We have truly grown on our first ever family mission trip. I do not think this will be our last. I hope our children will remember their experience and live what they have learned – how to serve others for His glory.
I know I was humbly blessed. While Benjamin and Judah were installing toilets, distributing food and making room for a homeless day center, Janea and I merely painted fingernails and played games at a nursing home, and completed clean-up projects and made crafts at a women’s center. In my mind, I considered our missions experience less important and less impactful than Ben’s and Judah’s experience. I wanted to feel like I truly worked for His kingdom. I wanted anointed aches and sanctified scars in service to His people. But that was not how I was to be used. So, I was humbled to perform what I deemed to be meaningless tasks in Jesus’ name.
Then one of our co-leaders, Julia, shared her peeling potatoes testimony. She raised over $20,000 to fund her race around the world where she completed 11 mission trips in 11 months. Returning home she was ready for more but the “more” wasn’t field work. “More” came in the form of feeding others in the field including the mundane and routine task of peeling potatoes. But over time, she was able to see how this too is in fulfillment of a need for His kingdom purposes.
On a following day, our other co-leader Beth read from Matthew 25:31-46 during one of our devotional periods. Julia’s testimony and Beth’s scriptural reference connected all the dots I needed to help me understand how my mission experience was just as important as Ben and Judah’s. And with this understanding and acceptance, God gave me my reward.
On Thursday, our last day to serve, we played a couple of games and painted fingernails at Brookhaven, the nursing home. I closed our week with a prayer and thanked the residents for letting us into their home and hearts. A few of the residents, who we saw everyday, would not let us leave without a hug or a peck on the check. I gave my first hug to Brenda, a wheelchair-bound resident who suffers with dementia and could probably out sing the recording artist on any Motown album. I leaned over to hug her and she whispered among her tears and trembling voice, “God bless you. You are so precious.” I needed nothing more from this trip then to hear those words from Brenda to confirm that I truly was a vehicle of God’s goodness.
Here is my team, 3/5 of the Bright family who live in South Carolina, and 1/2 of my family.
Here is Ben’s and Judah’s team, who are from Ohio, Georgia and Texas, of course.
In an earlier post, I promised an “after” pic of the bathroom Ben and Judah worked on. Here are before and after pics.
When they were finished with this and all of the projects at Hunger First, their team was able to “leave their mark” on the facility:
I also promised more pics of where we stayed.
Our cabin:
The amphitheater:
The complete entrance to the cave. Ben took this from inside the cave:
And crisp, cool cave water:
BONUS – Adventures In Mission (AIM) also provides youth “ninja training.” As you can see from these snapshots, there is much training needed, even for our co-leaders, pictured below:
Hey Felicity, what you got there:
A salamander? This is the first time I’ve seen this animal in the wild:
What other wild things did we find? How about this arachnid and its evening supper of “salamander on the barbie.” (This pic was taken inside the pit we used for a bonfire. And no, that is not some monstrously long tongue but the tail of the spider’s meal.)
We concluded our time with worship, sharing, and a bonfire complete with s’mores:
Thank you AIM, our co-leaders, and all who served with us for making this an impactful week full of memories and experiences of God’s goodness, greatness and power.
Finally, here are the words of a recipient of this group’s humble service for His glory:
“Time of Sharing”
– Nancy
Forever humble, never greedy
Soothes the soul for the sick and needy
I pray all night for God to bless my day
He sent me his angels, they came my way
Ever grateful, each and every day
With love and kindness
They fulfilling needs
In a Godly manner
That far concedes, the human form on Earth.
For they were God’s angels
Who soothed my mind and heart
Who gave me hope again by doing God’s work
Praise the Lord.
