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A Free Offer of Mercy

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by Becca Schmidt, EM mission trip volunteer from Chattanooga, Tennessee

Appalachia Mission Trips

I had never heard of Gary, West Virginia until I hopped into a 12-passenger van to travel there with my youth group. Since I'd been away at school during all of the preparations and planning for the trip, I pretty much walked in blind. I knew which state we were headed to, and that was about it. But I've been on mission trips before, so I expected this one to be much the same. And in a lot of ways, it was. Get up in the morning, have quiet time, work at a work site, in the afternoon or early evening do a Vacation Bible School-type program, complete with cheesy retellings of well-known Bible stories and games that quickly become utter chaos, followed by dinner and devotions, and then bedtime. And yet, this was not quite like any other trip I've experienced. We had no air conditioning, but we had the opportunity to shower and to sleep in real beds. We got to spend time with youth groups from other areas of the country and denominations, and we were blessed to be led by three awesome EM staffers, Kendall, Ryan, and Nick, who had a lot of wisdom to offer us as we entered the community.

There was a moment on our first day doing Kids Club when I thought to myself, "What am I doing here?" Kendall was sitting with a little girl no more than three or four-years-old who had some serious sass when she was called to chase some older kids off the bleachers, so she sat the girl down in my lap, despite her best efforts to escape. That precious child was so small and skinny, and when she struggled against being given to me, her shirt went up and I saw a long scar up her belly. In that moment I was reminded that I have no idea what these kids had already experienced in their lives, and what further obstacles and tragedies are ahead of them. I felt utterly unprepared to love these children as they needed to be loved, and I didn't think I could.

God had already given me the answer, though. I had read it that morning in my quiet time without realizing it. Isaiah 55:1-2 says "'Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance.'" I traveled to West Virginia to present God's free offer of mercy to this community, and to those children. The people of Gary, West Virginia (like most places) have been offered Living Water but still spend their time and energy seeking things that will not satisfy. Jesus loved the Samaritan woman at the well by telling her the Truth, and I believe He has given that ability to everyone who has received salvation. And that's what I was doing in West Virginia.

God provided a lot of ways for me to share the Gospel, and a lot of ways to show that community Christ's love for them during that week. In a time when I was feeling like I couldn't do anything of value with my summer, and was falling complacent in my relationship with Him, He provided opportunities to glorify Him in giving a house a fresh coat of paint and playing with and talking to children who need Him. He used those working alongside me from my church and EM to remind me that I am not alone, and to bring to mind all that He has done for me, and the reasons I love Him.

Mission trips are not about personal improvement, or to make me feel good, but I have found that God often chooses to use them to encourage our hearts anyway.

Trips like this aren't easy, but they are so valuable. When I look back on that week, more than any difficulty I faced, I'll remember getting to see my amazing omnipotent God choosing to work in and through me and seventeen of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Appalachia Mission Trips

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