beginning.

Every beginning has a background context, at least in the realm of time. Here is mine:



Emerged from mother's womb in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA.

Family moved at a young age to Hanover, PA - highest percentage of millionaires anywhere in the US.

Became an athlete for my dad. A student for my mom. A patriot for my pastor. A musician for my friends. A lover for my girlfriends. A slave for my employers. Depressed and drained, I satisfied everyone but myself.

Skipped senior year of high school, because I disliked the expectancies of others, the social necessity to be a tool, the aspirations my loved ones had for me.

Moved to Messiah College, became a man, "discovered myself," making my own decisions free from the oppressions of human authority. Fled across the country. Joined and formed touring bands. Moved into apartments and homes with girls and guys alike, acting on a whim. Slept beneath churches beside the poor. Experienced the freedom of earth beneath bare feet and water around open skin. Liberated myself through Ghandi, Vinoba, Thoreau, Mother Theresa, the Dalai Lama, Jesus. Opened my eyes to the complacent heresies of contemporary Christianity, of education, of money, of government, of injustice, of bondage. Discovered the Truth. Fell in love with it.

Embraced a life full of celibacy, voluntary poverty, self-renunciation, prophecy, community - sought this through four months in Uganda under the wing of a family.

Watched the sun set over the majestic Lake Victoria. Fell in love....this time with a girl....a beautiful Ugandan female. Suzan.

Returned to the states, less cynical and full of hope. Traveled in winter to sleep on both cement floors and upper-class sofas. Renewed my joy in the vision of hospitality. The vision of the Church.

Returned to campus penniless, with no meal plan or permanent housing, just wreckless in pursuing the Kingdom. Received daily physical needs from friends, students, and strangers. Became grateful.



These briefly explained events comprising "my past," and hence, in part, "my identity," lead me to the present point. I cannot stop writing. I've had at least a dozen blogs. This one is the beginning to another, and that's okay with me. I need an outlet to help me collect myself and process each occurrence in this lifetime.

Presently, I rest on the lower bunk in a friend's room. His name is Dave, who I have not known so well in the past. Dave is a passionately intellectual conservative (few and far between nowadays) with a kindness which shines from the moment he wakes (thus, he is a mentor to me). Dave hails from Philadelphia Biblical University, now a Messiah College transfer student due to his desire to pursue an education in nursing, though he often references a future aspiration in the career of parenthood and hospitality. We have watched about ten films, in part or in whole, together - and we've discussed and criticized at least double that amount. Verbally, we share our dreams of another world which we believe human beings will serve as vessels to perpetuate.

Initially, I entered campus not having too much of a plan, not knowing, save the first few days, where I would sleep. As I was crashing with two long-time friends, I ran into several mere acquaintances who were not hesitant to invite me to stay with them at any point, even offering meals at the campus dining hall.

When Messiah College's Housing Department gave me the option of commuting to campus this semester, I jumped at the thought. It would save me $2000, plus nearly another $2000 for not having a meal plan. I would be able to cover my entire semester on my scholarships, grants, and aid then. This was excellent cuz my bank account had nothing to show for itself (literally). Since I don't have a car of my own and our family vehicles are always in and out of the shop, I figured God would provide for me, as he always does, granted I don't worry myself about it. I decided to stay on campus and utilize the love of the Church as found in my fellow students. Through this experience of accepting hospitality (I am becoming a professional), I have been reunited with old friends, and have gotten to know strangers.

I have recently been employed in the labor of serving the needy. No....I mean seriously....Messiah College pays me money to coordinate groups of students to volunteer with urban organizations and communes fighting hunger and homelessness. With this income, I hope to by the end of the semester have purchased a plane ticket for my beautiful queen Suzan to come join me in the US, at least for some time on a visitor's visa.

Additionally, I've recently discovered over $1000 in my Messiah account and an available opening in the Harrisburg Institute / SALT (Serving and Living Together) Housing in the downtown neighborhood of Harrisburg. I intend to move there in the coming week, using these mysterious leftover funds which had been sitting in my account. I can fight greedy capitalists by refusing to pay for housing, or I can fight these hoards by not leaving them extra cash to dispose of so unintelligibly.

Classes this semester are coming along fine. I am adding Peace and Conflict Studies as a major in addition to my currently pursued degree of Cross-Cultural Ministries. It seems like a theme this year is ancestral identity. Several of my classes have required me to question my genealogy and help me make some sense out of European Post-Enlightenment madness.

Besides hefty reading and strenuous work, I cannot tell anyone of things to come. Perhaps by July I will be climbing a mountain with my beloved. Perhaps by next week I will be visiting the state's worst prison facility, just minutes from a new home (an act of Matthew 25 mercy which I have neglected to this very day). Perhaps I will die tomorrow. But one thing is certain: my plan as made ideal in my mind has never succeeded. Fantasies of future have always blown away like wind which sprints wherever it may please, yet venturing into the unknown with an open heart has always rewarded me with new material to write, if nothing else.