dereke's blog

As I search out a cafe in Istanbul to catch up on the bus progress via whimsical wifi (how does that stuff work?), the weight of this project sinks in. The Lost Bus was once a dream that the OG crew took on and with the grace of God, became a reality. On a journey to discover the size of this world today, in so many ways it lead me to ponder the importance of what we all do here. When thinking of the epic project cleverly titled "the Lost Bus," I am thrilled that I poured myself into it and answered the calling that seemed to be a long shot at first.

Eventful as life usually is, the past week has been no exception. As typical as a week could be, the contrary to usual life has been the case. We are a member down, and the remaining feeling of nostalgia for the Lost Bus tour Ben and I are holding on to tightly. The opening story has got a new atypical skew to it. Where as we usually struggle to remember how long we have been traveling for, how far we have gone, or what state we were in last, now the hiccup comes when explaining the missing person from the bus. Quite possibly the hardest part of our explanation is the discussion on remaining tour days left. It seems scarily close every time I talk about it... and then reality sets in, it is.

So we have left the great state of Texas. Our last week spent in Sugar Land was a good one. We spent most of the week days at people's homes helping with projects. We picked three efforts to commit to and checked them off day by day. A lot of the work we did was hands on like fixing things or moving things. Every person we helped was in need and it felt good to give them a leg up on the projects or help them with things that they weren't capable of doing them selves. This kind of one-on-one work was a new type of work for us on the bus. Usually the work had been with organizations or groups, not so much for one person or one home. After helping these three houses, I think it won't be the last time the Lost Bus stops and helps out single people like this.

Texas chapter has begun. I love this chapter. Last year, Texas was the biggest surprise for me in terms of states. I had these ideas of what Texas would be like, and what Texas people would be like. I was completely wrong. Upon crossing the border back into Texas this year, my thoughts and refined ideas were reinforced. First stop at a gas station, many people were very friendly and approached us to talk. The next stop in Junction, TX, we immediately realized everyone was friendly and kind. I'm glad to be back!

Olivewood Gardens, one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to. Picture a lush garden, palm trees, a slight sea breeze, a panoramic view of your surroundings, and the warm sun of Southern California all put together in a few acres. This is it, it is great, and it was the Waltons (Walmart founders). They generously donated this piece of property and home to an organization that eventually turned it into Olivewood Gardens and Education Center. Our time spent here is sometimes very tranquil and relaxing, but it isn't always this way. After working with a school group the first day, we were asked to dig a garden bed. This garden bed was quite the task considering the ground was rock hard and the trench was large. The project was a great intro to our time at Olivewood.