What am I up to?Way too much!!!

Life is about the journey (or maybe

it’s a highway I forget which). I am hoping to tell you a bit about where I am now and how I got here. I have recently chosen to leave the hustle and bustle of full time time retail management and

step into ministry, two in fact! The first ministry is where I work. It

is a home for persons living with HIV/AIDS called House of Hesed and their mission is to share mercy, hope, dignity,

and peace regardless of race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation. It is a home-like setting promoting the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual quality of life of persons affected by HIV.

I hope to provide the type of assistance and support that enables those who can, to return to stable, independent

living in the community. House of Hesed

is committed to affirming the value of each person who resides with us, and educating our community about HIV/AIDS to help dispel the stigma and fear surrounding those living with HIV,

replacing it with a spirit of compassion. It is a great job and many have

joked it was made for me. I get to make dinner and love on a bunch of misfits! There are days when I am overwhelmed

with the destruction that people choose, but it is often a source of joy for me.

The second ministry is a little harder to explain. Little Flowers Community is a church that sinks our roots into the rich

soil of Winnipeg’s West End, a wonderful but troubled inner city neighborhood.  In addition to trying to be

true neighbors in the area, many of us

have also chosen to share life together in intentional community (shared housings, meals, etc.).  Little Flowers deeply values genuine community, encouraging and nurturing it in various

expressions for different people.  This community reflects, in part, God’s Trinitarian nature- the God in whose image we are all created.

I like to call my position assistant

manager. Many people in the community call it co-pastoring, which I feel a little under qualified to be called a pastor of any sort! Time will tell! What I do mostly is create a lot of activities! I

created Saturday Night Club a while ago with the idea that people could do fun things on Saturday nights that were life

Summer 2012

LAURA JACKSON

giving! We do crafts, games,

BBQs, bonfires, and pot lucks! We are having lots of fun, and have started asking the question ‘how can we make the difference in the neighborhood?’ This question led

us to craft a banner that says “You are loved” (which hangs outside my house!).

Also I am trying to get to know people within Little Flowers better!

I have started writing a monthly bulletin. It makes us feel very official as a church. It’s fun. We, as a community, are worried about our growth and sustainability. I’m

trying to figure out how to balance working part time and ministry! And between all of this we have been renovating!

Since January I have replaced

close to 600 square feet of flooring, got new vanities, a new toilet (OHHH), and painted a butt load! The house is looking awesome! It will be able to host so

much more when it is done! It is trying! At this point I have not had a bedroom for a month, but it will be worth it!

Also I have fallen in love. I

have met a man (Garrett) in late

last Fall. The journey has been a

long one with figuring out how life works in the midst of all of this as well as how to communicate to each other. It keeps us on our toes. Life is good.

Life too, beside all the renovations at the Orange house, is good! Adam and Peter are the participants in my house community. Peter is our head cook,

but he has been working up north so I am starving to death! He is a man passionate about Jesus and people! Often he is soo busy! I do miss him!

Adam is my best friend and often has the job of listening to all of my rants and feelings. He has a new position as visualist at Bath And Body Works in January and is

doing well! The soap addicts lead to many funny conversations!

We (Adam and I) have started trying to make our dream for a store come to life! We have been

sewing lots and are trying to figure out how to make our skills sellable!

Thank you all for your love, prayers, and support! Look forward to more updates and

details!!!!

Life at the Orange House is never dull!

My love and me!

Renovations!