Strength Training

Oh my goodness, where do I start? The past week/month has been a blur of amazing things. Heads up for a super long post... Sorry in advance. But pictures will be provided to ease the pain. ;)

First off, I'm interning with Kelly, the middle school director at church, so I've been hanging out with my middle schoolers all summer so far. Which you read about in my camp posts. Anyway, this past week I went down to Atlanta, GA with them to work with Church on the Street, a ministry that gets to know the homeless and other "vulnerable neighbors" with no agenda other than building friendships with them. It was life-changing in ways that traveling to India never could be.

This is our team the first day actually in Atlanta. We began our day by climbing Stone Mountain and directing our thoughts for the rest of the week. It was so hard but so good. We began to bond and encourage one another. As we walked down Pastor Andy, the head of COTS, told us to meditate on what God wanted to tell us and to get ourselves right with each other and with Him so that we could be efficient servants.

During that walk Jesus shared many things with me, but one idea in particular was the idea of endurance. Walking down Father told me, "you know if you did this again it would get easier, that's why I'm throwing all this stuff at you: Consider it a great joy whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." That means He's got something big planned for me. :) He's getting me ready for a hurricane of awesomeness.

Two weeks ago at camp when God told me I was going back to India I knew I was no where near ready. I would crumble if I left any time soon. So I prayed for the Lord to equip me and to strengthen me for the journey. Haha God really does answer prayers quickly when He wants to.
I know that on this trip God gave me skills that I will take with me overseas, and that through my sister moving, along with myself moving to college, that God is giving me even more tools for my future.

And that was only the FIRST day. :)

The second day we worked at a local shelter. Well, we tried to and God had other plans for our group. We started out on the rooftop garden listening to Clarence go on and on about how proud he was of his garden. It was so inspiring and his excitement for its growth was certainly contagious. But because of a lack of supplies there wasn't much we could do up there. So we all went downstairs to check out the art gallery where men paint wonderful masterpieces and get half of the profit of their sale.

This man in the picture is James. He was such a joy to listen to (many times once we started a conversation they would go on and on and that was just fine with us). But James shared with us about how he loves to read philosophy. He shared about the social injustices that he paints into his work and how strongly he feels about abortion, disrespect, the ten commandments within the government, the younger generation (us) and countless other topics.

Not to mention that his paintings were mind-blowing. He showed us a couple triptychs that he's done along with other work. James told us that he used to paint mainly realism but that he doesn't anymore. He prefers to look at art and see the object from the perspective of the artist rather than what it is in actuality. We saw him again two days later and got to actually watch him paint some on what he calls "Attending the Magnolia" (it's the one in the picture above). I told everyone if I had a couple grand I would have laid it down then for that picture, it moved me that much.

And that was only the Second Day!

The third morning we walked the beltline. It's this large area where thousands of homeless and runaways lived in forts they built. The picture above is the last fort still standing. The government has kicked out all those men and women and is paving over the area. Thousands...thousands of people living on a long strip of land, under bridges, and inside forts.

We were standing under a bridge as Big Jon told us this and I had a vision of myself living on the beltline. It was crowded and loud and pretty scary.

We walked about 6 or 7 miles in that one morning. And one of the interns, Jenny, reminded us later that it was another "homeless walk" (we took two that week) to open our eyes to what these people have to go through every day. She said we knew that around a certain time we would get lunch and that we would eventually get back to the vans. But the people out there have no agenda, no schedule, no certainty.

That evening we headed out to a low-income area to hang out with kids at a block party. We threw out balls and chalk and let them have at it. The girls were fully content to sit and play with all our hair for two or three hours. These kids were so precious, and definitely starving for attention. They loved pictures and piggy back rides and squirting us with water. I assume that they would normally get yelled at for doing something like that but we didn't mind getting wet.

Some of the kids shared a little bit of their stories with some of us and it was yet another reminder to me that we have no idea what those around us are dealing with or what they go/have gone through. And that God doesn't want us to find a solution, He wants us to build a relationship.

Pastor Andy explained it by saying that if you're friends with someone they tell you what they need, you share with each other what's going on and if you can help your friend you will. It's the exact same thing, so many people try to give the homeless or other people what they thinkthese people need when they haven't taken the time to get to know them.

The Christian life is one that revolves around Community. And community means living lifetogether. That means you are living with the homeless, sharing their lives with them. Going out and hanging with them and talking and generally being friends with them, and everyone for that matter.

And that was just Day Three!

Friday, Day 4, we had a picnic and invited all our new friends and those we encountered on our way. The whole time I ended up talking to this beauty. Her name is Jennifer and she's from Connecticut.

She just shared with me her story of getting on the streets and some about her family and how she was addicted to drugs and alcohol and how God brought her out of that terrible lifestyle. I told her a little bit about who I am.

Through talking to her I was able to hear how she got to shower on Sundays at a church so I offered her a hygiene pack I had. After we finished eating I used some of my germ-x and offered her some. She got really excited and so I gave her that too. But it wasn't some big act of generosity, to me it was the equivalent of picking up your friend's tab when you go out to lunch together.

Now that's how we should love each other.

In return, she gave me her bracelet "as a token on friendship" she said, "so you won't forget me." Melts your heart doesn't it? Me too.

And then there's these wonderful guys. :) They quite possibly made the entire trip. These are the interns that worked/goofed off/taught us throughout the week. They felt like they were from Chattanooga with us.

It made it a lot easier to talk to people on the streets once you see the three of them calling people by name with huge grins on their faces and giving them hugs. They truly care for the people they've met and understand the importance of the work that they're doing. They were so encouraging to me and just over all so sweet.

It's not hard to see Jesus in them...in fact, you can't help but notice it. They make me excited for college and the plans that God has for me during and after the next four years.

And this is our team after the week. Our last evening together in Atlanta. We all got so close. Many said this team was closer than previous trips our youth has taken to work with Pastor Andy and COTS. I was beyond proud of all my middle schoolers. Many of them were braver and bolder than I was. I know that Jesus is pouring His heart into our youth group and has amazing journeys planned for each one of these kids. I'm so blessed to have been able to share in this part of it. It's weeks like this where God says "This is why I've called you to teach, to travel, to lead."

Mom told me this morning that she can see how much they look up to and love me. It's bittersweet to hear that because I know that I haven't always been the best role model (who is) but I also know that all that I do and strive for is not in vain and that the Lord is already unfolding His plan for me (Jeremiah 29:11).

So now I'm looking forward to college again. It's not going to be easy by any means. And I'm going to miss a lot of people. But it's going to be worth it and it's just another round of strength training before I put the big weights on and the hurricane really hits. :)

"Life is a marathon, not a sprint." -Mama Jean