Heaven

(I wrote this blog at the beginning of May.  I am posting on July 7th, while being at the same place I wrote it - Camp MayMac)

I have to start working in a about twenty five minutes, so I am going to try to make this a very short blog.  I am currently in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  Now that I am here, I realized just how much I needed to get away from The City.

I didn't even know I was coming here until about 30 minutes before we left.  Ed called me into Johnathon's office and told me, "Pack your bags, your going to Camp MayMac."  I was so glad to here it.  All week, I had been taking Leonard Sizemore to his appointments since he was on restriction.  The day we left for, Camp MayMac - Wednesday (today is Saturday), I was supposed to take him to a couple more appointments. However, we found out the health department was coming on Thursday, so Hefe Grande and I had to oversee a top to bottom scrubbing of the kitchen.  I was up for the job, but it wasn't going to be fun.  Cleaning ovens suck!

I couldn't take Leonard Sizemore because they knew I'd be a good candidate to clean the kitchen.  At the last minute, someone couldn't go to MayMac.  They knew I was also a good candidate for that too.  Since I was selected to come here, I got out of cleaning the kitchen and having to meet the inspectors.   I felt bad for Hefe Grande, but it wasn't my doing.  I think God knew I needed this.  It is so amazing.  Everything is so much easier and slower paced up here.  Well, everything except for my morning run!  It's definitely not easier.  It is slower paced!  It feels good still.  It hurts.  But it feels good.  We are only at about, 1000 feet in elevation here, but it still seems to be harder.  I'm used to running at sea level.  SOMA, the San Francisco neighborhood in which I live is flat.  Perhaps it's that I've been running hilly, sandy trails.  It's so beautiful in the morning.  It's truly a spiritual experience.  I've been running mostly with my headphones off.  Headphones are a must while jogging in The City - for me.  I've been running that last little bit that I can't quite make - for God.  I push myself and make it.  I need to be strong.

One of my old friends saw my photo and said, "it looks like you've been in boot camp"  I kind of have. Since I've been in recovery, it has been kind of a self administered boot camp as far as the exercise is concerned.  The rest of the program - the mental part, is also kind of like boot camp - I suppose.  Our Chaplain, Trudy, who I referred to "THE TRUTH" is actually a U.S. Military Chaplain.  She's no nonsense!   The director, Johnathon - he is "GRACE".  They seem to balance each other out nicely.  It's a good program.

Actually, my run through hell with the devil, who I ran into last Sunday morning by the way, started to make me strong.  He's looking good.  It turns out, we helped each other.  It's a long story.  I ran about halfway to where I am now last fall!  Actually, I just Google mapped it.  I ran more than halfway here.  It is 72 miles from CityTeam San Francisco to CityTeam Camp MayMac. From Ft. Point to Palo Alto, where I ran to, it is about 40 miles - if I were to have ran the most efficient route.  I'm sure I didn't.   I was running from the devil.  Let's leave that one alone for now.  This is God's country!

I just started communicating with the outside world via Facebook again since I've been here.  I was going to wait until I posted my Charlie and the Hot Chocolate Kids blog, but typing is just not happening fast enough.  I'm really busy.  It turns out a lot of people were wondering.  I don't want people to worry.

"What cereal do you want to have this morning Dave?  We get to pick out two."  That question just came from Rudy, the guy who threatened to kick my butt a few weeks ago.  He's my roommate here at Camp MayMac.  We get along really pretty good these days.  I think we are both getting better.  We're having a good time.  God really does know what he is doing.  God also seems to have a sense of humor.  Oh yeah , my answer, "Cocoa Puffs!"

I really do feel a sense of reward serving the homeless and people who are struggling financially in San Francisco, but serving these high school kids has been really fun.  Most of the people who come into CityTeam on sixth street are very grateful, but it has it's moments!  All these kids are grateful and so full of positive energy.   It's should come as no surprise that there is a lot of negative energy on sixth street.  That's why we're there!

The thing I have gotten to do here that I really enjoy is hike and take photos.  I do this when we are not working.  We work a lot!  It's cool though.  I'm the newest guy of the four of us in the program here, so I of course do dishes mostly.  It's a lot easier here than 6th street.  I did them there for a month!

Well, it's 6:56.  I start work at 7:00.  I get off at 4:00 today!  I've been working until 7:30.  We did get a couple hour breaks in between. I've been able to transcribe my blog a little, and chill a little.  My chilling is in the mountains with my camera.  Yesterday, I hiked to the highest peak I could find.  We are close to the coast, so this area gets a lot of moisture due to the fog.  It also keeps it relatively cool.  It's pretty close to the Monterrey Bay.  Most of California is desert.  That's what it felt like yesterday.  One of these days I'll remember that when I hike up a mountain and I'll take water with me. Maybe I'll start tonight when me and my new friend Olga hike up there for the sunset.  I also got lost yesterday.  I've been lost before, so I wasn't that worried.  I knew I'd find my way back this time.

Olga

While working in the Kitchen, this song came on.

Save me from this prison
Lord help me get away
Cause only you can save me now
From this misery
Cause I've been lost in my own place
And I'm getting' weary
How far is heaven
And I know I need to change
My ways of livin'
How far is heaven, Lord can you tell me

Cause I've been locked up way too long
In this crazy world, how far is heaven
I just keep on prayin' Lord
Just keep on livin', how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
I just got to know how far, how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me

Tu que estas en alto cielo,
Echame tu bendiciòn
[translated from Spanish]
[You that's in a higher place
Send me down a blessing]

Cause I know there's a better place
Than this place I'm livin', how far is heaven
So I just got to show some faith
And just keep on giving, how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
I just wanna know how far, how far is heaven,
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven,
'cause I just gotta know how far,
I just wanna know far