LA

We've been in LA for a week now, and will be heading back to Phoenix soon. There's much to say about our time here, about the stories and the missionaries from World Impact. I'll leave those thoughts for another post, but let me tell you a little about LA itself and where we are staying. First of all, its beautiful here, I understand why almost 11 milllion people cram into the greater LA area--its tropical, close to the ocean and beaches and yet right at the base of great mountain ranges. The people of LA are so diverse, over 200 nations are represented here; you have millionaires and people of world renown living in Beverly Hills and you have over 80,000 homeless people trying to keep warm on the streets. The city is home to some of the toughest street gangs and yet is also home to some of the biggest churches in America. There are more people in California than in Canada combined! There is beauty and ugliness mixed together, smog and palm trees share the same air, as do vultures and hummingbirds. I've seen birds of paradise (its an expensive flower) growing in garbage, homeless people sleeping in the shadow of the Ritz hotel, and a Mercedes Benz drive through through the projects. In the middle of this great city are people at World Impact who are an incredible light. They do not walk with the rich and famous, and do not share in the lifestyle of the wicked, but they are blessed beyond imagination with peace, community and God's favor--everything the gangs promise, the movies claim they own and the properties boast to possess. Its an inspiring place with inspiring people--World Impact that is. Ahh, but I said I would not talk about these people, its tough to talk about the beauty of coal in light of refined gold. But I digress, we've had some great opportunities to see the beach, see Hollywood and drive through Beverly Hills. We saw the stars on the streets and gawked at the huge homes, but we were more content to stay in the humble home of our hosts. The beach would have been ours and Nate's favorite place, and with sadness we will not see it for some time--the snow awaits back north! But attached are some fun pics of our travels through LA's famous places.