Jennifer: End of the semester

As this semester draws to a close, I realize how much I love living in Ubuntu. I'm probably reiterating a lot of what you've heard already but it doesn't feel like a dorm over here. It feels like a home and a family. It feels so natural. I love that I can sit out in the kitchen to do my homework and I know everyone who comes in and they know me. And when I say I know them, I mean I know more than their name - we know what tests people have coming up and what groups they're involved in. When I came in at the beginning of the year I really only knew one person I was going to be living with, but now we've grown really close which is so exciting! Put a few of us together and we are guarenteed to spend most of the time laughing and joking. Sometimes as I'm walking to dinner with everyone, or chilling in the lobby, or [insert activity] I catch myself feeling like I'm in some movie montage of all the silly good times - you know the ones with the peppy feel-good dance-around-in-your socks music? It's been way better than I ever imagined.

So even though I'm kind of scared for my classes next semester, I've never been more excited about being able to return after a break! I'm excited to continue living with this group of people and for those in our community who weren't here this semester...KELSEY RETURNS!! Woo! I also hope that we can grow from this first semester and realize where we can do a better job, especially in regards to living simply. I know one thing we're working on is buying shower timers (they're like waterproof kitchen timers so no they won't shut the water off on us) so that we can be more aware of how long we're taking and work on setting our own PRs :)

Signing off for finals week. Peace to all this Christmas season!

Photos!!! (from Peace and Justice Christmas)

Andrea: Take a Wild Guess

Sunday was the Peace and Justice Christmas art auction, and it was absolutely wonderful! If you'd like to read more about that, go to: http://www.haitiwaterproject.com/have-a-peace-and-justice-christmas/

I don't want to simply reiterate what I said for the Haiti Water Project blog, but I would like to point out several ways our community worked together really well.

1) Christine and Jennifer were absolute heroes of navigating Marbeck stuff. When we got there I realized we needed easels for the art and I had no clue where to access them, they totally handled that mini crisis! They both did so much running around at the beginning; Christine made like 5 zillion last minute copies of things for me!
2) Jason Frey arranged and decorated the Gallery and it looked so nice! He and Shawn really helped me with getting everything set up on tables. The whole tone of the event was better because of their personal touches- you guys did a great job!
3) Kristen and Devon were my strategy rockstars: I was so frustrated with some of the auctioning logistics (christmas tree vs. ornaments!! ahh- spaz!) Maybe they didn't even notice they were doing it, but they were speaking SO enthusiastically at the event about the art, and explaining different ornaments to people; they were excited about the art and that got other people excited about it too.
4) Erin Weaver: you. rock. She was my insider informant for the music department: she got an add put in the Messiah bulletin. That was her idea in the first place, and it wouldn't have happened without her.
5) Judahchris- I don't know if you know this, but Judah actually made a table for the auction! Jennifer's brother bid on it ;) Seriously though, Judah's mobile attracted so many people's attention to the Gallery.
6) Ethan got like half of his friends over here to help make ornaments on Friday night- that was absolutely fantastic. It meant so much to me that people I barely knew came over here to help with the event!
7) Karla doesn't know this, but she's actually the one who inspired the layout of the bid sheets. She told me a while ago (when she was planning the CUP dinner) that having a nice sign up sheet made everything seem more put together... and she was so right! Several people commented on our snowflake forms. thanks for the idea, Karla!

So there you have it: Ubuntu in action. You guys have no idea how much your support and encouragement means to me. This event would NEVER have happened without you guys keeping me sane. I don't know if I've ever been prouder of our community. you guys rock, and i"m so thankful I live with you.

Also, Judah said that he wants to plan one every month, so... who wants to plan our "Peace and Justice January" event?!

Andrea: blogging duty

I was so relieved when I saw that it was my week to be on blogging duty. I know what you're thinking, and no! It's not because I don't love cleaning the toilets and showers...

This week is so crazy for me. I have Capstone homework out the wazoo, all kinds of odds and ends of things for other classes, and the Peace and Justice Christmas auction (among other things) is this weekend. I've been feeling really nervous about the PJC auction because it got here quicker than I was expecting and now all the little details (that I'm SO good at anyway *roll my eyes*) need tied together. bla. I'm so thankful for all the Ubuntu support though- last night we had such a fun craft time and we made some really fun ornaments. I'm hoping tonight goes just as well.

In other news: I would love to have a hot cup of tea to hold in my frigid corpse-like hands right now. Unfortunately, at this moment, every single mug is dirty because everyone's week is just as busy as mine. I can't decide if I should take a break from homework long enough to wash all the dishes or not. Does it make me un-ubuntu if I wash only 1 mug? ...probably: ugh, the things we do for our addictions, aye? Dishes, here I come!!

