Last Spring break I went to Memphis, TN on a mission trip with my campus church. I wrote a blog about it awhile back and in the blog I promised to at some point elaborate on what we did to physically assist those we were there to help. This is me making good on that promise.
The organization Service over Self assists residents in the Binghampton neighborhood of Memphis. This neighborhood, which was once a prominent and predominately white area, was left to its own devices as whites moved out during the period of white flight. With the affluence moving elsewhere, the pattern that is seen in areas such as East St. Louis and other places ensued; stores closed following the money, jobs were lost, more money was lost, the government had other priorities to attend too, and the remaining people were left to work out a situation they had no part in creating. While things have become better and some jobs have returned, many of the residents are in need of home repairs they cannot afford, and as the houses are old, the city has condemned some, if they are not brought up to new standards in an appropriate amount of time.
That's where we came in and assisted! There were multiple houses in need of repair and my church split up to assist four different families. The site I went to was home to a 91 (if I recall correctly) year old woman who had suffered two strokes two months apart, spending both Thanksgiving and Christmas in the hospital. Her 40 year old daughter, and her grand daughter also lived with her, and her mentally handicapped grand daughter was brought to the home each day while her parents worked, along with her 2 year old grandson. The small house was packed with people, but the lady said she didn't mind and was just thankful to have it, and be alive. The problem was, the city was concerned the paint used to color the house was from an era of lead based paint, and therefore the woman was ordered to have her house repainted. Simple enough right? Well, all of the lead based paint had to come off first and is considered a bio hazard. This meant the paint could not be released into the environment. The team and I spent the first two days of our project scraping the paint off of the siding of the house and sucking up the chips with large vacuums. It was a huge challenge to do this with out complaining about how pointless many of us felt this job was. The work was hot and tedious, and in following safety regulations, we had to wear full body suits as well as paint masks, gloves, and goggles, to ensure we did not, ourselves, get lead poisoning.
At the time it kind of felt like we didn't do all that much, we just painted a house. But as I think back on it now, my team also had a huge lesson in living out Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for men." We were not in Memphis to simply paint a house for a family, but to bring praise and glory to our God and make his name known. At times it was hard for the team to be excited to continue scraping the house to remove the old paint, but at those times, I know at least for me personally, I was focusing on working at it for myself and my own satisfaction, rather than for my God. It seems that if we follow this verse our lives should be radically different, we will find joy in doing things we don't necessarily enjoy or that bring us no gain. It also leads us to live out Philippians 2:14 "Do everything without arguing and complaining, so that you may be blameless and pure children of God, without fault, in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe." We are called to work for God and to not complain about it no matter how insignificant, hard, tedious, or unfair we feel our task is. Wow, I'm convicted reading what I just typed, for although I know it to be true, I don't always live up to it. Although I'm not sure when my next trip will be, hopefully no matter where I am or what the task at hand is, I will remember who I'm doing it for and give thanks as I complete it.
For more information on SOS ministries visit
http://www.sosmemphis.org/
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Benefits of Cancer
It's been awhile since I last updated my blog, and many people have requested an update informing them of my current health situation. I know my blog is mostly about the various mission trips I take part in, but I think its appropriate for me to add this post since I last said my Honduras mission was still a go.
In December before leaving for South Africa, I went to the doctor under the orders of my mother to be seen for itching she felt was severe. At the office, the doctor found nothing out of the ordinary and proceeded to ask me numerous questions which my mother took the liberty of answering, adding that I was a dirty college student who only did laundry every three weeks (thanks mommy). The doctor suggested that I wash more often and use sensitive detergent. As I geared up to go, she looked at my feet and stated "you have long fingers and long toes. Do they get cold?" I found this question was quite comical, as it was winter and yes, my fingers and toes did get cold. Long story short, the doctor sent me to get a chest x-ray, due to my long appendages, looking for some heart condition athletes get that was not really at all related to the itching issue I had come in about. I had the x-ray then went on my merry way to Cape Town, South Africa where I spent two amazing weeks.
