water was used, at one point, I was bombarded by ten young men, and I thought that my camera had been ruined. The water had seeped into all of my bags! Luckily, the hot Armenian sun was able to dry it, as well as the hairdryer, so there are no worries to be had!

When we returned back to the hotel, hot, sticky, and sufficiently watered down, we got ready to visit a community where many of the Fuller Houses were being built. We toured three of them all together. The first one was very small, but it adequately served the needs of the people built there. The second one was much bigger than the first. The woman who lived there said that she, her husband, and her children had lived in a 6' X 3' room for more than twenty years before they were put into contact with a representative for the Fuller Center for Housing. I cannot imagine how unbearable life must have been for them, but the woman's smiling face let me know that she was very thankful for all of the work the Fuller Center had done for her and her family. She said that it is because of good people like us that she and her family can live in a much better place, and I was very humbled by her statement. The third house was bigger than the first, but smaller than the second. There were four people living there, but there were only two small beds. In seeing the lack of beds, I thought about how fortunate I am for having a large bed at home. Coming to Armenia has really humbled me in many ways.

The rest of the time was spent playing with children in the Fuller Center for Housing community. We tossed the basketballs back and forth, blew bubbles, and played a game of dodgeball with a twist. We also listened to one of the girls play her violin in the meeting hall, and her mother accompanied her on the piano. They invited us to dance with the children, and we had a grand time. None of us wanted to leave at the end of our stay because we had met so many new friends. We hope that we will be able to see all of them again very soon.

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at a restaurant for dinner, and when we returned, the rest of the evening was ours. Most of us talked about the exciting events of the day and prepared for another day back at work. It has been an amazing experience so far, and I am so blessed to be part of this amazing group of humanitarians! God's blessings to you and all of our families! We will write again soon!

Sincerely,

Ashley Price, on behalf of the Mercer Service Scholars

Armenian dancing. Cultures combine when the Armenian children invited us to join them in a traditional dance after performing and in turn we taught them the macarena!

Complete! Our team is all tired smiles today as we finished our work at job site #1. We completed filling the roof with concrete, which will provide a sustainable shelter for Armenia's tough winters. We also worked on filling in the floors that will later be finished by another team and the family.

Today we finished our last work day with our first family and worksite. We have had the privelege to work alongside this wonderful family for the past 4 days.

As we continue learning about Armenia and working with its people, we have also been repeatedly amazed by the natural beauty of this country!

Play.

"Step into the light of things: Let nature be your teacher"-William Wordsworth

Hello friends! once again, the Armenian language has not taken to Ellen as she has taken to it so here's another post!

We began our third day on the build determined to finish the roof and good news!....(drumroll)... we did! The roof crew did work y'all! With our line yelling "lika" (full) and "dedark" (empty), we carried buckets of cement until (literally) the cows came home. Want to know the Armenian word for cow? "Cauf". Speaking of cows, Indie and I reached our goal of playing with one. And by playing, I mean we got head-butted. But no fear: we had a blast with that baby bull! My new friend Siramarg even learned some English words. "House" became the most prominent and poignantly, most easily remembered.

Ask any American child nowadays what they do for "play" and you will easily hear descriptions including the vocabulary: wi-fi, wii, playstation, computer, television, "shooting" etc... you get the picture. What does this do to their spirit? What do they learn? These children should take some lessons from our new, precious, hilarious, fun, hardworking and loving Armenian friends that we have been lucky to serve over this past week.

Today we worked tediously passing concrete in buckets up to our tightly-knit "roof crew" and following a delicious home made dinner from the family, we played until our heart's content. What started off as a tiny water spicket splash-fight launched quickly into a full-fledged water war. We filled water bottles in the play pool outside and soaked everyone in the line of fire! Hoses, water bottles, and an inflatable baby pool were our weapons and our legs were our only defense (aka, RUN!). As every good thing must come to an end, we returned to the worksite with wet clothes and joyful children who helped us finish the roof. We even finished ahead of schedule!

During our daily "coffee break" in the afternoon, some of us were lucky enough to ride the family's horse. We just played and played all afternoon so it will be an early night for not only this Service Scholars team but also those amazing little kids who truly reminded many of us how to play again. Play is integral. Play is universal. Perhaps even a "love language".