Shawn: Thanksgiving

Wow, thanksgiving is an evolving word in my vocabulary. The basic definition is simple-giving thanks or praise. But how it is defined in terms of when where and how are taking on new life of their own. For example, can sleeping be thanksgiving, something created by God for us to do. And so is good sleep praise, but is not-so-good sleep not be praise? And if we do something that doesnt bring praise to God, isnt that a sin? So shouldnt we find something more beneficial with our time?

I am in awe of Judah and the late nights he puts into his studies, specifically his exegetical. I enjoy sleep too much to much to work late into the night (i'd love to put a time on this like 3 or 5 or an all nighter, but truth is i'm always asleep when he is working and it seems like he is already up when i get up). His work ethic is increadible and i know that he finds joy in what his is studying and disecting.

Brains, what an amazing tool. I think this is what i am most thankful for. For all the uses it has and for how complex it is. From controlling our thoughts and thought process, studying, analyzing, memorizing. It controls our emotions, our senses and even our body movements. Where would we be without it.

But while i am grateful and thankful for something that makes me who i am, should i not be more thankful to Him (apologies to the people who dont like to see God in masculine forms...i still havent found a way around that) who created that individual part of me? I still struggle to atribute the events and circumstances around me that i can physically see and know, to a God who controls them, a God i cannot see, know, and the hardest of all, understand.

But while i struggle to comprehend His (again...sry 'its' just doesnt cut it here) ways, i can be confident that if i follow His ways, i will not be forsaken, abandoned or forgotten. He never fails, never comes up short, and is never wrong in action or judgement. And in this i can most certainly give praise.

Now i dont believe that sleep is wrong, even if it isnt the most restful sleep, but sometimes there are other important things to do. While i have heard that many people have said it will be a relaxing break and they are looking forward to catching up on sleep, this is not where i stand. I am looking forward to catching up with friends and family, and this will most certainly mean late nights and stories and events that last way into the night.

I am also grateful for Riley Crt. You guys are like family to me and I couldnt see myself anywhere else this semester. You have made me think in ways i never expected i would have to, but it has grown my understanding and confidence of not only who I am, but also the world around me. Take care on break and may God bless the people and things you are thankful for.
SY

Jennifer: Questions

When I got "home" today I walked into the lobby to two of my housemates having a deep, honest discussion about what might be deemed "faith struggles". And while yeah, I had homework to do sometimes there is nothing better than just sitting down and listening to my housemate's conversations. That might sound a little wierd but it's true - I love listening! I have all these thoughts running through my head but I'm usually not very eloquent so I just sit and soak it all in.

Today the conversation focused on the church as it is in America today. We feel upset by what the church has become and by the faith that it teaches. We feel frustrated by the Bible and the way that texts are taken out of context. We are unsure about everything that our faith ever meant to us and struggle to find some wreckage of the past that we can hang on to but even then we aren't sure that that is what we want. We don't know if we can still call ourselves Christians. We are afraid of doing the exact same things we argue against. We have so many questions. Is that ok? Although we struggle, I feel encouraged because we struggle together. Even though we don't know what we believe I feel blessed because know we are struggling with something important. I know there has to be a place for this somewhere in the church.

In some ways I'm scared. I'm a sophomore and pretty much everyone else in the house is a senior. They say that when they were sophomores their faith was "so rock solid" but now it's tumbling down around them. I know I'm not at the same place as them, but if I'm close - who will I be when I leave Bluffton? I know I won't be the same person I was when I came. But, I think that's a good thing. And maybe, you have to completely demolish what was there before you can begin to build something new.

Ubuntu is in that process of trying to build something new. I wish everyone could have the experience of living in this community - I really feel like we are each others home :)

There is so much more to say as always but that shall suffice for tonight. I need my sleep - this weekend Jason, Kristen, and I are going to the SOA/WHINSEC protest at Fort Benning, GA. None of us have ever been before so keep us in your thoughts!

Andrea: Feels Like Home

Two weeks ago I was in New York City for the MCC-UN student seminar. I learned so much, but the whole time I was there I was feeling homesick for my Canton-family and also my Ubuntu-family. New York is such a cool place, but its easy to feel very small there- I started thinking about what an awkward transition time this phase of life is. It's getting harder and harder to clearly identify where "home" is.

After a very very long drive back to Bluffton I dragged my 1000 lbs suitcase up three flights of stairs and wrestled it into my room. I slept in the next morning so no one was here when I woke up. I made myself some breakfast and was amazed at how quite Riley Court is when its completely empty. After a half hour or so I heard some people coming in the door downstairs so I poked my head into the hallway from the kitchen and said "hey guys, I'm back." And my heart smiled as I listened to my Ubu-family run up the stairs yelling "Andie's home!!!!" Between giant bear hugs I realized that my friends were right- Even if this is only home for a little while, its still home. And it was good to be back.

Kristen: Water

So I've been thinking about water lately.

