Today’s post will be a collection of thoughts of the students participating in the mission trip. I will do my best to provide context to their thoughts where needed. I will use their own words but where clarification might be needed, I will do this with the use of [ brackets]. During our mission of service, we have opportunity to interact with others we serve alongside with, with those that my benefit from a particular ministry, the community at large. All contact is encouraged and expected as part of seeing God being active here in Houston.
I encourage you as the reader, do not pre-judge any of their thoughts. It is not always easy to put into words the emotions that come while being on a mission trip. God uses our emotions for God’s people and also gives them knowledge that might not otherwise be revealed without them. As time moves on, each of the students will reflect back upon their time here. Connections back home to their experience in Houston will provide more emotions, more knowledge and sometimes there will be some “A’Ha” revelations longer after leaving Houston. God is always pevlant, always active, always creating and always loving with God’s creation.
Student Thoughts
So many people aren’t even close to “well off”, as we have been our whole lives and yet they find ways to be hopeful, faithful, and positive. It is truly incredible to witness such unconditional faith. Each day I feel my heart swell and my own faith grow. Each life I’ve touched has changed mine.
To be honest, when we got to Houston and after I saw all of the poverty, I was scared and nervous for my safety. [However] over the past 48 hrs I have learned to see God in these poor people and realized that they are just like me. My eyes have been opened and my heart has been touched with true life stories. My stereotypes of homeless people have been broken. I have grown as an individual and my comfort level has expanded. I can approach anyone, even the poor and talk to them about anything.
It has been amazing seeing everybody that was less fortunate than me. [This has allowed me] to be even happier than I was [before coming to Houston]. It gives me inspiration to be glad for for everything in my life. Seeing everything that people do down here [in response to the living conditions for many], gives me ideas of what I’d be able to do back in my home community.
A final word on this post. Part of the debriefs each night involve us writing down on note cards, things we might tweet out on a Twitter account regarding our day. I hope to compile each of our thoughts in a single post, if others will share with me.