A Long Week

So, it's been awhile.  welcome back Caleb. 

Orientation is now over.  Which is why I have time to write another post.  Orientation was lengthy, but it was a great chance to meet some other interns headed around Montana, and to learn some valuable information about the culture of Montana, and more specifically Missoula.  We had a chance to hear from some of the awesome guys doing ministry around town, and help out the city by cleaning up the park after a thursday night get-together. 

The culture in Missoula is diametrically opposed to that of the south.  In Texas, church is what everyone does socially.  Here, no one cares.  If people don't have to do something, they won't.  They are very individualistic, pride themselves on being self-sufficient, and aren't as generally polite as people in the south. 

That being said, they are amazing people.  They are in love with the outdoors, even to the point that they were willing to move into a town where property is more expensive and incomes were lower than most of the U.S.  The people here work hard, in order to be able to play hard.  Hiking, biking, backpacking, running, fishing, kayaking, camping, and especially hunting are not just hobbies or even obsessions, they are ways of life here.  Those activites are necessary parts of most Montanans' lives.  They are real, honest people.  They don't beat around the bush, but instead they tell you what they think, a trait many southerners lack.  They are very liberal, and love doing what they want.   I love the people here, and am beginning to build some relationships with some of the locals, with the hope of being able to minister to them in the near future.

Alcohol is a huge problem in Montana, and especially in Missoula.  The bars are everywhere and are always packed, much more than anywhere in the South.  Marijuana is a major issue right now in Montana, and is hotly debated.  Medical Marijuana is legal, and prescriptions are easy to get.  there are entire warehouses of the drug downtown.


I moved into the church where I'll be working this summer.  It's called Outdoorsmen Church, and it's an amazing church to be able to serve.  I love the pastor and his wife, Mark and Sacha, and their commitment to the community of outdoorsmen out here.  We've got some awesome plans for the summer, including camping, fishing, hiking, shooting, and a lot of other montanan activities.  I'm looking forward to being here.

I say being here because Daniel and I are living in a cabin behind the church building.  We have a pretty sick setup in here, with all donated furniture, and access to the church kitchen.  It's going to be a lot of fun. 

We're going to Glacier National Park tomorrow to do some sightseeing before we plunge into hardcore ministry.  I'm pumped.

Thanks for checking up.