Bluffton water, even though we now import it from the nearby town of Ottawa, is still not the most mouth-watering. So once in awhile, Devon and another one or two people will go out to his house at the nature preserve where there is well water. We'll fill up a 5 gallon igloo container and whatever number of gallon jugs we have lying around (last time we went, I think it was around 11...). We put the jugs in the car to drive about 1.5 miles, fill up, and drive back. Then we get the fun job of carrying all that water upstairs to the third floor, where the kitchen is.

Sometimes, this doesn't seem like a very fun thing to do. Yeah, the water tastes better, but who really has time to spend 45 minutes carting water? Who wants to put forth the effort to carrying that all up the stairs.

I started to realize how fortunate I am/ we are. A few weeks ago, I had lunch with a man from Zimbabwe, who explained his work building wells for villages in Africa. He explained that more than half of the world has to walk a lot of miles (I can't remember the number, but it was a lot!) to get water every day! This has a big impact on gender roles and education, too, because it is young girls' job to get the water, meaning that they can't attend school. So, digging wells at more frequent intervals allows girls to have a chance to attend school. Cool.

It's so easy to fail to appreciate the abundance of running water we have. I don't think we need to shut off our water supply and start walking miles each day to get water, but I think it's good to remember that the water running through our pipes is a luxury that not everyone can afford.

Jennifer: The leaves are falling

Midterms are succesfully over and things have relaxed a little bit but all I can find myself thinking about is the upcoming Thanksgiving break! Other than fall break I've been on campus every night and while I love it here I just want to get away! Luckily tomorrow is family day so my parents will be here and the week after that my youth group is coming for a weekend peace-retreat at the Lion and the Lamb. I miss them so much so am anxiously waiting!

Around here, life remains mostly the same. We've been missing Andie this week as she's in NYC at the MCC/UN conference but certainly can't wait to hear about all that she learned when she returns! We're all very jealous of her!

A week ago (the 23rd) Riley Court Hall Association (along with Ropp Hall Association) hosted their first event - a campus wide Block Party. Unfortunately due to rain we had to move the party into Ropp Pitt instead of having it outside RC as we had wanted. The party was a blast! Although I didn't count I'd say we had around 50 or maybe more people show up. Everyone stayed around enjoying the activities and company, even a half hour after the party was supposed to have ended. People enjoyed bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins, and making "trash art"- Riley Court is now decorated with a Christmas tree and presents all made out of recycled magazines.We also had a "free store" which is basically a table where people can bring things they don't want any more and then everyone can take what they want. I've heard that in big cities free stores can be extensive and people go around trading and bartering on items but no money can be used, proving that one man's trash really can be another man's treasure! I was also happy to get permission from dinning services to bake our own cookies instead of buying through Sodexo. One of the issues we've been struggling with in RC is food waste, especially as seen in Marbeck. Trays and trays of food are thrown out every single day. There must be some better way make use of our resources!

I can't believe it is almost November already! How time flies! Before we know it Christmas will be here, giving us a whole extra set of problems to confront - trying to resist our consumer desires in the busiest shopping season!

Christine: This & That

I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into when I decided to join Ubuntu. Would I be living with a bunch of granola-eating, organic, and obsessive recyclers? The answer to that question is yes, but in a perfectly good, not weird, way. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I had some preconceived ideas of what "living in community" would be like. I never really considered myself very "green" or "community-oriented," but I am. I am not ashamed to search for the recycle sign on everything plastic that ever touches my hands. Nor do I mind setting aside time every Sunday afternoon to prepare and clean-up a meal with my fellow Ubuntu-ers. In fact, our Sunday meals are a highlight of my week. These meals give everyone a chance to be together - in community - and to share in a comfortable, relaxed setting. As Jennifer discussed in her last entry, it's hard to make time for all (or even a majority) of us to be together during the week. I myself can go a whole day 8-7 without returning to Riley Court. And by that time, all that's left to do is homework and then sleep.

Granted, not every day is as hectic as others. Sometimes all we need is time to relax. I'll often return "home" to find a few girls in the lounge, usually with the TV on TLC or HGTV, "actively" engaged with the show at hand (with four brides-to-be, a majority of the shows are wedding-related...). Let's just say these shows make us laugh - a lot.

Finally, just to add some more randomness to the mix, my favorite chore is cleaning the showers. If I could clean the showers every week, I would definitely do it. I know I sound crazy, but it is seriously fun. Let's just say my first experience with the showers was not a very dry one. First, there's a hose that attaches to the faucet on the sink. Well, I thought it was attached, at least until I had already finished spraying down the showers, about 10 minutes later. It wasn't attached, at least not correctly. By that time, water had been shooting out every which way and the countertop and the tile floor was soaked. All I could do was laugh. Yes, my floormates thought I was crazy, but I don't care. It's life, right? Why not laugh.

