Throughout the different seminars I chose to go to, there were a lot of great issues brought up. Some students didn't understand why ethnic organizations should exist. Some saw diversity programs as useful tools in helping them learn more about those different from themselves. Some cringed at the word "diversity" and didn’t think it was a topic worth discussing.

But on a college campus, I feel it is absolutely valuable for students to interact with people who think, act, and live differently. And on a Christian campus, I feel it is absolutely necessary for students to care about the differences of others (these differences that help form who a person is) in order for true love to happen.

There are some things that are very discouraging for me. Discrimination against a certain race, social class, gender, or etc. happens and people get deeply wounded ( ..and yes, this does still happen on Christian campuses too.)  But what disappoints me the most is when I encounter people who are honestly oblivious that these kind of injustices exist and don't care to know more about it. Ignorance is NOT bliss. Ignorance hurts. A lot. If we claim to love God and the people he created, then shouldn’t we not be ok or comfortable with being ignorant? Shouldn’t we care to know how to love better, understand more, and hurt less? By no means am I any kind of expert on diversity issues, but I am sure that God has no limits to his love. But sometimes that is something we do whether we mean to or not. I pray that we would continue to question and refuse to be apathetic toward diversity issues. Thank God that he created a beautifully colorful and flavorful world when He could have just made it homogeneous and gray.

But for me, I saw Jesus through the hands of the volunteers and through the many non-profits throughout the trip (yes, even the non-Christian organizations). It can be really discouraging when I learn about something else wrong in the world, but seeing all these outlets of hope really encouraged and inspired me. Some of the people I met gave up so much in their lives (money, worldly success, comfort, family) and dedicated it to their passion to serve others. I am so inspired to do likewise and am so grateful for the hope I got through what I saw on this trip. The harvest is plenty so I hope God continues to stir in our hearts what is stirred in His so that we can be the passionate workers in His field that He has called us to be.

So Friday night, my friends and I got dressed just for the heck of it. We had a bomb Asian food feast, which I made right in our little mod. Then we went out to Pasadena (just a 15 min. car ride away), which is always fun to just walk around and watch the street entertainers and peek in the shops. Then we had dessert at the Cheesecake Factory (that's where the $4 comes in.) On Saturday, my roommate had some students she's involved in a ministry with come over, and we had a blast running around with 10-15 junior high school kids. After playing on the tree swing in our Shire-mods courtyard, we all went to Gospel Sing. It's this annual night of worship that the Multi-Ethnic Programs Office heads up. It's one of my favorite events of the year and our school flies in great Christian musical artists from all over the country...and it was FREE! And then on Sunday, I played raquetball for the first time with my roommates, and it was such a fun way to get a work out! One of my roommates is taking Raquetball as a PE course just for fun, so we had access to the courts for free too!

All in all, it's very much possible to have fun without much money, especially when you take advantage of what's offered through school or the community around you! :P 

(PS- prospective students, the MEL Scholars coordinate a lot of Gospel Sing, and the MEL Program would be a great opportunity to look into if you are an advocate for diversity and are in need of a scholarship.)

So my friend was this amazing high school journalist in Minnesota and got to do interviews with celebrities.  This weekend, she was asked to do a junkett for Spiderwick and Step Up 2. I was fortunate enough to go to the screening of Step Up 2 the night before the interviews with her. The screening was at this theater, and we weren't expecting to see any actors or anything, but as we walked out into the hall after the movie was over, there the director and dancers and actors were!  Being from the midwest, I guess this is kind of a rare occasion for me. Welp, guess you'll never know when you'll run into some celebrities here in Southern California!!

So this past weekend was REAL good. :)

Friday, I had a renunion with my old friends from my hall freshman year, who've all just gotten back from their study abroad trips in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Lithuania, etc. It was so fun!!! I love those girls!

Then, a bunch of friends came over for a crazy night of games! Though Catchphrase , Blokus, and Nertz is fun, nothing can beat the excitement of Guesstures.  

Saturday, my friends had a potluck and then afterwards, I went to my friend's birthday party. It's so nice to relax and have fun at a real house :)

Sunday, my roommates threw me a surprise 21st birthday party! It was a video scavenger hunt, and it was so fun running around all over the place: on campus, off campus, wearing crowns from Burger King, serving doughnuts at Donut Man, making a pyramid at Garcia Trail, posing at Legends 50's Diner, caroling with grocery stockers at Stater Brothers, etc.  

And now I sit here, reflecting on my fun weekend while chomping on a piece of colorful confetti cake.

Peace.