When I returned home my mother was adamant that I go to the doctor before returning to school as they had been calling saying they needed me to come in for further testing as my x-ray had been abnormal. I of course thought nothing of it and had no desire to return to the doctor, my mother had other plans. I went in for a CT scan which confirmed the abnormalities found in the x-ray. About four days after the scan I received a call from a slightly frantic nurse telling me the doctor had found a mass in my chest and that I needed to come in for more testing. She also reassured me that everything would be ok and asked if I needed her to call my mom because it was a lot to handle and I was at school without my parents and she didn't think I should deal with the news all on my own. So to give her peace of mind, I consented to the phone call to my mom. My mom called me a few mins later saying she had talked to the doctor and I needed to make an appointment with them to see a heart specialist. I told her I would do it later as I was busy packing for my campus church's fall retreat. Once in the car, I received another call from the doctor to schedule the appointment with the specialist. WOW was that an ordeal. Being the type A personality that I am, I did not want to miss class to go to the doctor. I wanted to put the appointment off for about three weeks until I could travel to Springfield and back in a few hours and not miss class. The doctor as well as my mom was not having that. I was concerned about missing classes as I had one of the hardest econ classes on the campus in my schedule and did not feel I could afford to miss a class if I wanted to pass it with an A.The appointment was eventually made after alot of frustration on my end.
This is the first part of this amazing work God is doing in my life. There is alot more to it and its not over yet. God has taught me so much and I'm sure He is not done using this situation to mold me and prepare me for the things He has planned for me in the future. Its beautiful how God always has a plan and its always in motion even when we can't see it. Before I started all of this medical stuff, I read a book on the life of Joseph by Charles Swindoll. In the book the author focused alot on how the seemimgly bad things in Joseph's life (and there were A LOT), were all used by God as preparation for the high place God wanted to place Joseph in later in his life. God wanted to teach Joseph to trust him in the deepest and blackest pits of life, and although Joseph most likely wasn't the happiest camper when his brothers sold him into slavery, or when his boss' wife lied and cried rape, or when he was forgotten in prison for years, those things strengthened his faith in God such that the "good" things in life could not strip him of his need for his God.
I want a relationship with my Lord and Savior like that. One where no matter what, I cling to Him and find my joy and strength in the finished work of the cross and his return rather than in my circumstances. The best part of this story is that about two weeks before finding out that there was a mass in my chest, I had asked my small group at school to pray that I would be uncomfortable. Most of them didn't understand my request. I explained that I was finding myself becoming apathetic toward God and in my relationship with Him and I hated it (hate is a strong word and I don't use it often, but I think it is the only appropriate word choice here). What I saw when I looked at the bible was people growing in their relationships with God when they were uncomfortable and desperately needed him. I wanted to desperately need him again, to be reminded of my depravity without him. And boy have I been. Its funny how God works and how he responds to us when we call out to him. I'll finish this story in my next post. Thank you to everyone who is praying for me. I know I'm already healed, I'm just waiting for science to catch up and show what I already know my God has done.
Revelation 21:6 He said to me: "It is done."
In December before leaving for South Africa, I went to the doctor under the orders of my mother to be seen for itching she felt was severe. At the office, the doctor found nothing out of the ordinary and proceeded to ask me numerous questions which my mother took the liberty of answering, adding that I was a dirty college student who only did laundry every three weeks (thanks mommy). The doctor suggested that I wash more often and use sensitive detergent. As I geared up to go, she looked at my feet and stated "you have long fingers and long toes. Do they get cold?" I found this question was quite comical, as it was winter and yes, my fingers and toes did get cold. Long story short, the doctor sent me to get a chest x-ray, due to my long appendages, looking for some heart condition athletes get that was not really at all related to the itching issue I had come in about. I had the x-ray then went on my merry way to Cape Town, South Africa where I spent two amazing weeks.
When I returned home my mother was adamant that I go to the doctor before returning to school as they had been calling saying they needed me to come in for further testing as my x-ray had been abnormal. I of course thought nothing of it and had no desire to return to the doctor, my mother had other plans. I went in for a CT scan which confirmed the abnormalities found in the x-ray. About four days after the scan I received a call from a slightly frantic nurse telling me the doctor had found a mass in my chest and that I needed to come in for more testing. She also reassured me that everything would be ok and asked if I needed her to call my mom because it was a lot to handle and I was at school without my parents and she didn't think I should deal with the news all on my own. So to give her peace of mind, I consented to the phone call to my mom. My mom called me a few mins later saying she had talked to the doctor and I needed to make an appointment with them to see a heart specialist. I told her I would do it later as I was busy packing for my campus church's fall retreat. Once in the car, I received another call from the doctor to schedule the appointment with the specialist. WOW was that an ordeal. Being the type A personality that I am, I did not want to miss class to go to the doctor. I wanted to put the appointment off for about three weeks until I could travel to Springfield and back in a few hours and not miss class. The doctor as well as my mom was not having that. I was concerned about missing classes as I had one of the hardest econ classes on the campus in my schedule and did not feel I could afford to miss a class if I wanted to pass it with an A.The appointment was eventually made after alot of frustration on my end.
