The Window

For my main contact zone, I evaluated The Window which is located on 223 South Main St. This non-profit acts as a free Goodwill and diner. The Window is a contact zone where different social and financial classes can meet up. Those who can afford to donate provide The Window with their food and clothes. Those who cannot afford to buy food or clothes go to The Window and may leave the store without paying a cent. 

The Window is mainly built upon its employees, the community, and volunteers. Without their willingness and can-do attitudes, The Window wouldn’t have been running for 100 years. With these three main components, The Window will continue to serve the community.

The Window has a great program to help feed people who are sixty years or older. The meal is delivered around the noon hour and the meal consists of lunch/dinner items. In order to get these meals, one need to be sixty years or older, unless one has a doctor’s note for the meals, and must contact The Window by email, fax, or phone. By serving those who are sixty years old and older, they have the capability to serve 14.9% of the community!

From the exterior, I figured that The Window wasn’t anything special. The warm colors of the building didn’t stick out from the downtown of Goshen and there were clothes on the wall, shoes on the shelves, and coats on hangers. The pantry was nice, some items were dented, but the item inside the can was still good. My conversation with the workers changed my view, especially the cook. All of the workers truly care about the community and encourage others to do the same by volunteering and/or donating. Their devotion towards the community is definitely something that other communities are missing. For instance, in my community, there is a clear distinction among financial and social classes and I don’t know of any outreach programs that can compare to The Window.

    The Window is most definitely a contact zone for the community! It allows those who are financially stable to help those who are still feeling the effects of the 2008 economic downfall. This contact zone is specific to material needs and necessities in the form of clothes and food. It’s incredible to watch people go into The Window for 20 minutes and then come back out with bags of groceries and clothes. It’s truly incredible.

Grace Community Church

Martin Luther King Jr. once said that Sunday Morning service is the most segregated hour in the American Week. Many church attenders find this true and dislike church going because of it. I've personally experienced going to churches where I've felt excluded before the service, during the service, and after the service. Going to Grace Community Church in Goshen, IN has been an interesting experience for me.
Grace Community Church is surrounded by gas stations, scattered houses, and lots of land. This nondenominational church seems to be in the middle of nowhere compared to my home church which is surrounded by trees, neighborhoods, trails, and the downtown.
The church is a non-denominational mega church which is also becoming an emerging church. The attendees are mainly Caucasian and the generations range from babies in strollers to the elderly in wheelchairs. The lobby is fuller than the parking lot and the double doors are full of people trying to enter and exit. The welcome desk is surrounded by a sea of people. Some are trying to make their way to the coffee bar, some are leading a train of children, and some are nonchalantly socializing while oblivious to how many paths they block.
Each person is dressed casually with the exception of the competing women who wear their heels, clunky jewelry, and turtlenecks. The men, more lax than their wives, are dressed in jeans and a button down shirt. The youth wears T-shirts, and holey jeans paired with Uggs or tennis shoes.
The population of the church is a shocking 2,500-3,000 church goers. They have a separate room called 'The Link' for the overflow to go to watch a live feed of the service as well as live worship music. If you're sitting in the service, you'll notice how perfectly timed the live music is to when the feed comes on.
If you attend the church, you'll also notice a deep contrast of the music against a classic Mennonite church. Instead of hymns, they have modern songs. Instead of books, they have the words projected on the screens. Instead of no instruments or a piano, they have a full band and equipment to project the beat of the drums and the voice of the singers. No natural light is in the main rooms, instead, there are fog machines, colorful lights, and a disco ball to resemble a concert and encourage people to lose themselves in worship.
The staff is composed of Jim Brown, the lead pastor, Jon Rauch, the children's pastor, Jeremiah Olson, the worship pastor, Rich Yauger, the youth pastor, and Jeremy Byng, the next gen pastor. This group of men is in charge of leading the church body each Sunday morning at 8:00am, 9:45am, and 11:30 am. The one service that they don't technically lead is the Spanish translation service which is available during the 9:45am service.
Their statement of faith is composed of 12 main categories: The Bible, The One true God, The Lord, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, Man, Salvation, The Church, Christian Life, Ordinances, Satan, The Second Coming, and The Future Life. Their theology encompass these twelve categories and expects the church to embrace, preach, and defend them. To go along with it, their mission is to preach the word, teach the way, meet the needs, and worship the King.
I interviewed Ben Ganger for a better look at the church and made my questions of contact zone based. His personal experience with the church began when he was about seven and got involved in the kids ministry. The church’s main goal, “to bring as many people to Christ as possible”, is something that Ben firmly believes in. This also includes membership which, depending on the church, may or may not be hard to acquire. “Anyone can attend for as long as they want without becoming a member, but to become a member, you must be baptized, tithe regularly, and be actively involved in one of the church’s ministries, like helping with running tech on Sunday mornings or teaching stories in child care or something like that.”

