Hi Isaiah. Here is this week’s blog. – Elana York
Joshua has overall been such a great experience. From classes, speakers, theme dinners, game nights, and more, we get to do everything in community. Last weekend, a bunch of the girls went to a Christian concert in Fresno. It was such a blessing to be able to worship together and listen to live music. On Saturday, a group of us went down the hill and got coffee, and pizza, and played laser tag. We then ended the day playing games in the library.
Last week, we had our first snow! It was so fun seeing everyone’s excitement and getting to experience the first snow all together. We had lots of snowball fights and even went sledding. This week, we had friendsgiving. We wrote down things we were grateful for and ate pie and apple crisp. After that we played the one and only Harry’s Game!
The holiday season has just begun at the Joshua Wilderness Institute. It is a bittersweet time, but already after two months of being here the people in this building have become a family. I could live many nights like when we had our first snowfall during dinner and we all ran out to dance in the snow. I will miss sitting by the fire drinking hot cocoa with my best friends while studying Philippians. But over the last couple days, people have started to leave to go home for Thanksgiving. From Thailand to New York to Fresno, I will miss every single one of my brothers and sisters over these next ten days.
This week was filled with a lot of emotion for everyone. I think the fear has struck that going home won’t be easy, I know it’s not going to be easy for me, either. So please pray for my family here because I need all of them to come back, and I hope they hold fast to our covenant. If you are in the family of one of my brothers and sisters and are reading this right now, please help them or maybe even join them in the fast. I can’t tell you how hard it is to feel like a burden when we can’t watch movies with you or play video games with our siblings. It isn’t easy, but we are doing it for the glory of God, and when we are at home, there is no one to send us on a hill walk.
This week overall has been very fun for the Joshua building. I have noticed the fun, laughter, and play have been at high levels. If you have never been in this program, you will never know the love of being with your favorite people playing the piano in the great room while the boys are sock wrestling and another group is playing Monopoly deal and there are people crying in the corner praying. I think everyone is anxious to go home, and it brought out so much craziness. What’s the best way to get craziness out of a group of 43 young adults? Harry’s game. Basically, we, as disciples of God, turn off all the lights in this large building in the middle of the woods and someone dressed up as a gorilla tries to “kill” all of you before you find all three pieces of a flashlight to “kill” the gorilla. Its definitely my favorite game because everyone is running and screaming for their lives, and it’s so funny. Pretty normal, right?
If you are reading this thinking about coming into this program don’t be scared just pray chef doesn’t find your room. Anyways, I love this class so much and to all the supporters out there who gave out scholarship money, just know you contributed to the right program because I’ve gotten to meet my best friends and family here, and I couldn’t have done that without you. And chat, if you’re in my class you better be back in this building on December 1st or I will find you. I love you all!
Love, Katie Rasey (Current Student)
Side Note: You should all watch the new building tour on our YouTube channel,
