Learning Lots!!

Hi! 

In the past month or so, the days have been flying by at an alarming pace! We finished up training camp here on October 16th, then left for Samaritan’s Purse, and now we’ve already returned?! Training camp and Samaritan’s Purse have been nothing but blessings and learning opportunities for me. In the next few paragraphs, I’ll be sharing why! 

At training camp, I got to dive deeper into the reason why I chose the race in the first place: in other words, I was able to figure out where my heart posture needed to change. In beginning the race, a lot of what I struggle with had and still is being laid out in front of me much clearer than ever before. The stripping of all easily accessible comforts I had at home has taught me more about myself and where my comfort and strength had been coming from as opposed to where it should be coming from. As I took, and am still taking, more time to reflect on this I have begun to feel much more like myself. In our weeks at training camp some topics we covered are: vulnerability, miracles, cultural lenses, appreciating cultural differences, mental health, forgiveness, greif, the father heart of God, and much more. Training camp was never a part of the race I felt too thrilled about, but I’m so thankful for the all I’ve learned about and the understanding I have when it comes to who I am and what going out to serve should look like! 

As for Samaritan’s Purse, the best word I could use to describe my experience is simply, “wow”. My squad and I drove down to Southern Louisiana, where we stayed at a church that is hosting Samaritan’s Purse. Hurricane Ida hit about a month and a half ago, leaving many homes and buildings damaged or destroyed. As one who comes from Minnesota, to see the effects of a hurricane in it’s reality was a shock to me; hurricanes have never been something for me to worry about at home. Just driving around in the area that we were, there was rubble and destruction everywhere. In our first week, my team and I worked on mud outs. From hurricanes, homes can be affected by both wind and water. For some of the houses I helped out with, water had made it’s way into the home and as a result, molded almost everything. Our main goal was to remove anything molded, and then prep the home for the contractor. In one of the homes, we removed close to everything: ceilings, insulation, wood trim, all personal belongings, etc. In our second week, my team was split up into pairs. Each of us could either be working with the skid steer and pull saw crew, the house assessment crew, or the mud out crew. I was able to experience all three that week. Usually, it is easy for me to shut my brain off when it comes to chores or manual labor, in this situation it was close to impossible. Samaritan’s Purse encourages conversation and connection with the homeowners as we work throughout the day, which is a wonderful thing, but it is also a very heavy thing. Instead of seeing the destruction as a chore, I began to see it as a home. My heart began to break for the families and all the memories we were tying up in black garbage bags. I questioned and contemplated how someone could still be joyful in the situations that some of the people I met are in. These people I served were living “impoverished” lives as is, and then water and wind took even more. How is it that these were some of the kindest, most joy filled people I’ve ever met? 

The definition of impoverished is to be “deprived of strength or vitality”, and this was the exact opposite of the character that made itself known so noticeably from the people I got to serve. In the two weeks I spent at Samaritan’s Purse, it was revealed to me that true, genuine poverty, is a life without Christ. In other words, I was quick to learn that ministry isn’t just a way for you to bless others, it’s a way for others to also bless you. I have met some people who have what society’s idea of wealth and happiness is, not one of them radiated joy. Those who have close to nothing, have room to make the Lord their everything. The character of these people, I now recognize, is what it means to be truly wealthy; abundant in the greatest treasure of all. “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3. With the perspective and knowledge I’ve been blessed with through training camp and Samaritan’s Purse, I now feel completely ready to serve overseas! 

This Friday, November 5th, I will be headed out to Romania with my squad. As of now, we are at the Adventures in Missions base, debriefing our time at Samaritan’s Purse and training camp. We have also received exciting news….our next two countries! Being flexible is a huge part of the missionary world, especially when Covid is thrown into the mix. After Romania we will be going to the Dominican Republic and Guatemala!!! Thank you all for the love, support, and prayers! God bless <3