Report 9

Report 9

Ministry Activity -
Missions trip prep and actual thing
VBS on MT
Work projects
Evangelism
Debriefing

Hours -
All day, everyday, for a week

Personal Reflection -
This week I got the opportunity to be one of the adult leaders for the annual high school missions trip. We went to the south-side of Chicago and worked with a ministry called Hallelujah Faith Ministries. While there we held a Vacation Bible School for the local kids. The area was a pretty rough area and taught all of us a lot. Many of the kids would show up dirty, hungry, and tired, and they broke the hearts of our team. The kids were hungry for the love of God and by the end of the week we loved them all very much.

We did work projects for both Hallelujah Faith and for Circle Urban Ministries. The team was amazing about serving. Hardly any complaining and a lot of hard working. Circle Urban said we got more done in a shorter amount of time than any other group that summer. We painted, pulled weeds, organized, mulched, cleaned and more.

We also did a scavenger hunt throughout downtown Chicago. I was a little nervous about being a leader for this, but it turned out to be one of my favorite times. One of the things on the scavenger hunt was to buy a homeless person a meal. It was great to see the students fearlessly go up to the lady and offer her a meal. We ended up sitting with her for about an hour talking about life and God. We ended with a time of prayer.

The week was stretching for me as a leader. I had never felt positive about street evangelism before this trip. I was shown that street evangelism does not have to be like advertising or handing out tracks (not that they are necessarily bad), but it can instead be about talking with people, hearing about their lives, asking what they want prayer for, and praying for them right then and there. At times on this trip I felt like just another student, other times I felt like I failed as a leader, and other times I felt great about it all. God really took this week to teach me. Although at times I felt discouraged by the end I felt very encouraged from others and from God.

Spiritual Reflection -
Being in the midst of a missions trip we spent a lot of time praying together, debriefing, and praying for others. It was great to see how God worked this week. Kids dedicated their lives to God for the first time and were so so so excited to read the Bible. It amazed me to hear the stories about their excitement for the Bible. I want that same excitement. I have decided to read a different part of the Bible each week and discuss it at the end of the week with a friend. I'm pretty excited about this. I think a lot of times when I read the Bible I just rush over it, but when I have to teach or talk about it I learn so much more. This will help me to stay focused which is exactly what I need!