Jennifer: Mid-Terms and our first campus event

Not to complain but just to give you an example of the crazy schedule some of us in college students (including many of us in Riley Court) live...this is my schedule for tomorrow...
12-4 Help set up for the Everyday Sunday Concert
4-4:30 Set up Fall Festival Booth
4:30-6:30 Help PEACE club with their Fall Festival Booth
5:15-9 Help finish setting up and run the Everyday Sunday Concert
9-midnight On Duty in Bren-dell and Riley Court

Yes that means I am booked 12 hours straight. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad if the rest of my weekend had been free but of course that wasn't the case...MCB retreat. Oh, and that big midterm is Monday! Oh and that second midterm Tuesday! And that third on Friday! And that paper on Friday! And don't forget to finish getting everything set up for our Block Party Friday night! So yeah, we're busy running from place to place. Several of us commented that we've felt ready for bed well before midnight lately, which let me tell you, is not normal for college students!

The Block Party is going to be a lot of fun but the stress is high because I've has just a week to plan it! Ahh... None the less you should come! I'm really excited about it! We'll be having trash art, a free store, sidewalk chalk, pumpkin carving, bobbing for apples, etc. And a time to get to know Ubuntu and what we're all about! It's Friday 10/23 from 6:30-8:30 at Riley Court so be there (and bring your friends!!)

Shawn Yoder: Community and dumb random stuff.

The good times in Riley Crt
-group meals (every sunday)
-community study sessions (like the one monday night)
-back it up (which may or may not cease to exist)
-Ubu-Mormon (a plant with MANY parents)
-tea/coffee (we go through soooo much of this you'd think we were addicts, oh wait, we probably are)
-Monday Night RAW (who watches football anymore)
-midnight runs to Beaverdam and the Flying J
-Madden 09 (which i suck at)
-pictures at 8 AM for some bluffton book in our kitchen (ya that was this morning)
-male bonding between Eli and Devon, Eil and Jason, Eli and myself and Eli and every other guy i havent mentioned
-sharing cleaning duties (which aren't bad at all)
-you dont know me
-UBUNTU!! (a phrase that when uttered gives you rights to anything of anyone's...this includes food, and spouses too i believe)
-ROOMMATE!!! (and their dainties)
-Twizzlers Bob's runs, youtube videos and other distractions during community study sessions
-deep theological and faith discussions (none of which i can enter but def enjoy listening to)

but probably the most rewarding part about community so far is learning from the upper class men and having them around as role models. Just having someone to talk to or hang out with (all the guys, not just the uppers) on any given evening has been a blast as well. I enjoy coming back here every night to see what's going on, what people are doing and being given an opportunity to simply be.
SY

Andrea: Things that fill my heart with joy

Thursday night was the second of two nights in a row I was up until 2 am doing homework... don't worry mom, I made sure to rest up this weekend to make up for it! Week 6 was just as busy as week 5 and it was only a half week. Needless to say, I like everyone else in the house, was a nervous wreck most of the week.

Thursday night I was sitting in the kitchen working on a paper, and Judah said "Hey Andie, do you want to share some bit sized carrot wedges?" I replied "Sure, at my house we call them carrot sticks." And he said "That's the word!" I laughed until I cried... if you don't know Judah, you should fix that.

This little moment, followed by the Office wedding with half of my housemates reminded me of why I mustered every ounce of self discipline to leave Pittsburgh and come back to school. Thanks guys.

Erin: Cleaning? Fun? You Bet!!!!

I just got done cleaning our showers and I had a blast! I find that one of the things I have most been surprised at in our community is that cleaning has not been an issue. I figured that we would have problems with people not cleaning up after themselves or not wanting to follow our cleaning schedule but it has gone great! Dishes sometimes pile up during the day but usually they are washed before we go to bed. Our bathroom is usually very clean and equipped with all we need. For those of you that don't know the women (I think the men also) have a cleaning chart and we switch jobs every week so we can all do all the jobs at some point. I have not only been surprised at how well the cleaning has gone but also how fun it can be to clean and cook together as a community. Cooking meals and doing dishes together have been two of my favorite things to do because I am helping everyone in the community as well as having a good time with others.

Some of you might find this post as ridiculous but the fact is that we need to do the cleaning so why not have fun doing it!

Life at Ubuntu is always exciting whether we are having a bonfire and a hymn sing, singing in the kitchen till 1 am, or looking at bridal magazines and hanging out with each other! Come visit!