This is the first part of this amazing work God is doing in my life. There is alot more to it and its not over yet. God has taught me so much and I'm sure He is not done using this situation to mold me and prepare me for the things He has planned for me in the future. Its beautiful how God always has a plan and its always in motion even when we can't see it. Before I started all of this medical stuff, I read a book on the life of Joseph by Charles Swindoll. In the book the author focused alot on how the seemimgly bad things in Joseph's life (and there were A LOT), were all used by God as preparation for the high place God wanted to place Joseph in later in his life. God wanted to teach Joseph to trust him in the deepest and blackest pits of life, and although Joseph most likely wasn't the happiest camper when his brothers sold him into slavery, or when his boss' wife lied and cried rape, or when he was forgotten in prison for years, those things strengthened his faith in God such that the "good" things in life could not strip him of his need for his God.
I want a relationship with my Lord and Savior like that. One where no matter what, I cling to Him and find my joy and strength in the finished work of the cross and his return rather than in my circumstances. The best part of this story is that about two weeks before finding out that there was a mass in my chest, I had asked my small group at school to pray that I would be uncomfortable. Most of them didn't understand my request. I explained that I was finding myself becoming apathetic toward God and in my relationship with Him and I hated it (hate is a strong word and I don't use it often, but I think it is the only appropriate word choice here). What I saw when I looked at the bible was people growing in their relationships with God when they were uncomfortable and desperately needed him. I wanted to desperately need him again, to be reminded of my depravity without him. And boy have I been. Its funny how God works and how he responds to us when we call out to him. I'll finish this story in my next post. Thank you to everyone who is praying for me. I know I'm already healed, I'm just waiting for science to catch up and show what I already know my God has done.
Revelation 21:6 He said to me: "It is done."
Friday, March 9, 2012
Honduras mission is still a go!!!
Hey everybody,
So recent health disclosures have led to some people wondering if I am still going to Honduras. Well, I'm trusting God and believing that I will still be there for the 7 days this May. I'm praying that all of my supporters will stand with me and continue to offer their support. Thank you to everyone who is praying about my health. God is using this situation to do some absoutely amazing things in His Kingdom.
So recent health disclosures have led to some people wondering if I am still going to Honduras. Well, I'm trusting God and believing that I will still be there for the 7 days this May. I'm praying that all of my supporters will stand with me and continue to offer their support. Thank you to everyone who is praying about my health. God is using this situation to do some absoutely amazing things in His Kingdom.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Cape Town, South Africa
So, I just returned from my study abroad trip to Cape Town, South Africa. Although this was not a mission trip, and therefore the outlined purpose was not to share the gospel, I still had opportunities to share my faith with the people I encountered. Being in Cape Town left me breathless with the awe of Gods intricacies in the creation of both man and nature. Both the land and the people were beautiful, and looking at God's creation and its uniqueness left me desiring more intimate time with the creator of all things.
While in Cape Town I had the opportunity to climb Table Mountain, one of the many mountains in the area. Myself and a group of 9 of my other housemates trekked up what we assumed to be a steep dirt path with the intention of reaching the top of the mountain. The vegetation around us was gorgeous and although we had to crawl on our hands and knees at times to keep ourselves from falling down the mountain, the experience of being immersed in creation and away from things made by the hands of man and reveling in things made by the hand of God made the hour and a half hike more than worth the effort.
In spite of the seemingly hopeless situation, the residents of Blikkiesdorp refuse to give up the fight for justice. They have grassroots organized and began making their fight known. We had the opportunity to speak with the leaders of the organization and their fire and passion for justice for not only themselves but all people made me wonder what people in my own country would fight for in the same way today. My class designed and lead a volunteer project for the children in the community, which ended up being a major success. We painted faces (every one wanted the South African flag), passed out food, set up coloring stations, played games, danced, and more, it was a blast.
