This past weekend was the Jesus, Justice & Poverty Conference in Tampa, co-hosted by InterVarsity and the Tampa Underground. For some reason I’m just not coming out of the weekend with a lot to write, and the most vital parts of the weekend found me without a camera (or any other semblance of comfort, for that matter). It wasn’t a theological weekend (for me, at least–I’m sure some of the stuff was new for many of the attendees, but I’ve been around IV long enough for most of it to be stuff I’ve heard before), but rather an experiential weekend. Sleeping in the streets, with bugs crawling all over you, scared of every headlight and every pedestrian’s voice, getting rained on, sleeping on the hard ground, using a bush for a bathroom, waking with the sun, no private space, and a constant nagging awareness that you aren’t supposed to be wherever you are… yes. That, and walking around Ybor Heights all day with the glaring sun, worn-out walking shoes, not enough water (that wasn’t the conference’s fault–I lost my water bottle), having not showered or slept much the night before… those are the experiences that got me.
I assume Brian’s talks from the weekend will be up here at some point, but I really don’t know for sure.
That’s all I’ve got. You’re welcome to ask me in person, and I might have more for you. Hopefully. 