Devon: Intentional Community

Ubuntu, what does this mean? “i am because We are.” This is the first time that I have blogged this year, and for a while I was a bit frustrated with myself because I did not really know what I could say that would do justice to this ideal that we have set for ourselves this year. We have a lot of goals that we have set, but the major commitment that we have made is to be intentional about becoming an intentional Community. If there is one thing that I have learned at Bluffton these last three years, it is that it is often hard to be intentional about being in community with other people. It is easy to be in community with people who have similar interests or are like minded, but is incredibly challenging to force yourself to be open and honest about where you fall short or are struggling.
Why are we as humans so afraid of being truly known? More and more I am realizing that it is the fear of rejection that causes us as humans to shut out the world in such a way that prevents us from being challenged in any significant way. We are afraid that in being vulnerable that we will be taken advantage of and hurt in ways that last for ever. Why are we afraid of this very real truth? Because it has happened before. We all have scars and open sores that will never truly heal because we have made ourselves vulnerable to others, and they have taken us for granted and hurt us in so many ways. We are all guilty of being on both end of the “knife.”
Why is this so important to this idea of Ubuntu? In the past four weeks, I have realized a lot about myself that I have hidden from myself for the past twenty-one years. I need intimacy from all kinds of people who are in different phases of their lives. I am blessed to be engaged to a wonderful woman that challenges me in new ways everyday, yet loves me for who I am, despite all of my weaknesses, scars, failures, fears, and idiosyncrasies. I am blessed by my oldest friends here at Bluffton because they have been right beside me in my walk with the Lord. This path is full of potholes and the shadows of uncertainty, but together we hobble on, knowing that there is a reason that we- the Church struggle forward through doubt and fear. We strive to serve, love, and know a GREAT LORD. I have been blessed by the challenge of encouraging people who are at a different place on this road of faith. They are beginning to recognize the challenges that await them when they realize that the Good News of the Gospel is not an easy thing to accept because it calls us to live radically in a life full of uncertainty, constant questions about a God that is mystery, and providential works of a loving God.
What am I learning and how am I doing? I am a college student paying a large amount of money in order to get an education. How simply can I truly live? I realize that in the beginning we had a lot of idealized concepts that we hoped to work toward, but now I am realizing “fully” (meaning that I have no idea) that this concept of living simply is a process that will take my whole life to work toward understanding. However, I am learning that we are succeeding in some very important ways. Yes, we are composting. Yes, we are trying to conserve water and recycle. Yes, we are trying to live in mutual respect. Yes, we do fail. Yes, we are trying to reach out to other people on campus and in the surrounding community. But most importantly- we are living intentionally IN community. We are learning to know and be known. We are struggling to feel, identify, hurt, cry, laugh, empathize, encourage, challenge, love, respect, each other, knowing that when we do these things (even imperfectly) we not only find satisfaction, joy and peace, but we see and feel GOD in those around us. Often, this is the only thing that I am able to hold onto when things are rough.
To God be the Glory…. Great things God has done!

ubuntu - i am because We are

devon matthews

Jennifer: A picture's worth a 1,000 words

The girls share bathroom chores on a weekly rotation.










Our bulletin board made out of old magazine pages.

Ready for the Compost pile - thanks Sally and Jonathon!!

Collecting change for change

Just a shoutout to thank the Intagliata's and to Eli Tracy for sharing their delicious produce!

Signs to remind us to save energy!

Thanks to B&G we now have brand new water-conserving showerheads. We couldn't believe it - it seems like we have even more water than with the old ones!

Erin: Exciting year ahead!

Well, I am finally getting a chance to sit down and write a blog entry.

I am really loving living in our community here in Riley court. My favorite parts of living here are the great community meals, conversations with others in the community, and the effort of everyone in the community to make this experience great!

I am really excited that we have already implemented many of our ideas such as composting, having a community meal once a week, meeting with mentors, and sharing cleaning duties. Everything is going much smoother then I ever thought would be possible.

As usual I am swamped with school work, practicing, and other commitments. This is sometimes really stressful and I regret not being able to be with people from Ubuntu more throughout the week. However, I still feel like a very important part of the community and I enjoy coming home at the end of the day to a great group of people and friends.

I am excited to see what the rest of the year will bring. I know that it will not always be as smooth sailing as it has been so far, but I know that we will learn a lot about each other and about living simply and in community.

Karla: A great place to live

I feel as if my life right now is speeding by, but at the same time I feel as if I am not getting anything accomplished. I hate that everything is so planned out for me. I have written all school assignments, FCSA activities, marriage counseling, and volunteering in my planner. What's left for Karla time? And for that matter what's left for time to be in community with people? Its things like this that make me wish time would stand still while I finish up a few projects so I can press play when I have less to do and plan. Shouldn't life be more spontaneous? I guess I am not really the spontaneous type, but a little more freedom would be GREAT!
I've heard, as we get older more things keep piling up. Why would anyone want to grow up? But its these new responsibilities and groups that you join that make life exciting. Ubuntu has opened my eyes to the greatness of community living. There are so many opportunities to sit down and enjoy a rather deep conversation with people my age as they try to solve life's problems as they come our way (I'm more of a listener). Balancing school work and friends is something that doesn't come easily for me. It's nice that there is usually someone around for me to talk with when I need a break from studying. I am seriously thankful for the community I am living in.