I was dubbed the official photographer for the event and because we had a group both outdoors and indoors I decided to go without shoes for the day as shoes were not allowed to be worn in the home we were utilizing. I know this was not the smartest idea as it was dangerous and I could have stepped on a nail or something (already had this lecture three times, already knew the hazards before I did it), but I'm glad I had the experience. The overwhelming majority of the children who came had no shoes, and walked on sand barefoot in upwards of 80 degree heat. I watched as 1 and 2 year olds walked on scorching sand that my own feet were too sensitive to stand the temperature of. I understand that eventually you grow accustomed to such things and your body becomes less sensitive, but it still left me wondering why these children are forced to become accustomed to scorching sand beneath their feet in the first place.
Overall I had an amazing time in Cape Town. I got to swim with penguins, go surfing (something I never imagined doing), I almost went cliff diving into the ocean (I ended up at the top of the rock watching everyone else do it), and I encountered a personal question of identity brought about by the politics of that very segregated landscape. I hope to find time to further elaborate on some of these topics and give more of the details of my revelations and experiences on the trip. One big thing which was on my mind for much of the trip was God's definition of justice and how we as people here on earth play a role in that.
If you want more information about Blikkiesdorp and what the awesome organizers there are doing and how you can help, google Blikkiesdorp for hope and click on their facebook page (my class is in some of the photos there), or you can visit http://hopecapetown.com/ .
While in Cape Town I had the opportunity to climb Table Mountain, one of the many mountains in the area. Myself and a group of 9 of my other housemates trekked up what we assumed to be a steep dirt path with the intention of reaching the top of the mountain. The vegetation around us was gorgeous and although we had to crawl on our hands and knees at times to keep ourselves from falling down the mountain, the experience of being immersed in creation and away from things made by the hands of man and reveling in things made by the hand of God made the hour and a half hike more than worth the effort.
I'm sure by now you're probably wondering what else I did on this trip, well here come the details. Because this was a study abroad trip the main purpose was academically focused. My class was centered around the affects of globalization and inequality, more specifically we looked at housing inequality during the Apartheid era in South Africa and compared it to housing inequalities now. We visited a Temporary Resettlement Area called Blikkiesdorp (Afrikaans for tin town) located in a township right outside of the city. Many of the people living in this area were placed there by the government, which uses the area as what the local residents call a "human dumping ground". This area is out side of the city making it difficult for residents to get to and from work, it is also built on an area with sand rather than usable soil. This means there is no grass and the residents can not grow food or other vegetation in their community. In preparation for the 2010 World Cup Soccer tournament which was held in Cape Town, the government did a sort of clean up and took the homes of certain residents and relocated them to the TRA promising to build them new homes. The way people get their new home is by signing a waiting list of thousands of names and waiting for their number to come up. The residents living there told us that some people have been on the list for over 20 years waiting for their house to be built, and have yet to receive what was promised to them. This leaves little hope for the most recent arrivals that they will leave the area anytime soon.
In spite of the seemingly hopeless situation, the residents of Blikkiesdorp refuse to give up the fight for justice. They have grassroots organized and began making their fight known. We had the opportunity to speak with the leaders of the organization and their fire and passion for justice for not only themselves but all people made me wonder what people in my own country would fight for in the same way today. My class designed and lead a volunteer project for the children in the community, which ended up being a major success. We painted faces (every one wanted the South African flag), passed out food, set up coloring stations, played games, danced, and more, it was a blast. 
I was dubbed the official photographer for the event and because we had a group both outdoors and indoors I decided to go without shoes for the day as shoes were not allowed to be worn in the home we were utilizing. I know this was not the smartest idea as it was dangerous and I could have stepped on a nail or something (already had this lecture three times, already knew the hazards before I did it), but I'm glad I had the experience. The overwhelming majority of the children who came had no shoes, and walked on sand barefoot in upwards of 80 degree heat. I watched as 1 and 2 year olds walked on scorching sand that my own feet were too sensitive to stand the temperature of. I understand that eventually you grow accustomed to such things and your body becomes less sensitive, but it still left me wondering why these children are forced to become accustomed to scorching sand beneath their feet in the first place.
Overall I had an amazing time in Cape Town. I got to swim with penguins, go surfing (something I never imagined doing), I almost went cliff diving into the ocean (I ended up at the top of the rock watching everyone else do it), and I encountered a personal question of identity brought about by the politics of that very segregated landscape. I hope to find time to further elaborate on some of these topics and give more of the details of my revelations and experiences on the trip. One big thing which was on my mind for much of the trip was God's definition of justice and how we as people here on earth play a role in that. 
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