Millie was yes, the youngest on this team, but had a pretty full experience…even on the plane… She said we could share her (personal) blog entry with you, and we felt it was best shared in its entirety.
When we read it aloud, we were at a common stop for us, Bop’s, some tears welled up, and we missed our coed teammates.
2012 Gulf Coast Missions Relief Team
DREAMS. PROMISES. HOPES.
Having known Jesus for several years by now, last week was my first missions team. Some how, I’ve managed to say “mm… no thanks” to different opportunities each year. And thanks to the Lord’s timing, this Katrina trip would be my first experience. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve heard testimonies from hard-core evangelizing, “Gospel bombing” the poor souls, to the crazy supernatural encounters of divine appointments and out pourings of healing. What was this trip going to look like? Although I had
dreams of being the “conduit” for others to have a supernatural encounter with the Lord, I had no expectations besides the Lord’s
promise to me that it was going to be a good trip. My
hopes for myself was that this trip was an opportunity for me to walk securely in who the Lord has created me to be, to walk securely in my identity, and to know that the Father loves me and is pleased with me regardless of what I do or don’t do.
RESTORATION. HEALING.
Leaving with 14 other Evergreeners, all predominantly my parents’ ages, I had the privilege of being the kid of the group. For some strange, unknown reason to me, the “kid in me” (cute kid, not bratty kid) was overflowing. The way I talked. The way I acted. And with this child-likeness came a child’s joy – even a joy to be master Uncle Steven’s little minion. No one told me to grow up like how I had to 15 years ago, during my childhood that was deprived of being a child. Never did I think the Lord would use this one week to bring restoration and healing to my childhood.
UNITY WITHOUT UNIFORMITY.
To me, my team was the best picture of what church unity was meant to look like.Unity without uniformity. Everyone had different roles. Everyone had different personalities. Everyone had different gifts. Everyone ministered differently. Some love talking. Some love listening. Some love working. Some love helping. Some love thinking. Some love making mistakes. Some love leading. Some love following. All love Jesus and all love each other. Each were equally important.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body… and were all given one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many… But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. – 1 Corinthians 12:12-19
ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY.
Bradley and Paul were our fearless, humble, knowledgeable, patient leaders. Peter was the busy bee that took the first opportunity to talk to every nonEvergreener. Carol was my momma and made sure we all had our fruits. Kelly was my pops, watching over me to make sure I didn’t chop off my fingers or electrocute myself. Pam was my partner I worked alongside with, and for being a “non talker,” I was quite impressed with how many people I saw her talking to. Uncle Steven was my beloved, verbally unfiltered uncle and master whom I have a special love-”hate” relationship with. Grandpa Roy was my cute, adorable grandpops, and it brought me joy to see him enjoy working so much. Mo was my knowledgeable pops, who would teach me anything I had questions about. Lorin was my joyful auntie who just loves to chit chat and laugh. Tommy was was my profound pops who gave me wise tips – especially the tip to never settle for a scumbag boyfriend. Jamesie was my mysterious, contemplative photography buddy who is always eating. Arthur was my quirky, funny, weird uncle who makes me laugh. Gary was my considerate, funny uncle who blessed me each time he asked me how my day was or if I had fun. Kenny was my quiet but yet not quiet uncle who impressed me with how many nonEvergreeners he talked to and worked with. Adlai Christopher was my jolly, happy, animated uncle who also made me laugh. And I was the kid and student, and in Uncle Steven’s case, little minion.
IN HIS PERFECT TIMING.
Prior to leaving for Mississippi, I received the words that “the conversations will come to me.” I don’t need to stress over going around to find the conversations, but that they would come to me naturally. Through out the week, I wondered when they would come. I had good talks with Tommy and Jamesie. What about with nonEvergreeners? Sure I had small chitchat, but conversation? Little did I know that my social skills would be stretched on the plane ride back, all in His perfect timing. Even if I wanted to run from the conversations, I couldn’t because both flights were full. While fighting my body’s feelings of nausea, I talked to Noma for an hour on the way to Texas. I prayed for her, and was blessed by her tears that messed up her make-up. Then, while fighting feelings of sleepiness, I managed to talk to Lisa for 3 hours on the way back to LA. I prayed for her and was blessed by her appreciation of that being the first time anyone has directly prayed for her. All in His perfect timing.
WAIT. WAIT. WAIT.
Unsure of what my own gifts are, I wasn’t sure how I was going to minister to people. Prior to my trip, the Lord gave me John 2:4, “My hour has not yet come.” Jesus’ time had not yet come, but yet he still turned water into wine. My time for ministry has not yet come, but I was still going to Mississippi (since the Lord didn’t tell me to not go). As I’m “growing up” and figuring out what ministry is supposed to look like for me, Jesus is my primary model. And I believe Jesus lets out his “secret method” in John 5:19-20. For me, that entails being led by the Holy Spirit – doing what He leads me to do and not doing what He leads me to not do. So for the time being, my season is towait – to wait for me to grow in the Spirit’s leading, and to wait for me to be secure in His identity.
Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. -John 5:19-20
PMS.
Post missions syndrome. PMS. It hit immediately last night as I stepped into the car. Honestly, this missions trip was more of a vacation for me. In fact, it’s the most memorable and most enjoyable trip I’ve ever had (which to me is a sign of how the Lord’s been healing my inner being). The Lord kept His promise, for this was a GREATtrip. My soul aches to be back with my beloved teammates, but there is a time for everything. And it is time to return back to my real long-term missions field of being at home.
WHAT LIES AHEAD.
Although this might be the last year Evergreen sends out a Relief Team to Mississippi, I’m excited for my next trip. Though I know not of what lies ahead, I’m excited to see what the Lord does in my life from now until then. I’m excited to see how I minister to others differently, which will be a natural fruit of my relationship with Him. And forget about going for one week. Sign me up for the two week team!
When doing construction on a house you often hear the question “Is it straight? Is it square? Is it level?” To check any of these you must have a reliable reference. For instance, to check squareness you’ll use a speed square or a framing square. But what happens when your reference is a little off? This actually happened one day as we were installing baseboards. Pam and Millie were helping me install baseboards. At first I would give them measurements and they would cut the pieces to length and then I would nail them in. Cutting is done on a chop saw. A chop saw cuts boards to length and in our case at either a 90 or 45 degree angle. After a few boards, which were perfectly cut, I had them measure and cut the boards. They would then put the boards in place and move on to the next room. Since both of them are self-described “perfectionists,” their work was very accurate. This was the beginning of a good partnership and we were all happy.