I guess "play" is a universal language. I'm in love with Vanadzor and our beyond lovely family. I would take Siramarg, Suren, and Syuzi home with me if I could get them through customs!

Much love from Vanadzor, Armenia and your continued prayers/positive vibes/ well wishes are, again, appreciated!

New Partners in Service

Hello friends, family, and Mercer family, 

We are about a third of the way into our adventure. It has been an absolutely amazing experience. 

Our work here in Vanadazor has been very worth while especially with such great company. I want to introduce you to the people we have the opportunity to work with while we are here. We are so grateful for their patience, their care, and their hard work. It has truly been a blessing to get to know them and work with them. We look forward to future time with them here. 

First, our Fuller Center Program Director for Vanadazor is Tatevik. She is such a sweet lady. She organizes our work, our sightseeing, our food, and our overall experience. Not only does she do the planning, but she also works with us on the site. She passed buckets of concrete to me just yesterday. When she talks about Fuller Center, you can hear the passion in her voice and the belief that Armenia can become a greater country through its work. We are so thankful for all that she does for us. 

Our driver since we arrived in Armenia is Melek. He is incredible and does so much more than drive our bus. He is also a very hard worker. Every day he has loaded countless amounts of dirt into the concrete mixer and has helped with several other jobs. He also likes to kid around with us, which makes it feel like he is part of our family. He is truly a man of many talents and I don't know what we would do without him. 

Another integral person to our Fuller Center team is Jivan. Not only is he hilarious, but he is also a very hard worker. He has been part of our roof crew and passes buckets with us even though he is getting a bit older. He also has taught us Armenian words and has picked up English words from us. He taught us what full and empty are and they sound like "lekar" and "dadark." It was funny when we would hear him say "empty" and "full" as well. Although we don't need these words to get the work done it has been a very fun exchange of language.

Our family is incredible and has worked so hard with us. The father/husband Karen heaves buckets from the bottom bucket line to the roof bucket line every day all day long without gloves. He does not complain or ask for breaks, at least from what we can hear. His wife helps cook lunch and our break food, which we are so thankful for after a work day. The oldest daughter Siramarg works on the roof crew just like the rest of us. She passes full buckets of concrete in the hot sun and is only 10 years old. The other two children are adorable, but are too young to work. 

Misho is another Armenian helping on the house. He works every day on the hot roof pouring the concrete we pass him and spreading it out to finish the roof. He works so hard and will laugh with us as well. 

Just recently another girl joined our team. Her name is Meri and she is a college student who is our age and our level in school. It has been wonderful to have her as part of our group. Her English is very good and she served as our translator today on our excursion. She also is a hard worker. It is a wonderful opportunity to share with a person our age from Armenia. We all are so glad to have her as part of our group and hope to continue the friendship when we get home. 

It has been incredible to see how hard each of our Armenian partners work. I am proud of our team's work as well. We are going beyond what they thought we could do. 

Of course we are very thankful for our Professors that have joined us for this adventure and learning experience. They have done such an amazing job of organizing this trip and providing us with great educational experiences. Today is Dr. Grant's birthday and we wish him a wonderful birthday. 

And I could not leave out the wonderful team of Mercer Service Scholars that I am working alongside. The abilities to work together and get work done effectively and efficiently has surpassed expectations. It has been wonderful to get to know each of them better and to see how each of them exhibit leadership skills in their own ways. We have bonded on this trip and are truly becoming a family of Service Scholars. I hope that kind of cooperation continues throughout this trip and during our time at home. 

Thank you to Mercer for this wonderful opportunity! 

P.S. Happy Birthday Mom! 

Paradoxes

"Ask that your way be long,

at many a Summer dawn to enter

with what gratitude, what joy, 

ports seen for the first time..."

It’s surprising, how short a time it takes to fall in love with a place. As you can probably tell from our blog posts thus far, we’ve all fallen hard and fast for Armenia and for the people we’ve met, and too deeply for me to easily believe we've only been here for a few days. 

