StartStories
Stories about STARTers!
Feature Friday // Josh Hostetler | Blogger
He’s only 29, but he has the sage wit and wisdom of someone twice his age. Perhaps it’s because Josh Hostetler, creator of Amish Hipster, has always looked at things with a different point of view. Josh was born and raised in Sarasota, Florida, but his home life looked more like the Ohio Mennonite community where his parents were raised. “I guess growing up Mennonite would be similar to growing up in most very conservative evangelical homes,” he shares. “We only watched sports on TV. I was homeschooled until I was in sixth grade. I grew up with a strong work ethic. And I loved to read. When we’d visit my grandparents’ farm in Ohio, I would read all their Reader’s Digest magazines. I also loved to write – in cursive. I wasn’t much into journaling then, so I would practice writing by sending contest letters to local radio stations.” As he worked each summer with his father, moving blocks at construction sites, Josh was introduced to a culture that would become a part of his calling and purpose. “Our work teams consisted of two labor groups: Mennonites and Mexicans. I learned Spanish from my coworkers. They taught me about family, made me laugh, – they were like my brothers.” He saw similarities between the Mennonite and Mexican cultures. The men revered craftsmanship, and hard work was valued. “There was such passion in everything they did.” Those summers of moving blocks also motivated Josh to take a nontraditional step in Mennonite culture. “My dad would say ‘you can either learn to work or you can go to college.’” Josh picked the latter, and attended the University of Florida to study Political Science and Spanish. He had visions of becoming Sam McCoy from Law & Order. “I realized pretty quickly that the television character didn’t at all represent what life as a lawyer was like. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I didn’t want to move blocks. I wanted to do something more.” That something more was teaching. After spending time in Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico working with the destitute poor, Josh found his home in Austin, Texas. “At first, teaching in Latin America was a way for me to live in a foreign land. But when I came back to the US, I was hungry for someone to fight for, something to believe in – to be able to stand in the gap for someone. I moved to Austin to do that.” In Austin, he worked in low-income schools, doing what he could to help his students thrive. He gave his cellphone number to parents, spent time before and after school tutoring and providing encouragement, and walking difficult paths with children who watched their parents struggle to provide for them. “That’s why I chose teaching. I’m passionate about the immigrant population in the United States. I’ve been so blessed by the Latin American culture, and have such a deep appreciation for what I’ve learned about family and work. Even though I’m not teaching this year, I will find a way to invest in caring for that community.” Josh left teaching to reconnect with his childhood passion of writing. A computer replaced pen and paper as Josh introduced us all to Abe, the Amish Hipster. “He is an Amish man who grew up in Ohio. He’s a little irreverent, a little pretentious, and slightly self-deprecating.” Abe lives in Austin, a land full of hipsters. Abe steps into a different world, only to see how similar and different the two cultures really are. Josh doesn’t remember the specific moment Amish Hipster was born. “Honestly, the idea just came to me – probably after seeing hipsters here in Austin who look like they’re Amish- the crazy long beards, and simple dress and attitude. The blog is a way for me to take a satirical view of the town I live in – a town that prides itself on being different – and see the similarities.” Josh doesn’t know...
Read MoreWelcome to FrankenSTART
Alright, My Darlings, Let me tell you how FrankenSTART came about. It was the Time of In-Between. The first round of #STARTExp had finished and new #STARTlets were soon to arrive. A group of #STARTAlums were worried about the #STARTjargon that had sprung up in the short time the first goup of #STARTers were together. We were worried that the new #STARTlets would not understand the inside jokes and joyful banter. We were worried that they would feel excluded. We knew how overwhelming the main STARTExperiment page could be to newbies. We had to make sure no one was left behind. As dreamers and builders, we knew it was within our power to create something special and helpful. Something that would be more than a catch-all for ephemera created in the first round of #STARTExp. That something would have to evolve as the original Start Experiment movement did ––and it would go rogue. From that discussion, FrankenSTART was born, and I founded The Midwives of the Start Revolution. What is a Midwife of the Start Revolution? Let’s consult the START lexicon: The Midwives are a team of visionary women and men who discover and share the things that support #STARTers during START rounds. They encourage Startlets and Startalums during daily START tasks, guiding newness through the screaming chaos of a brand new START. Who are the Midwives of the Start Revolution? The amazing Emily Carlton put in countless hours designing our logo and building the site. Amber Arbo and Libby Norcross compiled threads of advice, vocabulary, hashtags, and documents from the Facebook page. Ronne Rock and Tammy Helfrich brought together the brilliant #STARTStories to share the experiences of our #STARTAlum. Alexandra Veintidos kept us organized and recorded our meetings, while Randy Langley made sure that the details were managed. Teri Mo, Corie Clark, and Jennifer Kaufman are currently hard at work on the next stage of FrankenSTART. We keep Shane Conrad and Ryan Westbrooks around to sprinkle glitter and ensure unicorns show up. They also do a pretty great job of bringing the creativity and promoting our ideas to all of you #STARTers. Here is what you really need to know about FrankenSTART and the Midwives. We did this for you. We did this for #STARTExp – for all #STARTlets and #STARTalums. We did this because we believe in what this community has already accomplished and what it can become. We saw a need and created a solution. It WON’T be perfect – nothing rogue ever is. But it will be good. And it WILL constantly be evolving – permanent beta. So, brave hearts, I challenge you with the words of the creator of #STARTExp, Jon Acuff: “To surrender to something that is bigger than you, has always been bigger than you, will always be bigger than you.” because every movement needs revolutionaries to to ensure its survival… All my love, Melissa...
Read MoreA Heart for Orphans // Sarah Rose Wilson
Sarah Rose Wilson When I first signed up for the experiment, my risks were going back to school, sponsoring a child in Africa, and applying for new jobs. Before we got our first assignment, I had already found a new job. And I had also heard a story of a young woman close to my family who was pregnant. She would not be able to raise the child, but still chose life for the baby. She had no idea what she would do. I suggested taking the child and fostering it until she was able to parent on her own. We contacted DSS and were given a social worker. I had to take classes to become a MD Certified Child Care Provider and a foster parent. I completed those classes and am now just waiting for this baby to be born. I stuck with my first risk of going back to school and will be starting online/night classes in a few weeks. I’m sponsoring a child in Kenya, and will be going on a mission trip there next summer where I will meet this little boy. At the beginning of this I had no true idea of what I wanted to do with my life. The past 24 days my life has been turned upside down. God had a different plan for me in all of this and I love it. The next few months will be an adventure and I look forward to it. And it all started with a creepy blog...
Read MoreCommunity // Jason Sprague
Jason Sprague Whatever you are expecting to get out of this experiment, you might as well throw it out the window. Because this is infinitely better. You know, it’s funny. In the beginning of all of this I thought I wanted one thing, but I got so much more. The START Experiment let me see myself through the eyes of people who are driving forward in life. I have met people who have helped me better define who I am, and others who have helped me know that I am the perfect version of me. I now have a community of people that believe in me. When I am down, they lift me up. When I am happy, they cheer with me. As I chase my dreams, I know I have people who will help me slay dragons, blaze trails, and celebrate my battles won. If someone asked me if it’s worth your time, the answer is “one bajillion percent yes.” You aren’t going to find a group of people that believe in your dream as much as you do anywhere. There are no haters, no critics, and no honey badgers. (Honey badgers can do a lot of damage. What? The analogy fits.) The things I want out of my future now have an army willing to pray, push, and pull me along the way. Will I chase and catch my dreams? Yes! And I will have a tribe of people there with me to celebrate....
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