Yes, I realize it's been a month. Yes, I realize the past few haven't been too exciting. And yes, I did it on purpose. Kind of. Okay, actually not at all. But this one promises to be a good update.
Yesterday at this time, I would have been sitting around a small classroom talking, laughing, and spending quality time with 21 ladies, 21 air mattresses, and 21 suitcases packed with a weeks worth of construction and worship clothes. Maybe we would have all been napping, but either way, it would have been quality time. And that was just one room...
We took 151 people to John's Island, SC for our mission trip this past week. We were not supposed to go there. We were supposed to go to Chicago. I remember the day I learned the news. I got a facebook message from Chris and all it said was, "We lost Chicago". My heart sank a little. I was extremely excited about going to Chicago. I accepted it because, as hard as it is for me to admit sometimes, God is in control. John's Island, SC. Where the heck is John's Island, SC?! What is there to do down there?! These are just some of the thoughts that went through my mind. The answers: near Charleston; and...plenty.
The following stories are stories that either I heard from my fellow workers or experienced myself.
Story 1: Mary Brown, double amputee.
Ms. Brown had been on the waiting list for 18 years to have her house, trailer actually, worked on. For 18 years, she had wheeled around her trailer with doorways that were too small for her wheelchair. To use the bathroom, she had to throw herself onto the ground, crawl into the bathroom, and pull herself up to the toilet. This past week, a crew of about 10 people widened her doorway. One afternoon, a group gathered around to witness her roll her wheelchair through the door of the bathroom in her trailer for the first time in 18 years.
Story 2: Robert, 3rd grader.
Robert is a little boy who I did not have very much contact with. He is a 3rd grader who attended the Vacation Bible School. Rebekah was lucky enough to work with him and be his experience with Jesus. One day, I walked into the sanctuary of the church, just passing through, and he was sitting in there talking to her, crying. I asked her if everything was okay, and she said, "He just needs someone to talk to." Robert gets called stupid. Robert does not have any friends. Robert does not go to church. Robert had a prayer request on the last day of VBS, "I want to thank God for Rebekah", he said. Thank God for Rebekah, indeed. God put her there for a reason. Robert saw God in her last week.
St0ry 3: Robert, 7-year-old.
This (different) Robert became my mission for the week. Robert is a precious, precious creation of God who is autistic. The theme of the week for VBS was Camp E.D.G.E. (Experience and Discover God Everywhere) and the mascot was Sparx, a lively fox puppet (puppeteered brilliantly by Hannah). Robert, who had little desire to talk to or be around anyone, loved Sparx. He called him Mr. Fox. Wednesday was a bad day for Robert. He refused to talk to anyone, even Mr. Fox. On Thursday, Robert was a new person. You see, throughout the week, Robert made every single one of his crafts and gave them to Mr. Fox. The only thing he wanted to do on Thursday was give Mr. Fox the necklace I helped Robert put together. Hannah, ever so patiently, agreed to be Mr. Fox one last time for Robert. The look on Robert's face when I told him Mr. Fox was going to wake up from his nap to talk to Robert was as clear an image of God as I have seen in a long time. All Robert wanted to do was give Mr. Fox that necklace. Once this took place, Robert said "Goodnight, Mr. Fox!" And that was it. Robert has a heart of gold that the rest of the world finds hard to understand. But Mr. Fox got it. And Robert did too. That, dear friends, is the face of God.
According to our standards, we were not supposed to go to John's Island, but God knew. God knew, we just couldn't see God's plan until it unfolded. God had a greater plan for us and God has a greater plan for those in John's Island. My heart aches for those who still suffer but it rejoices for those we helped.
God, bless those whose homes and hearts we changed. Bless those children and provide a way for the seeds we planted to be watered and nourished daily. Thank you, God, for this opportunity and for the better plan you had for us.
"I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
I'll follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God.
I'll follow you into the world."
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