Armenia is such a paradox. It's a place that has been taken over by so many different governments and cultures since its ancient founding that it shouldn't have such a strong, unique cultural identity--but it does. It's a place where the scenery--the mountains that rise so steeply they knock the breath out of you when you see them, the little rivers that froth beneath the cliffs they've cut, the green land that tumbles away from you when you stand on the tops of the mountains--is so amazing that the poverty of the people who live in it strikes you like a slap in the face. The best view in town belongs to the people of the "poverty area," where whole families live in unheated, un-air conditioned metal containers smaller than my college dorm room. How can such hardship exist in such sheer beauty? 

The paradox is renewed at our work site in a little village high above Vanadzor. Our work is hard and we end every day sore and tired, but we love it. We laugh, we dance, we have tickle fights with the children of the family we work with: Suren, Syuzi, Siramargh. The children are beautiful and bright; when we play with them, it's so easy to forget the poverty of the village in which they live. A look around provides a sobering reminder. 

But the people themselves are wonderful: hospitable, friendly, caring, kind, and--what surprised me most--playful. And the language barrier has all but disappeared. Our new friends speak varying degrees of English, and we speak little to no Armenian (although Jessie has the word for "milk" down-pat), but by now we can all understand each other without even trying too hard. Gestures, facial expressions, and laughter communicate what words can't. This is surprising too. On past trips, I've always been intimidated by the language barrier and therefore was shy around the people of the place I was visiting. In Armenia I hardly give it a passing thought. It's so easy to understand everyone when everyone wants to be understood. 

The other day at work, I was taking a break after a shift on the bucket line. Our driver, Melik, was shifting the pile of dirt we've been adding to the gravel mixture. He called my name and tossed me a flat, vaguely triangular stone.

"It is a heart!" he said, grinning widely. "Brittani's heart!" I laughed, palming its cool, smooth surface.

It's sitting in my backpack now, my little Armenian heart. I'm taking it back home with me, and it will probably be my favorite souvenir. It will be a sort of replacement, I think, for the small part of my heart--the small part of all our hearts, really--that Armenia is always going to keep. 

After putting in 6 long hours of work in the hot Armenian sun each day, we have learned that a good attitude is the greatest encouragement to continue on. Smiles, high-fives, and "the roof crew dance" have been vital to giving the team the strength to lift every bucket of concrete. :)

While working, our team is learning first-hand the importance of teamwork! Just as in life, every single person is important, even those who are from different countries and speak a different language.

Our work with the Fuller Center for Housing has begun! Each day we work alongside family and community members to complete an ongoing project of the Center. Pictured is the end of the line--pouring concrete to provide stability for the roof.

The MSS Team

Throughout our reflections in our journals, dinner conversations, and posts on the blog, we focus on Armenia: it's unexpected differences, completing houses for the Fuller Center, and our trip as a whole. It certainly is different than what we had conjoured up in our minds, and while not upsetting, this change is simply mind twisting. Furthering the building of these two houses is another factor that brings excitement, satisfaction, and the value of hard work. Overall, our Mercer on Mission trip seems to be going smoothly. After our second day at the house mixing concrete and filling the roof border, we are ahead of schedule!

While those things are important and on the groups' minds, my post on here will focus on my team members, the Mercer Service Scholars. I think it is important to remember to constantly look inward during special experiences such as these. When we see the beautiful mountains, absorb the new culture, and focus on the labor, it is easy to become distracted on how it is changing, shaping, and reworking our inner being.

It has been a wonderful experience to work with the Mercer Service Scholars of my class. We have known each other since orientation, and even after spending time with these individuals both inside and outside of class, our trip to Armenia is furthering my appreaciation for the specific and special qualities they bring to the table. Our two days of work have flown by harmoniously, in part because I believe we are comfortable with our classmates, now team members, to speak up when tired, ask for help, and be open about personal topics such as health and feelings. Most importantly, we understand the value we all place in hard work, dedication, and a helping hand. We joined the Mercer Service Scholars to lead and serve, and in our work environment, the qualities we exhibited and were chosen for are in full force. It is nice to spend every moment with individuals who not only demonstrate leadership and service, but are inspired by the same initiative.

The Mercer on Mission to Armenia/Georgia is one that already has a special place in my heart, and with that, comes a special place for the group members here with me. After two years, our bond continues to grow stronger. Mercer Service Scholars has provided me with thirteen people that I am able to grow and learn from, and for that, I am thankful.

