Monday, June 4, 2007

First Friday

First Friday is a time where the art galleries and shops on the main drag of Grants Pass stay open later than usual. I spent the day wandering around Grants Pass and looking at the shops and people. Not many people were around in the beginning of the afternoon but the sidewalk was crowded later that night. I had lunch at Sophia's, a great Italian restaurant, and was able to talk to the waitress a little bit, who i met earlier in my stay here. Faith was a great waitress and hopefully she will be able to get back on her feet soon; the 7 hours a week is not enough to make a living.

I went back to walking around and walked up to a Gospel Rescue Mission. The men there were really friendly and I asked them about their ministry. They have about 30 men who are in desperate need and they offer a program that gives them back their life. They come without a place to live or a job and they leave with a job and enough money for their own space. Its a great ministry. They were a little surprised to find me inside and not needing help, but they welcomed me none-the-less.

I met a couple artists during my day in Grants Pass. one was a cartoonist drawing for people on the street, where the caricature came from, and another was a musician playing in a cafe. The musicians grandson and I played chess: I think he was around 10 and wanted to play it like a video game. We played for some time and then I got a call from Tim asking me where I was, I was supposed to meet up with some Vineyard Church people but failed to find them for a while. With the help of Tim's call and looking a little bit like a tourist, I was able to find the group.

This group came to hang out and maybe do a little bit of evangelism as well. But, without specific direction and there being tons of people on the street now, we eventually split up and went our own way. I walked along with a family I met before and eventually met up with Tom, the one who was leading the group that day. He was asking a pianist, who was playing in an art gallery, about jazz music, saying that he wished to play like that some day. I talked briefly with the guitarist that was there, and, being in the music mood, we went over to a kids music store and I played a little classical guitar for him. Overall it was an enjoyable time that let me see more of the cummunity.

At First Friday most if not all the teenagers come out on the street. They come for the atmosphere because it is fairly free with music and food, but no store wants them hanging around too much because it is the rare teenager who is willing and able to buy a $300 painting. There is a dynamic then, to the entire evening that is interesting to observe. I wonder where else there is a First Friday and possibly what would happen if there were simply a place for teenagers to hang out; what effect that might have.

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