First day at HDC

My first full day at HDC (Harrisburg Discipleship Center) is complete. I am writing this from my house approximately 5 blocks from the training center (I don’t have internet so you will notice the post time isn’t 11:20p on 9/10 – but that is when I am writing). I also will not be posting anywhere close to every night because I WILL BE needing ALL the rest I can get at night. Aside from the obvious reason for needed to sleep well every night is the fact that I will not have time for naps. The house I am staying at is about a 10 minute walk from the center, and only two leaders have keys and are not at the house except in the morning and evening and for a brief while in the afternoon. Therefore, when we have free time, I stay at the center while other people reside to there rooms for an enjoyable afternoon hiatus. HDC had so many participants that they could house them all on campus – and that is why myself along with eight other guys have been moved.

Let me tell you a little more about my sleeping quarters. It is in the “Hood”. When I say that, I’m not saying that because I grew up in farmland and when I lived in the city, I lived in a clean city and in the nice part – it really is the hood. When talking to people in downtown that heard we were going to "S Allison Hill" in Harrisburg (they didn't know we lived there), we were told several times to "be really careful". We have been instructed to “drive the walk” from the training center to the house we live in as much as possible because of the neighborhood – I really don’t think we would have had problems walking as a group, but this was the request of the authorities so we will comply (and now we get to drive the distance so who’s complaining?). The house is three stories with a living room, kitchen, three bedrooms (my room has four guys living in it) and one bathroom – 1!! We have gotten used to it because it is a very small bathroom at that, but when we woke up this morning, the water was running from the bathroom through the floor into the first story kitchen (and we’re talking another shower down there, not a trickle). Thankfully that is fixed, but gives you an idea of what we are working with.

The best part is that the guys I am living with are wonderful brothers in Christ. I have discovered many personalities that really seem to compliment each other. And one last thing, since this is an all guys house, it has been given a very manly name – so when you hear me refer to the “Beef House” in the future, that this home.

As for the training itself, today was orientation so I cannot gauge lessons, but I am sure things will be great after a smooth orientation today. Let me go over a few highlights of the day.

- My STEP team met together (the are about six or sever different teams training together at HDC) and things really have clicked personality wise and in our ability to relate (I like to call that “relatability”).

- The food isn’t bad, it may not be as balanced of a diet as I would prefer, but I have found ways to maintain a proper diet through this

- I had several opportunities to play Frisbee with some of the other guys and God blessed me with a group of guys that love many of the same things I do – I have my baseball glove out tomorrow, hopefully I get the same results

- And – “The Cat”

I am sure you are wondering about that last one – well, it really isn’t anything special, but was pure entertainment for me and several other guys today. This morning while breakfast was being prepared, I eyed a small cat (gray as a squirrel) crouching down and trying to pounce on one of the many squirrels in the lawn. The cat was very unsuccessful but provided great guy entertainment for about a half dozen of us. But the best part was during an afternoon break when I stepped outside with a Frisbee. I eyed a “large squirrel” across the lawn (a decent distance I must say) and took aim. The disc flew in line and took the intended slight bend to the left as it descended and dropped directly on the squirrel, which turned out to be the cat crouched and ready to pounce. I have not seen a cat jump like this one except on cartoons. I’m talking fully sprawled over a foot in the air, running before it landed on all fours to dart being a fence. This truly was a great moment in my life and has the focal point of some laughs on this first day.

In the future, I will hopefully have more substance to my blogs, but I wanted to share this first day and some of the experiences with you.

If you are interested in "snail mailing"me: send that to: Joshua Hershberger
333 S 13th St.
Harrisburg, PA 17104

You may also call me at 717-232-4224; ask for me; if I am not available they will send you to my mail box (423) and you may leave a message!

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