Indie

Sore

Overall I would say our group is....SORE.

We just finished our second day of work on the home. We did everything from lifting and moving buckets, to shoveling concrete and dirt, and moving water to the mixer. Our group will sleep well tonight. We already could not get the boys away from their naps to come eat dinner.

It is so special to me to be here. It is nothing like I thought it would be.

It is so gorgeous. The view on the way to the work site is incredible. I could stay here forever. The mountains seem to go on forever. Cows wander around in the road. A river runs through the bends, its rapids creating small waterfalls. The landscape leaves me speechless. The pictures I have taken will not even do it justice.

What is inspiring to me is the family we are working with. They work so hard, rarely taking any breaks. Even the children are hauling buckets like the rest of us. The oldest girl is 10. She wore no gloves and the same outfit from the day before. Her hands were covered in concrete and dirt but she did not complain. Nor did she stop until all the rest of us did. She is having to grow up so quickly. She would then run off and play a game with her sister and brother or come up behind us and tickle us. You forget she is still a child. She makes the work enjoyable.

Here you forget there is a langauge barrier. Words are not necessary. We all know that we are working to help a family that needs a hand. A smile and thumbs up let us know we are doing a good job and are appreciated. I think we appreciate the workers and family even more though. They are teaching us so much about ourselves. We find the ability to continue to work even when we are hot and tired. We all are working towards the common good of society.

Friday we are going to go see some more of the sites Armenia has to offer and learn more about its history.

Hope everyone is having a great afternoon. It is almost night time here. So time to put our tired bodies to bed.

with love,

jessie

The Poverty Section

I am having a bit of trouble starting this post because it is incredibly difficult to describe with words what I have seen with my eyes and felt in my heart in just the past 6 days.  The thing that strikes me the most about this trip so far is the deep rooted contrasts in everything.  This evening we went to the "poverty section," as our guide called it, and it was shocking.  After a devastating earthquake struck Armenia in 1988, many countries sent temporary homes here for those who had lost theirs.  However, for many people, these temporary homes became permanent.  We were able to go into one of the family's homes to see what the living conditions were liked.  They had a family of six living in a small metal building with a curtain dividing the living room from the dining area. 

After we looked inside the home, we stood outside and listened to the family's story.  The husband currently serves in the military, and one of the sons was away for camp.  While we listened to the story, the youngest son played with a balloon that we brought with us.  He was very energetic and friendly, but he also looked malnourished.  This is just one of the contrasts that I mentioned earlier.  Kids seem to be kids everywhere around the world, but this particular boy had much more to deal with than any child should.  The hardest part was not being able to do anything specifically for that family.  We were advised not to give money, but we were encouraged by the fact that we are helping in some way to address this problem by being here and working with the Fuller Center to provide nice permanent homes for families like the one we met today.
It was a day packed with conflicting emotions, and it was really only day one of our work here.  I am looking forward to all this trip has in store and all of the ways that we can serve while we are here.  I can honestly say that being here and serving others feels like home.

Until next time,
Jessica

Our First Day of Work

Today was our first day of work with the Fuller Center in a town outside Vanadazor. We were poring cement to make the roof of a home. Thus far it has been one of the most rewarding days of my life. Even though I know we are only completing a fraction of the work that has to be done at this home, I felt like we were actually making some sort of difference. We are getting to know are teamates better, forging a bond with the Armenian family we are working with, and making a positive impact in our own lives. Even tough each person was only passing buckets of cement to the person in line next to them as a whole we created a successful chain of labor. And though this may sound corny, I thought we learned a lot about the value of teamwork. We learned each others strengths and weakness and trusted each other enough to be honest about how hard we could push ourselves.

At the end of the day everyone was tired and muscles were starting to ache, but we were tired in the best way possible. I feel great and happy and like all the homesickness I was feeling dissapted with the work I did today.

Armenian countryside. On our drive to Vandazor to begin our work with the Fuller Center for Housing, we were able to see the beautiful Armenian countryside along with the people we are excited to serve.

The Holy See: Armenian Orthodox Church. On our first day in Armenia, we learned about the foundation of Armenian culture, the Christian faith.