First Friday: April 5, 2013

It's the first Friday of April 2013. The buildings in the city of Goshen are distinctive from the building on either sides. Different generations and race fill the sidewalks as they all enter and exit Mom and Pop stores. An antique store catches my eye from my car and I make a mental note to check it out.
Parking is difficult. I wasn't sure why I expected it to be easy. Each street I cruse has parking spots, but they're filled with red, tan, silver, and black cars, vans, and trucks. I have to expand my perimeter to find a spot and I park my silver car by a church. I only need to walk a couple of blocks to enter into the First Friday environment.
The corner where I enter is cluttered with racks of clothing to fit toddler boys and girls. The pink ruffles flutter in the spring breeze. Perhaps the breeze isn't from the late spring, but from all of the vehicles driving under green lights and then speeding under yellow lights. The crosswalk sign seems to be forever red; protecting pedestrians or preventing us from crossing?
Finally on the other side of the street, I notice friends from my Mennonite college and greet them. They look so funny in their shorts, over sized T-Shirts, and neon green and black striped tights. The numbers pinned onto their stomachs indicate that they just had a fair amount of exercise. "We just ran the 5k" I'm very impressed since I don't even know what that means, but it must be a lot. "Only 3 miles." Yeah, a lot.
The center of the downtown has fences up so that vehicles don't cause mass destruction. Booths are set up to promote businesses and I smell warm pretzels. One booth catches my attention quickly. An Amish couple huddles over a large kettle that resembles a black cauldron to cook up spells or chili. They're stirring something inside and suddenly pour it into a container. Popcorn flood out of the kettle and into a basket. It's immediately scooped into plastic baggies and sold to Goshennites.

Todd Davis

THESIS: Todd Davis mainly connects with his audience by writing about scenes that many people could relate to. He generally sticks to three main concepts he uses are love, memories, and nature as bridges to connect with his audience.

BIOGRAPHY: Todd Davis was born in Elkhart, Indiana on March 29, 1965. In 1987, he earned a B.A. from Grace College and M.A. and Ph. D. degrees in English from Northern Illinois University in 1991 and 1995. He is currently a Professor of English and Environmental Studies at Penn Sate University's Altoona College. 

He is the author of four books: Ripe (2002), Some Heaven (2007), The Last of These (2010) and Household of Water, Moon, and Snow: The Thoreau Poems (2010). 

Wife Imitation: Husband

This evening

you came home from the lumberyard.

I smelled sweet wood

and perspiration

as you kissed me gently

ticking me with your beard.

Where the sunset cast

its shadow, like a streetlamp,

you kicked off your boots

and hung your hat.

Splinters fell out of your pockets

onto the beige tile.

Now, as I prepare

your dinner,

the smell of you

fills the room.

When I wrote this poem, I had a scene in my mind, almost like something from a painting or a paused moment in a movie. By crossing borders using the idea of love is a powerful one. This certain poem emphasized the love of a husband and wife; a marital poem. Setting the scene while describing it was something that I enjoyed as well. Crossing borders fluently and smoothly is something that I appreciate.

Beginning of The Eighteenth Year of Marriage Imitation: Grandfather

Yes, your wrinkles are

more visible, but that

shows how much you

laughed, and yes, your

skin has discoloration

from the sun, but that

only shows how much time

you've spent building houses.

But I love you more than

gold, I treasure your hugs

and kisses more than I

love eating your chocolate

pudding, and I value your

Godly wisdom more than

this poem can express.

This poem made me visualize my grandfather in an observant way that I haven't done before. Connecting physical characteristics of him to his past life is definitely a bridge! Writing the second part of my poem was something that was at a level past physical traits and his past. It was a way for me to bridge my feelings for him and communicate things that I've never said before.

Summer Storm: Gary, Indiana Imitation: Snow Storm: Goshen, Indiana

Wind howls,

a gray cloud

stretches as far as

the eye can see,

blunt as a scream

of a woman being raped.

A soft medium plummets

from the sky with one mission:

to provide the beasts of the

world with an overstayed

sense of warm chestnuts,

mistletoe, and gingerbread men.