Shawn: Environmentally Conscious

So when i joined this group it was mostly because i needed a room and a place to live. Dont get me wrong i was excited about who i was getting to live with and was tremendously excited about living in community, but i was like, WHATEVER, about the "being environmentally conscious" clause in our proposal. I figured it wouldnt be a big deal and i could just let that slide.

However the longer i've lived here and have been exposed to conversation of the group members, the more i find myself critiquing the way people around me in any circumstance waste resources. I used to be opposed to trayless tuesdays because they were an inconvenience when i wanted to get a bunch of food and not have to make several trips. I dont know if not grabbing trays actually saves water (there are many rumors circulating), but I have flipped my stance and have made it a habit to not grab a tray when going through the line, tuesday or not. I now engage the people who still complain about not having trays and try to get them to view trays, or on a larger scale, waste, the way i do. If nothing else, not having a tray lowers the amount of food we grab, which will in turn eliminate waste.

Food, electricity, and energy in any form are a gift most people around the world arent privileged to have. There are even some in our own country who forgo these to try to survive. If we all cut back will this lower the overall cost for everyone?

I know this is true on our campus. If, campuswide, we were concerned about not wasting food, shutting off lights, taking short showers and unplugging unused appliances and electronics, we could significantly lower the room and board aspect of our bill to the college.

Our group will probably be most of the people who read this blog but for those outside our group who would love to do something similar to what we are doing i encourage you to ask us questions and talk to professors as well. There are many faculty interested in what we are doing and when meeting with our mentors we explored the possibility of creating a "simple living themed housing" invoice, under the impression that the themed housing group would cut back on expenses, if this group would continue its existance. This is a possibility i am willing to explore with peers who also see the need for environmental accountability.

Why is it that i always write books? Congrats if you made it to the end...see me for your prize.
SY

Jennifer: Meeting with our Mentors

Hey there everyone,

I wanted to get some pictures up from our meal last Sunday.

We invited all 8 of our community mentors and their families - with that many people it was hard not to have a good time! The food was also delcious -a taco themed potluck! It was great to get everyone together for a while to encourage, support, and socialize. Ubuntu had the idea of community mentors before we landed the placement in RC. We were looking for a diverse (sex, department, etc.) group of faculty and staff who would help hold us accountable to our goals and to help us along our way. We also looked for people who may have had experience living in communities like this before. It was a tough process narrowing down our list but we eventually managed. This past Sunday was our first time to meet as a group and I know we all enjoyed it. I think we picked a good group - a couple even helped wash the multitudes of dishes! (Thanks a bunch!!) From here on out, our meals won't be quite as much of a production - only one or two mentors a meal! Can't wait!

Andrea: Realizations

I came in this semester with 6 credit hours looming over my head from unfinished summer classes and something new and shiny on my left hand. I was feeling so ambitious about how fun it would be to live with 3 other blushing brides-to-be; doing homework together, planning our weddings, and having giggly girly pajama parties with chick flicks and chocolate. ... then I started 15 more credit hours when classes started ...and I started my job at Bluffton Presbyterian church... and I started getting emails about "Acting on Aids," "Spiritual Life Week Planning Committee," "PEACE Club," and "Social Work Club" (to name a few) ...and we started having "family" meals and meetings to discuss our responsibilities as part of Ubuntu... and somewhere in the middle of all that I had a terrifying realization: I CAN'T DO EVERTHING.

I was homesick for the summer I spent in Pittsburgh with Kyle, and on the brink of an identity crisis over the loss of my posse of girlfriends who graduated last May. After several late nights sobbing and snotting all over several of my housemates (thanks, guys :) ) I realized something new about myself: I HATE CHANGE.

I always thought I was adventurous; that I could handle anything- I just spent a month in Africa for crying out loud... why am I having an emotional breakdown over being in Bluffton?! I agreed to learn simplicity and community this year... and I think I'm learning those things already. Your schedule is not exempt from a simple lifestyle- it's okay to say "no" sometimes. Community is an everchanging thing- you don't get to hang on to all of your same friends all of the time. You CAN grow separately without growing apart (Teresa told me that.) I love the people I live with now, and even though I miss Erica, Kyle, Teresa and my other friends from before, I would be stealing from myself if I didn't allow myself to grow into the community that's inviting me in right now.

So there you have it. I can't do everything, I hate change, and I love this community.

Karla: What did I get my self into?