Ellen's thoughts and reflections

Hello all! I'm posting from Lauren's email because ellen.begley@yahoo.com apparently doesn't translate to Armenian and I'm locked out of my email for the time being. No big deal! We're excited here!

With heavy eyelids and mounted anticipation we arrived at our home for the next two weeks this afternoon! Words cannot express how lucky I feel to be able to travel to Warsaw, Yerevan and now Vanadzor and experience the whirlwind of both heart-wrenching and exciting events our team has encountered in the last few days. Though geographically stark in their contrasts, Poland and Armenia has revealed shockingly similar histories. Transitioning from our very comfortable tourist experience in Warsaw to our eye-opening surroundings in Vanadzor is somewhat eased by observing their respective histories and people.

In our interactions with the very outgoing and friendly Polish people, we have been able to see a similar resiliency as easily observed in the Armenian people. Despite the fairly disheartening greeting from the Armenian Visa officers, our new Armenian friends, Gohar and Melik, have been nothing but warm, funny and supportive. Again, how did I get so lucky? These attitudes hardly reflect a history of difficulty in genocide and independence after Soviet rule.

After the incredibly moving and sickening experience Auschwitz provided, I hardly felt prepared to visit the Armenian genocide memorial today. However, I was able to see the growth and again, resiliency, of a people who have had countless opportunities for retalliation and disillusionment. People never cease to amaze me- in both horrible and wonderful ways.

Today we were also able to learn and visit the institute holding all of Armenia's historical manuscripts bearing incredible works from the manuscript of the first Armenian alphabet to a map by Ptolemy himself! What was most amazing was the beautiful artwork that accompanied every page of writing. Every stroke of the pen appeared intentional and revealed religious works giving continuous praise to God. Absolutely brilliant I tell you! The historical manuscripts were adorned with the most ornate, intricate, colorful and meaningful art I've ever seen! Friends and family- expect GREAT souvenirs from this place.

Tomorrow begins our first day of work and to say that I'm more than ready (as well as the rest of the group) is a vast understatement.

We're glad Armenia is on your mind and we appreciate prayers/positive vibes/well wishes!

Ellen

Vanadzor

Hello!

We are having a fabulous time in Armenia! Mom, no worries, I am safe and healthy.

We arrived here yesterday morning bright and early. Armenia is definitely not what I expected. After a wonderful stay in Poland, I thought Armenia would be very similar. Armenia looks more like the Middle East than I expected. It is extremely hot here but I am enjoying the sun after a chilly Seattle summer. Today we drove from Yeravan, Armenia's capitol, to Vanadzor. Vanadzor will be our home for the next 2 weeks. The drive to Vanadzor was beautiful. There are many green mountains which made the drive quite enjoyable.

Armenia has surprised me. This is a list of things I have observed thus far:
1. There was a lot of pollution in the city. Because of haziness, there is limited times in the day to see Mount Ararat. I guess this is like Seattle because I only get to see the mountains when it's sunny (which is not very often).
2. Mount Ararat is AWESOME.
3. There is a great amount of stalled construction projects. Dr. Grant told me many of these were abadoned after the fall of the Soviet Union.
4. There is less of a Soviet influence in Armenia than in Poland.
5. There are abadoned factories in Vanadzor. There is no industry here.
6. People are still displaced from an earthquake that happened 23 years ago. People really live in steel shipping containers. It's no good.
7. I have learned I am awful at Armenian and Polish. One of our drivers told me I have been saying thank you wrong this whole time. Apparently, I made up the phrase "tembacken" to say thank you. Apparently a simple "merci" while suffice.


Tomorrow we will begin our first day of work. After 5 days of travel, I am ready to start serving. Our group had orientation with the Fuller Center tonight. We learned that we will be serving two Armenian families during our time. We will be working to finish houses that are near completion. During our building days, we will be working along side the family that will be recieving the house. I think this will be such a neat experience. In 2006, I broke my back in a car accident. As a result, my building capabilities are limited. This was a concern of mine before the trip but the orientation was very ensuring. I am ready to work hard and bring my own unique strengths to the project.

Sorry if there are lots of typos in this post. My computer is in Armenia and says every word is misspelled.

-Kim Lammers

Armenia!

