Legal Observing...and other observations.

I have joined the ranks of many law students and laypeople who love law-related...uh...stuff, by becoming a certified legal observer. What's legal observing you ask? Well, legal observers go to protests and observe and document whether there is abuse by authority against demonstrators. We are neutral in the sense that we are not there to protest, but merely to keep watch (and of course, take notes) of any suspicious, bizarre or prejudiced behavior towards peaceful protesters i.e. people getting arrested for being civilly disobedient or crazy swat teams coming in and macing a crowd. We're also subjective in the sense that as observers, we only show up to protests if and when invited by protesters. We're sort of their guardian angels. Angels in green hats and arm bands!

The training was sponsored by our school's National Lawyer's Guild and was pretty quick, if not a little rushed. Its so hard to hold meetings sometimes because everyone's schedules are so varied.

Tomorrow I'll be home for the weekend! I'm looking forward to seeing the family and the amigas. We still have to figure out a place to dine for Cindy&Nan's birthday dinner.

We also have fellowship tomorrow! I look forward to that. I'm not sure how to make the other girls in our group feel more enthusiastic about it. I guess these things take time? I don't know, sometimes its disheartening when you see people in your own Church turned off by things you want to start for your own young adults, but completely absorbed and attracted and COMMITTED to projects started by people from other Church communities. If only they could share that same vigor and energy for their own Church! I am all for getting involved anywhere you can, but for me at least, I feel a sense of responsibility and priority for wanting to make our Church structurally and organizationally stronger.

Can you tell I'm passionate about this? I don't want this thing to fizzle out. Its so important to develop a personal relationship with Christ first before submitting (for lack of a better word) to hierarchy to tell you how to pray. Orthodoxy is something that is rich in tradition and culture, but as wonderful as it is, it tends to de-emphasize the "personal relationship" aspect of our faith and instead hammers home our traditions, our rituals, our Church fathers etc.

Ok, time to go study some evidence. If you're reading out there, please pray for the girls in my Church, that we're steadfast with our fellowship. Gracias.