It seems as though EVERYONE but me is used to the idea of living simply and community based. So are within the past 2 weeks I have been challenged in ways I did not expect. I think the issue here is time. Last week I didn't have much time to eat lunch and get to class. I got some enchiladas my mom had made out of the freezer and tried to warm them up in the microwave. It didn't work. Why? Because it wasn't plugged in. Who doesn't keep that plugged in! I was a little upset and asked why in the world we don't keep it plugged in and Kristen answered "because it still pulls energy even when you aren't using it." Well, at least I know for next time that a.) I need to plug in the microwave and b.) because it wasn't plugged in I may have saved 1 kw of energy (eyes rolling). This is going to take some getting used to.

Jennifer: Two Weeks Down

As we approach the end of our second week of classes, I feel exhausted! A last minute class change means I'm already behind schedule in class. That, along with clubs and work, means I'm beginning to wonder why there are only 24 hours in a day. However, I feel very lucky to be living over here with the rest of Ubuntu. We're all in the business of supporting each other. After this summer I can't express how nice it is to come home and find that someone has washed my dishes for me, or that someone has donated some delicious tea to the communal cupboard. It kind of lends itself to a "pay-it-forward" attitude - I'm more than happy to clean somebody else's dishes for them when mine were cleaned for me that morning. As far as bathrooms go, we're even sharing our responsibilities there! The girls have created a rotating chore chart and the bathroom has stayed clean so I think it's working! We officially meet with our mentors for the first time on Sunday and it'll be great to hear their suggestions since some of them have had experience living in similar situations already. I know it's just the beginning of a long journey but I can't wait for what's ahead.

Kristen: What is community?

Community is:

• Walking to the kitchen in the morning, grungy in my pajamas and seeing staff members from the neighboring offices.
• Playing a spontaneous game of Apples to Apples Bible Edition (who knew?).
• Sharing floor cleaning duties.
• Exchanging wedding planning details, hopes, and stresses with the 3 other engaged women on the floor.
• Snacking on mint water, frozen jell-o grapes, and other tasty treats with good friends.
• Having deep discussions about serious issues in the lobby.
• Being exposed to the same germs... but hoping the sniffles are just allergies, not a cold!
  

Jennifer: High Hopes for Community Living

Hey guys,

For those of you who may not know I've been spending the last 7 weeks of my summer living at the "Peace House" in Indy. It's owned by the Indianapolis Peace Institute which has helped all 8 of us living here to arrange internships for the summer. The program also focuses a lot on community living. So of course as I've been going through this program I can't help but compare it to what I imagine Riley Court to be like next year. While I've had fun here I know Ubuntu is going to be even better!!


Of course there are some differences - there are 12 of us in Riley Court (compared to 8) and we're going to have to live together for an entire school year instead of a mere 9 weeks. We'll be living in the somewhat secluded little village known as Bluffton whereas here I'm easily within walking distance from downtown Indy. But I think the biggest difference between the Peace House and Riley Court is going to be the students.


While I've made some great friendships here in Indianapolis, we were all kind of thrown in the house together with different goals, ideas, and expectations. The ability Ubuntu has had to sit down in advance and to discuss our vision of community living will prove vital to our success. For example, one of the similarities between the Peace House and Ubuntu is our community meals. Here in Indy the Tues. evening meals are a requirement of the program and therefore can feel very forced because not everyone wants to be involved. Instead of being excited about community time together people complain and argue.


Now, conflict isn't a bad thing - in fact it can be very healthy - but it hasn't always been handled that way. During orientation we had a meeting to go over community expectations and rules. One of the rules causing the most conflict is one of the most simple - clean up after yourself in the kitchen; don't leave dirty dishes out or in the sink. However, after our first community meal, we had leftover pesto sauce. The next day the pesto appeared on the stove and stayed there, out in the open, for 5 entire days. I will admit my bias - I'm a little bit of a neat freak - but that is gross. This simple thing, pesto sauce, was causing a huge uproar in the house. To no avail, people were trying to drop hints to the person who was responsible for leaving the pesto out. Eventually, after 4 days a note was left on the pesto asking (not so politely) that it be cleaned up. This only made the issue more divisive than ever. And while the pesto eventually did get cleaned up, another nasty note was left and the house would never come together as one again. It’s a pretty sad story actually.

Here’s what I see about our Ubuntu group though, while I’d like to be optimistic enough to say there will never be a pesto-like problem in the community that’d be lying. Things aren’t going to be perfect and each of us will probably do something which will annoy the other. There will be conflict. The difference is going to be in solving it. As a group we have recognized that there will be conflict we’re going to have to approach it directly and with love. The behind the back conversations and malicious notes will not be acceptable. We each aim to respect the other person and to grow as a group. Bluffton has instilled in us an ability to look beyond ourselves and to have bigger motives at heart. I am confident that our group will be able to talk through issues of misunderstanding instead of disregarding any rules the group has agreed to and turning everything into an “us” vs. “them” conflict.