We made it to Yerevan,Armenia! we got a few hours of sleep this morniing, had lunch at a local restaurant and set out to see the main Christian church of Armenia. After seeing the beautiful architecture and art, we returned to the city for an amazing dinner. Please continue to pray for safe travels for our team as we set out tomorrow for Vanadazor, Armenia, and also for several team members who struggling with allergies/colds. Expect a slight delay in blog posts, as the internet is not always available or reliable, but we will try to update you all as much as possible! :)

As we set out for our final destination, we have compiled a list of goals and objectives for our team that we hope to fulfill by the end of this trip.

1.) We hope to leave a sustainable, meaningful impression through physically helping those in need.

2.) We hope to form a strong sense of community not only within our group, but especially with the citizens of Armenia and Georgia.

3.) We hope to learn and grow as individuals through our academic classwork and personal interaction with the culture we have learned so much about.

We made it!

Just to let all of the anxious family members and friends know---we made it! The Internet is a bit limited, but we will try our best to update the blog again really soon! Today, we arrived in Warsaw, Poland around 11:00 in the morning. After getting our passports stamped, we got our luggage, loaded up in a van, and were taken to our hotel. It is very close to the airport, which is a good thing. Then, we had lunch at the hotel's retaurant, which consisted of pork, chicken, or fish with sides of potatoes or fries, coleslaw or sauerkraut. We are taking a brief break now before we go into downtown Warsaw. Hopefully, we will find a bank to exchange our American dollars. So far, we have not had much luck. Please keep us in your prayers, as many of us are suffering from jetlag, and we hope to be able to write again to you soon!

Sincerely, Ashley Price on behalf of the Mercer Service Scholars

At the Chicago Navy Pier. Really hot but the scenery is amazing.

Welcome to Chicago! We can barely hear ourselves over the railways above.

Chicago!

Service scholars have made it safely to chicago!

Welcome to Atlanta International!

Day 0 / Anuj

3 hours. I can feel the excitement building up as I count down the minutes before we leave from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. Between the sense of hunger, urgency, and sleepiness, I can't help but feel a little calm. Maybe it stems from making overseas trips before, or maybe it is just because I am so tired my body won't respond.

So as I sit on my couch, waiting for the girls upstairs to finish their hour long process of getting ready, I want to contemplate about what I might expect on the trip there. Honestly, the first thing going through my mind is, "Hope Alex makes it." The group already hit a roadblock before the trip started after Alex had a biking trip and broke his collarbone. Luckily he can still go on the mission trip, but we as his friends, peers and mission group will make it one of our priorities to look after him and help in out in any way.

That aside, I start raking my mind about what I expect. Honestly, I don't know. I haven't been on mission trips before. I get a sense of unawareness on my part. I have never shied away from exclaiming that I want to make one of my life duties to serve. However, when one of the bigger moments of mine has arrived to serve, I feel a little lost.

I realize one thing that I think will be very important to me. It is the interactions. I want to be able to interact with people, see the world from their eyes, and witness a life and lifestyle that is not pampers by the lush and lavish lifestyles we all have in the United States. Dr. Grant gave us essay assignments and I decided to focus on the topic "The Elderly in Armenia and Georgia." After doing a bit of research, I learned about the dire situation of these elderly men and women, who are left with a destroyed pension after the fall of the Soviet Union and who are tossed onto the streets by their family. However, what I saw was only words, expressed to me over a screen that is my main outlet to the world. This mission trip will allow me to go through the screen and into the very source of the new. One of my goals is to get actual accounts from the elderly of Armenia and Georgia. I want to see first hand how these people live and survive. And finally, what do they want? What do they think they need to survive? How do they want their problem solved. After all, they are the ones who live their problems. Why shouldn't they have a say in what they believe the solutions are.

So finally the girls start coming down stairs with their gear. Time to eat and hit the road. Let the journey begin. Out.

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It's Over Seas We Go!

I hope everyone has enjoyed their last goodbyes with their children and loved ones as we prepare to travel tomorrow morning. I think I speak for the group by saying that we are really excited to travel to Armenia and Georgia for our service trip to work with each other and great people in different countries. It will be an eye-opening experience that I am sure we will all cherish in our hearts and remember for the rest of our life.

