Ubuntu Reunion

Not sure if everyone has access to facebook, so I thought I'd throw this out here, too. We're planning an Ubuntu reunion for all Ubuntu participants, mentors, friends, significant others on Saturday, May 7th around 12-12:30 p.m. for a lunch and time to hang out in the afternoon. It will take place at Devon's parents' house at the Bluffton University Nature Preserve. If you can, please let me know what you'll be attending by replying to this post or responding to the facebook event. Thanks!
Kristen

Excerpts from my frustrations

Oh how I miss you. And I swore I never would. I hate that I miss you but still I do. With your funny names for us. For us. What an incredible concept. Us. Together. It was this time last year I felt scorned by you but I think you loved. I would know more fully if I knew what that meant. Come back. Please come back. Show again your simplicity. Your community. Your care for others. The way you set up conversations. Times for fun. Times for learning. For challenging. I hate that I spurned you. That there were times I turned my back on you. What I would do to rewind and begin my short but memorable and delightful time with you. For the projects we did. For the late nights. For the brilliance you surrounded me with. For your patience when I stumbled. For your hand of guidance in teaching me to live with others not like me. For teaching me new skill sets and setting me up with new friends. But where did you go? You left me as abruptly as you found me. I yearn for more but you have hidden your face. Will you ever come back, even if only to say hey?

Eli: Another Ubu Blog

Here is a blog I made for my COM 105 class about our community in Riley Court. Feel free to check it out. There's even some videos if you look around!

www.ubuntucom105.blogspot.com

Day of Silence

To everyone who laughed, mocked, and hated
We forgive you; but We will outlast you
For every mean-hearted word spoken behind closed doors
We forgive you; but We will outlast you
For every open harassment
We forgive you; but We will outlast you
We will forgive you, but we WILL outlast you

We can stand together in silence longer than you can yell
We will outlast you
We can forgive longer than you can attack
We will outlast you
We can dream together longer than you can have the energy to pull us apart
We will outlast you
We can generate more beauty than you can generate hate
and we WILL outlast you

Days like today simultaneously fill my heart with hope and sadness. These words are not my own, but I sang them in my heart all day today:

Sometimes I lay under the moon
And I thank God I'm breathing
And I pray "don't take me soon"
Cause I'm here for a reason
Sometimes in my tears I drown
But I never let them get me down
Because when negativity surrounds
I know one day it will all turn around, Cause

All my life I've been waiting for, and I've been praying for
For the people to say
That we don't wanna fight no more
Theyre'll be no more wars
And our children will play
One day, One day, One day...
One day, One day, One day...

One day we'll all be free
and proud to be
Under the same sun
Singing songs of freedom like

One day
One day
One day....

One day
One day
One day.....

-Matisyahu

Andrea: Found it in my Research

I thought this was interesting. It seems pertinent to recent Ubu-discussion since so many of us have been working hard to make Bluffton a safe place for everyone.

Jennifer: Why we rock :)

Hi there all,

I feel like Ubuntu is a pretty cool group of folks - just thought you should know.

Ubuntu just sent in over $200 which we raised by making solidarity bracelets and pins. People still wear them - myself included. I love mine. It was especially cool to be wearing when I was working with Haitian displaced persons in the Dominican over spring break.

Tonight Kristen gave a presentation about the creation of a safe zone on campus. She did a great job getting people talking - we filled a whole white board with ideas! I'm sooo happy it went so well and that so many people came. I think it's easy for LGBTQ alliances to get swept under the rug here at Bluffton but people were really respectful today and it is obvious that people want to change things on campus. The presentation was in Stutzman and it was way over 1/2 full.

Friday is "Cabaret for a Cause" - we're putting on a great show of student and faculty musical talent complete with a house band and refreshments. In case your interested in coming its 9 pm in Bobs and we're asking for a $3 donation but if you want to give more that's great. All the money is going for MCC.

Coming up in April Karla is in charge of a walk to raise money for the West Ohio food bank. Last year FCSA sponsored a walk and it was incredibly successful so I'm sure this will be no different. Ubuntu is planning on walking.

On the same day as the walk Shawn is helping raise money for Young Life through a pancake breakfast. He's got signs all around campus so I hope he gets a lot of support!

Plus like 1/2 of Riley Court is in Shining Through and they spent their entire spring break touring around and spreading God's love through song and worship.

I mean I don't mean to brag about us all...but I think we're all just really cool. I'm so glad I live here. I hear that Res. Life is trying to make the other theme housing group permanent after this year and I would love to see an "Ubu-Jr" next year. The problem is almost everyone is graduating and some of the rest of us will be gone next semester for a variety of reasons. No matter what happens I think this is one of the best Riley Courts ever...but I might be a little biased ;)

Shawn: Why do I do this to myself?

I feel solo right now. I know the world around me is changing and my thoughts and how i view the world are changing as well. I just want everything to slow down, i want to take it all in, understand it all and savor the moment.

I had an extremely frustrating evening in Lima tonight. Does what I do matter? Duh, of course it does, but at the same time I feel stranded. I'm the only one driving over a hundred miles twice a week, dealing and talking to youth about the issues that face them and shouldering their burdens with them. (I ask for no sympathy). I see the disparaging situations they face and am saddened that the only reasons many of them come to the youth events are for food or to get away from an abusive family lifestyle. Does what I say matter to them at all? Does my helping them with their burdens make any significant difference in their lives? Or am I simply wasting time?

I almost envy the students that are here for social hour. And the piece of paper they'll receive in 4 years with minimal effort and parties every weekend. I would enjoy not having the added stresses of Lima, attempting to stay above a 3.6, and continue to keep up valuable friendships and be a respected member of our community, but I am struggling this week especially (midterms week, the week before spring break) with finding peace, sleep and time to simply be.

Then there's Zac. Zac is one of my kids from YL and is now a regular on campus Monday nights after club. I have no clue where the kid is spiritually, but I am truly blessed to be able to spend time with him and invest in his life. Zac's one of those kids who is easy to befriend and almost everyone loves to be around. He usually knows what to do to put a smile on your face and, as a sophmore in hs, already has a heart for the needy and broken around him. Its kids like him that are the reason I sacrifice myself and drain myself. In the end it will be totally worth it. I just hope that something I say in the 4 years I have to spend with Zac and other students will resonate and that a positive change deep inside them will occur.