It’s embodied in our name, Ubuntu. It means “I am, because we are”. As a group we will recognize each person’s individuality as a member of our community – to grow, learn, share, experience, disagree, agree, eat, clean, and garden together.

Kristen: Preparation

So, I've never really written in a blog before, but I guess it's about time I did.

This next year is going to be a great adventure. I'm looking forward to being part of a community of people, instead of just living on a floor of students that I don't know very well. I think it's great that we've all come together in sort of a common purpose-- to live simply in community together.

I think I am most excited about our "green" focus. Several of my friends have gotten to calling me a tree-hugger, and while literally hugging trees is not my hobby, I think it's so important to be aware of the impact our lifestyles have on the environment. One of the main ways I'm excited to see this happen is to eat locally. This summer we're helping out with Devon's family's garden, as well as Tig's. Also, with Devon's work at Suter's Produce, he has easy access to lots of delicious locally grown fruits and veggies.

Clearly, though, most of this food is ripe and ready for the picking now-- in the summer-- and we don't start living together until the end of August. Thus, it's really important to store up for the winter. After reading Barbara Kingsolver's book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" about her family's experience living locally for a year, I realized how much planning and preparation goes in to making local living a success. You really can't expect to just pull fresh sweet corn from the freezer unless you've actually taken the time to put it there. As obvious as that sounds, I think it's actually very significant. Many of the big ideas we have will remain just that--ideas--unless the appropriate thought and planning goes in to making those things a success.

So far, Devon and I (with the help of my Grandma!) made some freezer strawberry jam from Suter's stawberries-- hopefully it'll be enough to last us through the year! I'd also like to freeze some corn and maybe make up some spaghetti sauce once the tomatoes are ready in the garden.

Anyways, I'm excited to plan/dream/do/fail/persevere/live/grow with this wonderful group of people.

Shawn: First Post

Well i guess i'll get things started...thanks to all of you who read this and keep up and are interested in what we are doing. I believe i can speak for the group when i say we appreciate the support of others. As many of you know we are an intentional community with an emphasis on living simply in our community.

My main fears are the same with every new situation I go into. What is it going to be like and how is it going to change what i already have? I am comfortable right now. Comfortable with my schedule and the activities I'm involved in. So I really dont know exactly how this whole themed housing is going to work out but i'm excited to try bc i love the people in the group i know, and have heard amazing things about the ones i dont. I feel like we will have rough times but everyone in the group will def be respectful of one another and just be a lot of fun.

I am mostly worried about my ties to everything in life right now including the community. I feel stretched in the activities i'm in, but they are all so important to me that i dont want to drop any. I have already been forced to make the disicion to drop soccer and sunday night worship. It was hard decision in intself and next fall will be the first fall i havent played soccer since 3rd grade. I know it's gonna be tough, but i did it for Young Life. Young Life (YL from here on out) is a parachurch ministry to high school students around the country and in 19 other countries as well. YL takes college students and a few adults and goes to where the kids are to earn their trust and "earn the right to be heard" and preach the gospel. i did YL my senior yr of hs and had a blast and grew by leaps and bounds and finally found out what it meant to "GO to all nations baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit". GO is a command we must all follow, the where is decided by God and if we are in communion with Him, He will point out where he wants us. he did this for me before i even went to college but i tried to get around it by coming to bluffton. Dont get me wrong, i loved bluffton, but it was comfortable. it was me not selling out to God. Well he had his perfect plan in mind and started YL in Lima in Dec and pushed it in my face to where it was undeniable that that was where i was supposed to be. I love the kids and love the other leaders and love the time we spend diving into scripture and each other's live, and getting to know new people and growing in Christ and fellowshiping, but it has put a strain on my relationships here. I've been focusing a lot of my attention and energy on laurin (the gf of 47 days) :D but i'm not finding the time i feel i need to keep up my friendships with the guys and w/ the girls from ropp that i used to hang out with a ton....hopefully vball and bible studies along with more frequent weekend hanging out and dumbness can over come that, but then i wont be meeting new Lima Sr students (ther first hs YL has started) as often as i should be and gaining relationships there.

What makes me most frustrated is being on the opposite side of campus. I will have to make a huge effort to see all of my friends from this yr, next yr. I know there is no way they will want to come and hang out on the other side of campus, so it will have to be my initiative to keep up those relationships amid all the other stuff i have going on and remain an active member of our intentional community.

I'm excited for the opportunity that was given me and want to thank whoever's idea it was to invite me into the group. i honestly had no plans for rooming next yr and God dropped this in my lap which was really cool, but at the same time, i'm nervous about the outcome.
thanks also to all the members for the part they have played and helping me to feel accepted. i know i have had virtually nothing to add, and didnt come up with any cool ideas and may not be the funnest kid to hang around, but i feel accepted all the same and with everything going on, that one thought gives me peace. I know next yr will be just fine.

Shawn Yoder
SY