Even though our service may be small in the grand scheme of things, hopefully those we come in contact will enjoy our helping presence. In turn, I hope that we learn more about ourselves internally during our trip as well as an appreciation for cultures, lifestyles, and people different than those we have come in contact with thus far.

Without meaning to sound redundant after the previous posts (but I will).. I AM EXCITED! It is hard to believe tomorrow is almost here. We have waited so long and the anticipation has built... Hopefully I will be able to get some rest. I look forward to blogging in the future and posting pictures. I am sure everyone will enjoy getting to see their loved one's faces from time to time.

I thank everyone for the support - thoughts and prayers are much appreciated. Without further ado, GOODBYE!

Setting out for Armenia

"When you set out for Ithaca
ask that your way be long,
full of adventure, full of promise." ~Constantine P. Cavafy, "Ithaca"

My bags are sitting out in the hallway, packed and ready to go. I'm lying in bed, trying to relax before we begin the next few days of travel and absorbing the realization that this will be my last night in my own bed--in my own house--for three weeks. Not that I haven't spent much longer periods away from home before (it comes with the territory of being a college kid), but there is always a sort of gravity to the last night before you leave the country. You aren't just absorbing a last few hours of home and family and friends. You are absorbing a last few hours of everything that is familiar, before you find yourself in a place where nothing is. For me, at least, the last night before a departure is a sort of tradition.
We--the Mercer Service Scholars--are all coming to this trip to Armenia with different levels of travel experience. Some of us are counting down the hours till takeoff from the Chicago airport tomorrow night; some of us have a bit more trepidation about a first trip out of the country. But if our past three days have shown us anything, it is this: that we are all ready for the adventure, come what may.
I already know it's going to go by too fast. This kind of thing always does. But there's no harm in asking anyway for what Cavafy advises in his poem "Ithaca," and there's a trick to getting it, too. It's a lesson Indie and I learned last summer, on a different adventure, and it is this: be fully present. It's a hard lesson and as a busy culture, we're pretty bad at it: we're always looking back or looking forward and forgetting to look at where we are now. But when we're in Armenia it's going to be particularly important for us to be present, because we're going to want to remember. We're going to want to soak in every detail, and to be potent in our service, so we must pay attention to where we are and who we're with at every moment.
This is what I'm thinking of as I watch the clock wind down to this next beginning. This trip could fly by, as these trips are wont to do, and we could lose the minutes and the moments in the slipstream if we aren't careful. But if we stay present, despite everything that will tempt us to look back to what we've left or forward to our homecoming, we can make it last.
So, as we wait to begin our journey together, I ask that our way is long.

:D

So I have never blogged before. I have also never left the country and I am really excited to go to Armenia, Georgia and Poland. I have never been away from home for this long, and have never gone longer than a few days without speaking to my mom. :D It is going to be weird.

This whole thing is going to be a new experience. I am even more excited to be going to Armenia so that I can learn a little bit more about my heritage and lend a helping hand. I hope to gain a better understanding of the world around me and just help make a difference.

<3
Jessie

Day -1 / Anuj

So tomorrow is the big day. I have been extremely blessed to have the opportunity to represent Mercer University and the Mercer Service Scholars on a Mercer on Mission trip to Armenia and Georgia.
This is a little new for me in multiple facets. Its my first mission based trip and my first blog. I'll try my best to post over my next three weeks. How bout that iPhone. Should make life a little easier.
For these next three weeks, my Service Scholar group will be embarking on a mission trip to Armenia and Georgia, working with the Fuller Center and Evangelical Baptist Church. We depart tomorrow for Poland where we will spend a couple days before heading off the Armenia. My class and I had spent the last couple days at Mercer getting ready for this trip. Dr. Grant and Dr. Drake went over various aspects of the history of the location, what to expect, how to conduct ourselves, and most importantly, methods of thinks and asking questions to gain the most out of our experience.
Man, I glad the departure date is already here. Packing sucked! Most of my bag is filled with donations for children. My parents and I went to Wal-Mart and put together little kits for them, containing pencils, crayons, paper, etc. Mostly stationary with coloring books. I'll post some pre-departure pictures. On that topic, I'll be posting multiple pictures on the trip. Again, thank goodness for the iPhone.
Guess I'll call it a close here. Flight tomorrow at 8 am. Out.