This poem was very easy for me to write since this expresses my feelings about the weather! Using similar emotions and feelings is a bridge that many people can relate to. Especially when the weather should be different than the way it is now. I think a lot of people in Goshen could relate to this poem too. This poem may even relate to other parts of the world other than Goshen, IN.

Bibliography:

Davis, Todd. Some Heaven. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 2007. Print.

Davis, Todd F.. Ripe: poems. Huron, Ohio: Bottom Dog Press, 2002. Print.

"Goshen College | Healing the world, peace by peace." Goshen College | Healing the world, peace by peace. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2013. <http://www.goshen.edu>.

Hostetler, Ann Elizabeth. A cappella: Mennonite voices in poetry. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2003. Print.

Mennonite Quarterly Review. Goshen: The Mennonite Historical Society, Goshen College, and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, 2003. Print.

"Todd Davis." www.personal.psu.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2013. <http://www.personal.psu.edu/tfd3/>.

Davis, Todd. "Tweetspeak Poetry - The Best in Poetry and Poetic Things." Tweetspeak Poetry - The Best in Poetry and Poetic Things. Todd Davis, 25 Feb. 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2013. <http://www.tweetspeakpoetry.com>.

The Menno Wall

Separation, groups, cliques, and whatever else the Thesaurus says.
The outsiders feel excluded and the insiders don't recognize an issue.
Would you recognize a social issue if you felt included?
Probably not, but that's okay. I'm not trying to judge you.

The nondenominational Christian side of me is conflicted.
I have been taught to understand that there are always two sides of a story.
I have been taught to listen to them and then assess it from a
Godly point of view. Why is this issue such a difficult one?

If the Menno Wall is actually a grouping of Christians,
then shouldn't I, as a Christian, be happy?
I don't see a religious group as a bad thing, but when does it cross a line?
When is a group for Jesus so VIP that God would frown?

I have looked at the Menno Wall with different perspectives.
I've looked at it through the eyes of the outsider
and I've looked through the eyes of a group member.
Both sides have defenses and things to say, so here is some of them.

Outsider:
Why don't you include me? What makes me different?
Is it because I'm not white or didn't go to your high school?
I'm sitting here alone and your group is so big that it takes up two tables.
Couldn't a few of you drift to these empty seats?

Group Member:
Why don't you come over here? We don't bite.
Perhaps you want to be alone and meditate or something.
It's easy to pull up a chair for you and for you to squeeze in.
Why are you so intimidated by us? We don't bite.

Outsider:
Menno Wall? The term seems fitting.
What's on the other side of it? Secret family recipes?
A certain taste in music? Camp stories?
Would one glimpse satisfy me? No.

Group Member:
Menno Wall? That's not what it is. (Is it?)
What groups us together is some common denominator
that we don't even know. What's so bad about having
a group of friends? Is it bad? No.

Why is this issue so important and how does
someone belong on one side of the Menno Wall?
Is it the ability to play the name game or is
it the fact that they are a part of a genetic web?

Why don't we pick apart and criticize the international group?
What about the nursing majors or the sports teams?
Why is the group with a religious common denominator the one on trial?
Does it belong there? Is it the biggest grouping problem?

"Us" versus "them"?

Borders, Bridges, and Boundaries by Luis Alberto Urrea addresses a well known border: the one between Mexico and North America. Many people have a different opinion which depends on which side you are a part of, and which side you grew up in. This geographical border also holds a cultural border within the border. This is the polar cultures between the illegals and the border patrol. Both the geographical and cultural border play important roles in Luis' book and will be explored.

The first geographical encounter is when Luis presents 5 men who “stumbled out of the mountain pass so sunstruck that they didn't know their own names” (Urrea 3) This is the first line of the whole book! It gives the readers an idea of how this border physically and emotionally drains those who cross it, marks them, and has an impact on their cognition. 

 

The route that Yuma 14 took was longer than it was supposed to be as a result of Mendez's three major errors (Urrea 117) Their crossing of three deserts took them in circles and they endured drastic temperature changes where “the rocks went from oven-hot to feeling as warm as the human body” (Urrea 116) where the 'human body' temperature was the coldest! 

 

The book is a battle between the border patrol and illegals which turns into a battle of life and death. The border patrol and death work hand in hand to catch the illegals. All of the border patrol men have a gun with extra clips. “You shoot a guy to kill him, not to hurt him.” (Urrea 24) There are no cameras in the desert and it's the illegals' word against an authoritative one. Many of the border patrol men don't care for the well being of the illegals.

