Changing Lives One City at a Time

Since 2014, I have been on 5 mission trips, but that number is much more than a number. Within those cities, me and my youth group ministered to any person we met. We did not just simply get the job at hand done, but we were taught to intentionally form relationships. I especially felt me change someone's life on my first and most recent mission adventure.

Roseland, Chicago, 2014-

Wanted signs posted on every street corner. Drug exchanges visible in the alley closest to the church that we were staying at. As we unloaded our big white vans on the first day, we were warned that there had been a shooting two days earlier, on the exact street that we were to work. Unbothered, we helped our brothers and sisters in Christ, disregarding their reputations as we realized that what they needed was our help. We cleaned out abandoned houses, sweeped the streets, painted houses, and weeded a forest of plants for this small community. An occasional thank you, or nod of the head was delivered every now and then- until the next day.

The following day we met a lady whose house we were to paint and rearrange. This lady was unaware of the group that was coming to transform her house, so upon meeting us, she was overcome by tears. Realizing the incredible risk that we were putting ourselves in by just being in such an area, she came to each of us and hugged and kissed us. Throughout the day as we helped her, she kept repeating words of thanks to us, asking if she could help us in any way. At least for me, I couldn't think of a more rewarding feeling than seeing such a compassionate women getting repaid for her overwhelming presence. This lady wasn't born in such a rough area- she chose to live among some of the most disregarded people in order for her spirit to pour into them. That's courage.

The word mission in the Christian aspect literally translates to, ¨the vocation or calling of a religious organization, especially a Christian one, to go out into the world and spread its faith.¨ I think this is a very important concept to grasp because mission does not simply mean accomplish the physical task at hand, but it means to pour your faith into someone else.

St. Paul Minnesota, 2018-

This past summer, I got the privilege of going to St. Paul Minnesota. We went into the 2018 mission trip realizing the true mission ahead. A great example of someone pouring into others is when we met Jude. We arrived at a grey, two story building in which we were greeted with a warm smile and a firm handshake with this man. He told us the story of the organization ¨New Hope Center.¨ This was a safe home for men who had a past in which they wanted to change but not just simply change- transform. These men were striving to become Jesus-knowing people and be able to get back into the real world so they can tell others about Him. Two days passed as this young man diligently taught us proper painting techniques and hourly checked into every group.

The last day working with this organization my youth leader, Jos, gathered us in the home´s sanctuary and told us that we were about to hear Jude´s testimony. This was when I realized the struggle that he had gone through. Stuck with the stereotypes that he was ¨the pastor's son¨ Jude hated the idea of living up to such extreme expectations. From his young, teenage years, he experimented with heavy loads of drugs and alcohol. One unfortunate night, he was walking down an alley, barely able to keep his body moving and ran into some old enemies. They beat him up to the point that his heart stopped beating. Transferred to the local hospital he flatlined two times, until finally ¨through God's mercy¨ he woke up. He told us that ¨not only did I wake up that day to a second chance, I woke up to a call to help other people with my past troubles.¨

As selfless as Jude was, he came back to this safe home simply as a patient and seven years later, he remains there to tell people about his story, his faith journey. It´s described as a faith ¨journey¨ because it's not just a snap of the finger and you´re transformed, its a lifetime commitment, with plenty of bumps along the way.

The purpose of mission trips is to hear and exchange stories about your faith, whether its strong or weak. When we go on a mission trip, we don’t always end up doing something super “productive.”

Prayer walk over the city of St. Paul

The main purpose is not to build houses, or clean alleys, or provide medical services—although these are good tasks and the trips may include any or all of the above in the process. But the most important thing we do on our mission is found in the relationships we build, the seeds of faith we plant, the depths of hope we dig, and the healing love of Jesus Christ we share. Through our mere presence in a place, we communicate our faith in Jesus Christ because it is in His name that we come! The mission of a mission trip is to, either directly or indirectly, lead people toward God.