by Halee Boughton, EM volunteer in McDowell County, West Virginia
Halee came with Young Pros from Michigan to serve over Memorial Day Weekend. She is a true servant leader. She has such a kind spirit and loves others well. We hope you enjoy reading her thoughts!
"The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these and the God of peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:9
To come up with the right words to use to explain the impact Gary, West Virginia and Experience Mission has had on me is honestly difficult. Difficult because there aren't enough beautiful words in the world that could even come close to properly sharing what this mission trip has done to me.
I was blessed to not only be on this trip this year, but last year as well. And it is because of this extraordinary place that I began my greatest lifetime journey. Both times coming into West Virginia, my heart has had the desire to be opened and changed. I believe you must allow that desire to be created in order to receive the impact that is waiting for you.
Coming into Gary wasn't just about helping people by painting their house or redoing their kitchen floor. Those projects are amazing to do and very much needed. But I promise they aren't the biggest projects that are waiting there to be started. What I've learned from being there is that there are three of the most valuable and prominent projects that could ever be worked on: the way you love God, the way you believe in yourself, and the way you give to every single person you meet.
These are projects that once you start, you spend the rest of your life working on. And for me, Gary, West Virginia is where I started mine.
In a society where hiding who we are is recommended, and ignoring our heart breaks is normal, the people in Gary have taught me something that has changed me forever. They have taught me that REAL CONNECTIONS begin when you start being REAL. They begin when you let down your walls and share your story of where you've been, what you've learned, and how all the obstacles God has given you has made you who you are today. Also how growing your relationship with God and the people He places around you will create more love and true happiness than any object or amount of money ever will.
This experience is different for everyone who goes, but it is an opportunity to see God and everyone you meet in a light you've never seen before. It is a chance to get to the core of who you are and become someone that makes this world brighter. But you decide what kind of impact you want to leave, and what kind of impact you want to receive. There is something different about this place, like God has a special hand on it. The way I've seen people change and come together is unlike anything I've ever witnessed. And if you choose to let it, it can for you too.
LEARN MORE | Bring your team on a 2017 Mission Trip to West Virginia!
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