Tent City

Tent City?  What is Tent City?  Tent City are areas in Colorado Springs where the homeless set up their tents and make their homes.  They are actually little communities.  This year, along with our good friend Jonathan, we decided to visit some of the Tent Cities on Thanksgiving morning.  So on Wednesday night we met at Jonathan's house and set out to make 50+ Thanksgiving Brown Bag Meals.  It was great because we really had a chance to explain to Logan that not everyone has a home to live in or 3 meals a day.  We also had a chance to talk to Logan about how Jesus has called us to take care of the poor and feed them.  Logan was very excited and stayed up past 10:00 helping to make the Turkey Sandwiches, Corn Bread, and Cookies.  On Thanksgiving we got up early and headed out to the Tent Cities.  It was such an eye opening experience to visit with the people and hear their stories.  There were a couple of people that really stuck out to us!  One was Anthony who had a long beard.  As we gave him his brown bag and introduced ourselves, he introduced himself as Tramp (indicating that was all he was worth).  It broke our hearts and Mr. Sahhar (Jonathan's dad) immediatley responded, "No, I want to know your real name.  You are worth so much more.  God loves you and so do we."  After staying and praying we each of them.  We started to leave and Anthony (Tramp) looked at me and in sign language said, "Thank you."  Another lady that really sticks out is Nancy.  Nancy was at the last camp that we visited.  She called herself the Martha Stewart of the homeless.  She was really the mom of the whole camp.  She cooks and always makes sure that no one starves and that no one freezes.  When we first approached her and asked if we could pray with her she started to cry.  We then spent a good thirty minutes with her and her friends Steve and Chase.  The kids played with her and threw sticks in the creek together.  It really was a blessing to us to get to spend time with them and start to understand them and their situations more.  A hug, an ear, and an open heart is really what they needed and it was great to be a part of their Thanksgiving!

So... What Has Been Happening?

Living in our house has been crazy to say the least.  At the end of October we were blessed with being able to go with Gigi and Papa Thigpen to San Carlos, Mexico.  It was a true retreat for us!  We were able to spend some quality time with our boys just playing on the beach, reflect on the past four years with Eagle's Nest and pray about where God is taking us!  We also had a chance to celebrate our 10th anniversary, which was really neat because we actually got engaged in San Carlos!

When we returned to Colorado we all took turns being sick with a wonderful stomach virus...so for the past two weeks someone has been sick.  We have now all had it and are ready to be done once and for all.  I (Erin) have also started part time work at JC Penneys to help us get by until we are fully funded.  It is hard to be away from the boys, but I am taking it as an opportunity to witness and to walk out in my faith.  Actually this last week I have been training with a young lady named Danielle.  She is very sweet and very lost.  I have had at least three chances to talk about my faith with her and she has had a chance to tell me why she is scared to go to church.  I would ask that you would pray for her and that I would have more opportunities to witness to her.

Now on to the big question on everyone's mind...Where are we going???  We wish we had an exact answer for you, but we don't.  We ask that you would be patient with us as God is revealing his plans for us in His timing and not ours.  Many of you know we are looking to serve over-seas.  We have shown interest in joining a small team in New Zealand that have an established university ministry at Canterbury University in Christchurch, NZ.  We have now been able to begin dialogue with the National Director of The Navigators in NZ and are in the process of getting to know each other to see if we would be a good fit with their team.  We are learning the process of going over-seas is a slow process, but we are truely excited to see where God takes us.  In the meantime we are fund raising and have to be fully funded before we go.  We are also trying to attend some training classes with The Navigators that will help us in any ministry we serve. We would covet your prayers during this time as we seek God's perfect will for us.

So yes, The Thigpen House is crazy, but that is not new!