Tom thoughts on day 4

Every year I come OBOC I was believe the reason for the success of this place is the community. Every year I bring youth to this program I see the power that removing some of the distractions from our lives to let us truly interact with each other. To get to know each other in a genuine way instead of through social networking websites, or through texting helps them to see the value in spending time in prayer, and community with each other. the experience of the sacraments on this "Holy Hill" helps them to see the sacrament in a way that is relevant to them, but instad of just longing for a chance to return this place equips them with the skills to see it happen in there own church.

Tori's thoughts on day 4

This is our last full day at OBOC. We leave tomorrow. My time here has flown by incredibly too fast. Last night, we all went to confession. It was great. We got to sit in the monk seats. It feels so great to know my sins have been forgiven by the Lord, our God. He died for our sins and now he forgives them. I feel so much better now! Immediately following confession, we all went outside the Archabbey church and gave each other the sign of peace. Since we were feeling so much better lots of people were giving each other hugs. It was nice. The barrier of our sins, separating us all has been removed. We were just like one giant community. The community we all formed in the past four days. Before the conference we were all strangers to each other. Now we are brothers and sisters in God's name. The Lord is always with you. Through all of life's ups and downs. God made you and your life the way he intended.

Day 3 Tor's thoughts

The past three days at OBOC have been fun and full of prayer. I can just feel God's presence with me wherever I go. Yesterday we went and prayed with the monks. They pray differently then us. They pray slower and much quieter. It was very interesting. I am tired by lack of sleep, but the days are so action packed. They are inspirational and moving. I am learning so much! Past the learning, we have lots of fun. Our morning session with Fr. Godfrey is funny he is hilarious. We learn and laugh at the same time. Last night just for some fun , we had a dance everyone was dressed for there favorite holiday, and we all went out and danced the night away. The food is so good as well. This retreat was designed to bring us closer to God and one another, and it is working. God is always with us.

Tori's thoughts of day 2 here at OBOC.

I have been here for 2 days now at OBOC (One Bread One Cup) and I don't think it could possibly get better. I have learned so much! I truly feel like I better person in God's eyes. We might not get much sleep, but I sure am having a blast. The monks are hilarious. I have met a couple of new friends from other parishes and cities. We are learning so much about the word of God. He cares so much for us, and He gave up his life for us to live. He wants us to spread the Word of God to make more believers. Life doesn't work the way you want it to, life works the God wants it to. Things happen for a reason, and the reason is how God intended for it to happen.

Here is one of the vidoes

Blake was attempting to win a competition where he worked with one other person to try and get the highest score. This was blakes attempt to help his team.

Other movies

there are at least two other movie worth seeing and maybe a third. I don't have time to post them but keep looking after we get back and hopefully they will appear.

Tom

Austin's thoughts on thursday

Austin- This week was fun. My group worked in an old convent turned rehab center. The building was in bad condition. My group was working with Blake's group. The work was difficult and tedious. We began the week thinking all we had to do is paint. Little did we know we had to fill the holes in the wall, sand the puttied holes, prime, then paint. This was a wrong guess however. The work was longer than we expected it to be with many more things to be done. The first day's labor was difficult and we thought that what we did was good, however we had to come in the next day and re-do pretty much all of it over. Wednesday we came in and got on the work. We did a lot to the point we finished early today. We have evening program every day. Yesterday we did something called four corners, where people went to the corners of the gym and talked about their feelings and prayed with the adults. I didn't really know what to do so I just sat there. This week was fun and we did good work. It was a good experience overall.

Chad's thoughts

Chad- I had fun this week working in these two ladies houses. I was painting inside the living room and up the stairs of the houses. Everyone in my group was pretty cool and I had fun working with them. I would rather be working outside or something cause painting is very boring. Overall it was fun.

Last night

Well last night two big things happened. first of i was in a skit and it was a planned thing so we knew it was coming but Chad volunteered for and was selected to participate in one of the many fun "training exercises" that they have the kids do for laughs before we get down to some serious stuff. Below is a video of Chad with a pair of panty hose over his head with an orange at the bottom. the object is to get your two hose tied up with the other persons and then pull backwards and then who ever pulls off the other person's panty hose is the winner. Watch to see if victory is achieved below.