One thing that the border does is present itself differently to those who rule it and those who (try to) cross it. The border reveals itself pleasantly to the border patrol in a way that they have “learned to love the desert, the colors in the cliffs, the swoop of a retailed hawk, the saffron dust devils lurching into hills.” (Urrea 21) Anyone who went into the desert would be able to see these things, but without proper supplies, one might not survive. Without them, “you will pass through the six stages of heat death, or hyperthermia.” (Urrea 120)

The border patrol have many vital supplies such as “a thermal jug of cool water” (Urrea 24) and “ a killer AC unit and a strong FM radio.” (Urrea 25) While the last item is for entertainment and pleasure, it exemplifies how the border patrol's culture differs from the illegals'. They aren't subject to hyperthermia in their air conditioned cruisers and they won't die of thirst. The border patrol has a shift of comfort while the illegals have a journey of disparity and pain.

 

In many instances, one border shapes or reshapes another. In one certain case, support is shaped by family. On page 113, Urrea depicts a father with his arm around his son for physical support while they walk through the desert; “their tracks interwove and braided together as they wandered.” After trudging on the hot sand, he needed the support. He needed to know that someone was there for him. In turn, the son didn't push his father away, but accepted his father's weight and they continued together. 

 

In conclusion, The Devil's Highway illustrates the visible and invisible borders concerning the national border between Mexico and North America. The variety of borders, bridges, and boundaries within the national border are still present today which may cause conflict!

Rosa Alcala

Rosa Alcala was born and raised in Paterson, New jersey by her parents who were both factory workers. She is currently a poet and a translator. She went to Brown University for her MFA in Creative Writing and the Sate of New York at Buffalo for her Ph. D. in English. She is the author of two chapbooks: Some Maritime Disasters This Century and Undoumentary. Her poems are featured in The Wind Shifts: New Latino Poetry, and journals such as Chain, Barrow street, Mandorla, Tarpaulin Sky, and The Brooklyn Rail. Many pf her poems talk about labor and money because she grew up around hardship. She is very interested in the way that class intercepts with other markers of identity. She has translated Cecilia Vicuna's El Templo and Cloud-net. Her translations have been featured in With Their Hands and Their Eyes: Maya Textiles, Mirrors of a Worldview, The Selected Poems of Lourdes Vazquez, and Oxford Book of Latin America Poetry. She believes that translating is a political act and by translating one country's poems, another country has a window into a different culture, set of beliefs, and political views. She has given talks and readings in America, Spain, Cuba, and Scotland. She is currently in Al Paso, Texas were she works at the University of Texas at El Paso and teaches in the Department of Creative Writing and the Bilingual MFA Program.

The poems by Rosa Alcala in the anthology The Wind Shifts serve as a bridge between the reader and the writer, especially as they explore unity by using metaphors,

In Migration, she doesn't talk about legal migration, but a scandalous one. Some key words serve as metaphors such as "gate" and "attacking" which don't talk literally represent a gate and attacking. They are metaphors for sexual boundaries. The "gate" is a place of the body which is private and one shouldn't enter without permission. Attacking refers to physical and sexual contact. While this poem is sexual, it does talk about unity. The language, diction, and title, may lead the reader to assume that the poem is about legal boundaries and borders such as the border of Mexico and America. In reality, Rosa is showing how everyone is unified in this affair. Everyone has sexual desires, but not everyone has an affair. She is also telling the reader that there is a choice by wondering, "Which direction to take: forward or forfeit?"

In The Sixth Avenue Go-Go Lounge, Rosa suggests unity by sin within a night club. When she mentions the economy. There is a questionable and unusual "dancer to drinker ratio suggests the inflated economy" which would effect everyone. While the effects may not be distributed equally, everyone feels a (slight or major) difference. She also mentions that all of this collective sin is happening on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. An example of a metaphor is when Paulie says, "I can make you that. But it won't taste like you remember." She isn't talking about a drink like one may assume, she is talking about sexual actions.

Lastly, in Patria, talks about politics, which Rosa thinks is a very important part of her work. Rosa manages to use a simile in this poem. She says, "I carry grief as blatant as propaganda" which goes hand in hand with metaphors. A metaphor is used when she talks about a mother. The 'mother' is actually a group of principles, values, and ethics which have the potential to unite people (and maybe the world).