Seattle
By Randi Comrie and Samantha Kaatz
It wasn’t easy, but after long efforts we finally breached the border and invaded our neighbors to the south, thus starting our Seattle experience! After passing by “The Farm” several times we finally arrived and settled into our giant accommodations in Snohomish, Washington.
The garage of “The Farm”, whose history did not include hosting 31 students, became our humble abode. We were challenged to embrace our situation despite the lack of showers and an abundance of “Honey Buckets” (a polite term for outhouse). However, we rose to the challenge and bonded over communal showers at the local pool.
Not even the thought of a dull moment ever came near to entering our minds while staying abroad. From our daily volunteering to our nightly excursions we stayed extremely busy. The average day included 4am Rooster Risings and midnight madness.
Some of the organizations we were blessed to be a part of during the week included Union Gospel Mission and the Christian Musician Summit Conference. We also volunteered our time to help out local ministries and friends of the Snohomish region. Finally, a trip to Capital Hill was a transitional day in how we view the impoverished.
But don’t think for a minute that our week was all work and no play. Whenever Blayne’s interns were around we were sure to be well entertained. From bowling and swing dancing to a movie night and poker tournaments- it was a blast. We also caught some amazing concerts. Phil Keaggy set us in awe with his 9 fingered guitar playing, and we experienced great worship with Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin.
So, in short, Seattle was physically and mentally draining…and completely amazing all at the same time! It was an awesome experience and we wouldn’t trade it for anything!