Tom's thoughts on tuesday

Tom- Ok so yesterday we were in a skit. The skit was entitled “Pass it on” all of the youth in our group had a role. The basic jist of it was this.....Chad won a car through a sweepstakes and he could keep it on one condition that he read the note in the glove box. The note said “you don't owe me a thing I've been there to don't let the chain of love end with you” Chad reads the note and then a few years later when he graduates from college his parents buy him a car and he decides he needs to give Herbie the car away. He then takes one last drive to his place of work, Target, and give his car away to a gentle old co-worker played by Austin. Austin enjoys the car a few months till he meets a young waiter played by casey at which point after hearing about casey's troubled life he decides it's time to pass on Herbie. Casey keeps the car till he meets a young married couple that is very poor but very happy played by Mike and Justine. After they finished the meal the saw that some one had left them keys to a car. Happily they take the keys and drive off in the distance. Blake had the only speaking role as he was the narrator, and Jason played the role of the delivery man that brought the keys and envelope to Chad. Pictures below.






Well it's almost mid week and it appears that all of our youth are very tentative to type anything into this little screen. I would suggest that if you want your child to post something of substance during this week that you need to send them a text message encouraging to enter a paragraph or two. I'll keep twisting arms and see what I can get out of them.

Tonight at evening program there will be a super secret adult skit that the kids will make the kids laugh quite a bit. If you are lucky you will see some low grade video of me dancing and making a fool myself.

Blake's one line on tuesday

Blake-Today was a good day. We painted this convent. Austin and I had to sweep. I don't like to sweep. Austin is a big guy.

Tom- If you are really lucky I might be able to get a video of Blake dancing with a broom.

Casey thoughts on monday late.

Casey- well today I killed two birds with one stone because I did not want to get on stage in front of the whole camp but I knew I would have to do it twice while I was here at camp and I got both of them out of the way tonight at evening program.


Tom- Casey has promised to write three lines a day I'll see what I can do about getting him to write a little more. Just to exspand on what he wrote he was assigned a position in his work group where he has to get up and speak on there behalf about what they would like to pray for yesterday. the second time he had to get up on stage was when we had a group skit that we performed in front of all of camp. That event will get it's own blog entry with pictures later. More pictures tonight in the mean time all I have are these two on Bo and Justine

Justine's thoughts on monday evening

Justine- So, today I woke up to a Lion King song and although it was a good song, 6:15 is a little early for me...especially during the first week of my summer vacation. Aaaaaaanyways, not the point....hokay so basically yesterday when I met my group I also found out that I would be working at the Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club. My group got there and we met our site coordinator and she gave us a brief overview of the history of the club and what we would be doing. We first started in the arts and crafts room aka The Discovery Room and we cleaned the walls and the chairs and the tables and some people organized and then we took a lunch break and ate with the kids there. After lunch, we got the opportunity to play with the kids outside. So, we finished up playing with the kids and we then organized all the shirts that they had in the storage closet. Although this may seem like an easy task there was a lot of organizing involved and if you know anything about me, you know that I am not a good organizer. We finished the task, left the club, and much to my surprise and happiness, I got back to the high school and come to find out there wasn't anyone in the locker room so I got my shower right away! It was the perfect ending to a great day(:

Tom thoughts on sunday night

Tom- Well we have arrived at Chicago and things have went well. The only set back was at the rental counter. We were scheduled to pick up two mini vans but unfortunately one of those vans that was supposed return by another customer wasn't back yet so I had to switch things up and go with a mid sized SUV. It might be a little to tight on the way back. So we got here and after some unpacking and some socializing we found out some rules and found out what we will be doing at our work sites. Casey, Mike, and Chad are all painting this week. Jason is doing yard work. Justine is helping to clean up a boys and girls club and might also do some babysitting. I am going to a senior center and cleaning. Monica is staying at home base and helping to prepare meals and clean up after all of us. I don't know what Blake or Austin are doing yet. The theme for this week is Love Repeated. The idea being that the small acts of love that we show this week for various people can and will be repeated by the people we are serving after we have left. Tonight at our evening program the compared it to one man Jesus doing loving acts that have echoed in our world since. I'll try to put a post up everyday to keep you updated. Hopefully we will get some pictures in my next few entries.

Casey wants everyone to know that he really likes the food. Also Casey's friend Kelsey(who is in his work group) has give all of us fruit snacks and that he likes getting free food from friends.