Salutations! Dear Friends and Family, Greetings from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! Before I moved to Philly I told some of you that I would update you on my life once I got settled in here. Now that I have my own room, a regular work schedule at Starbucks, and a supportive church I am ready to write you all a few lines prompted by the five W’s (who, what, where, when, and why) regarding different parts of my fresh start in Philly. Let’s get started then! Who do I live with? I live with three housemates named Ryan, Chris, and Matt. Ryan is 31 years old and has owned the house for around nine years. Originally from a small southern Indiana town he has lived in Philly for over ten years. He is the Director of Development at a community center called Ayuda. One of Ryan’s favorite things to do on his free time is practicing his ill DJ skills. If you are interested in learning more about where he works check out www.ayudacc.org. Chris is 23 years old and has been living in the house since August of 2008. As a graduate from the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire he found employment as a teacher in Philly. He is a high school English teacher through an organization called Teach for America. In his spare time Chris enjoys keeping up with the news and politics. To see and hear more about Teach for America check out www.teachforamerica.org. Matt is 26 years old and hails from Eerie, Pennsylvania. He came to Philly through an organization called Americorp as an intern for Catholic Social Services. He currently works at Elywn where people with mental challenges are encouraged and empowered to be more independent. In that spirit, Matt encourages and empowers his clients to run the company cafeteria. When Matt is not working he is hanging out with friends. Especially his future wife named Tania. To learn more about where Matt works check out www.elwyn.org. What am I up to in Philly? Currently I am working for Starbucks in west Philadelphia right across the street from the University of Pennsylvania and a couple blocks from Drexel University. Most days consist of me making tasty coffee drinks and making sure the line of customers keeps moving. As the busiest store in the city there are very few dull moments at 34th Street and Walnut. It is particularly common to have lines from the cash register to the door during class period interchanges. By January 2nd 2009 I am slated to start an internship with an organization called Center for Student Missions (www.csm.org)! This organization provides urban ministry experiences geared towards young people. I am excited for this opportunity because I have a deep passion for helping people get a feel for the role they may play as the hands and feet of Jesus. My role will include guiding visiting groups around the city to different ministries where they will be serving. These places could include visiting homeless people, working at a food line, beautifying an abandoned lot, and many other different opportunities. As their guide it is my responsibility to keep them safe, orient them to the city, and to help them process what they are experiencing. Since these groups visit heavily in the spring and summer I will be receiving orientation during the winter. Additionally I will be working on an independent project to be determined until spring arrives. Where do I live? Generally speaking I live in Northeast Philadelphia near Hunting Park. If you would like my address please contact me. Unfortunately this park area is known for crime and debasing activities. In the face of this dark activity is a church called Spirit and Truth about four blocks away from the park. I believe they are making positive contributions to this area through the work of the gospel. There are active ministries serving various people with unique and specific needs outside and inside of the church. With genuine faith and courage inside of them who knows the limitations of positive change for this area? When will I come back to Illinois? I do not have that answer with a set date. What I can say is I hope to visit family and friends in the Chicago land area within a year. At this point I have told myself to live in Philadelphia for at least a year or two and then assess after each year to see where I should go. As you may be able to tell I like to take big life changes one deliberate step at a time. Why did I move to Philly? Many have asked this question and I have given different answers. To some I have said simply for an adventure. To others I have given it more thought and talked about how I came out here for two weddings and felt compelled to live and worship in the same community as a dear friend from college. Even to others I said I felt the need to get further away from my roots so that I could grow more as a person. The list goes on and on: for the love of history, proximity to Washington D.C. and New York, experiencing new cultures, never studying abroad while in college, yadda yadda. Who knows the real answer? I don’t. All I know is that I am here and I plan to be around for a stretch of time. Well that is all for now. I aim to write a letter once a month or so. Keep in Touch, Timothy K. Peterson | 
