Today at Kelly's Korner, we are sharing mission trips.
I am SO THANKFUL that I grew up in a church that was incredibly mission minded, and took the Great Commission very seriously! And, I'm SO THANKFUL that my parents encouraged and allowed my to have the opportunity to be apart of missions outside the church. When I was in high school and college, I went on at least one mission trip every summer. Looking back on my spiritual walk, these trips played a HUGE role into shaping me.
I am SO THANKFUL that I grew up in a church that was incredibly mission minded, and took the Great Commission very seriously! And, I'm SO THANKFUL that my parents encouraged and allowed my to have the opportunity to be apart of missions outside the church. When I was in high school and college, I went on at least one mission trip every summer. Looking back on my spiritual walk, these trips played a HUGE role into shaping me.
My foreign mission experience has been in Mexico.
For 6 summers and 1 Christmas, I went on mission trips to Reynosa, Mexico. These trips are very near and dear to my heart. I was privileged to be apart of the work that Rick and Kim Hagans and Harvest Evangelism do there. We took clothes, shoes, and food into different neighborhoods and churches; we helped build and paint houses; we worked in orphanages; we played with children; we held babies. Lots and lots of beautiful, angel faced babies!
For 6 summers and 1 Christmas, I went on mission trips to Reynosa, Mexico. These trips are very near and dear to my heart. I was privileged to be apart of the work that Rick and Kim Hagans and Harvest Evangelism do there. We took clothes, shoes, and food into different neighborhoods and churches; we helped build and paint houses; we worked in orphanages; we played with children; we held babies. Lots and lots of beautiful, angel faced babies!
I could tell you HUNDREDS of stories about Mexico trips. I can still smell the stinch of the neighborhood that was LITERALLY inside the city garbage dump. There are several families that are etched in my memory that were always at one of the churches.
My heart is still moved every time I think of the people that came in for a church service and would kneel and pray over the seat they would sit in before speaking to anyone - wanting their hearts and minds to be ready to hear from the Lord. 
People there are SO NEEDY for hope, and when they hear the Word of God they are just desperate to have Jesus. We saw hundreds of people profess salvations on these trips. AMAZING!!! Myself, Devin, and Ashley out visiting in the neighborhood close to a church we were working at.
Heather and I visiting the Market...
I have also went on several trips in the U.S. including:
Stanton, Virginia - this was an Acteen Activator mission trip, so it was all girls. We worked in a community wide Bible school and held events at night. One of my most ALL TIME favorite trips ever...soooo many amazing memories! God used this trip in our lives in an amazing way to shape each one of us that went.
Columbia, South Carolina - this was a Youth Choir Mission Trip. We assisted in backyard Bible schools in government housing areas, and then held block parties at night and performed. The songs we sang on this trip are ETERNALLY branded into my brain. Even after 12 years, I could sing every song, word for word! This trip was the first time I led someone to the Lord all by myself - sharing with them, praying with them, etc. It was a little boy named Darius. I still think of him and pray for him.
I have also went on several trips in the U.S. including:
Stanton, Virginia - this was an Acteen Activator mission trip, so it was all girls. We worked in a community wide Bible school and held events at night. One of my most ALL TIME favorite trips ever...soooo many amazing memories! God used this trip in our lives in an amazing way to shape each one of us that went.
Columbia, South Carolina - this was a Youth Choir Mission Trip. We assisted in backyard Bible schools in government housing areas, and then held block parties at night and performed. The songs we sang on this trip are ETERNALLY branded into my brain. Even after 12 years, I could sing every song, word for word! This trip was the first time I led someone to the Lord all by myself - sharing with them, praying with them, etc. It was a little boy named Darius. I still think of him and pray for him.
Nicholson, Mississippi - this trip was called Mission: Nicholson and our youth group partnered with a Nicholson church and we went door-to-door witnessing, and then hosted worship services at night. We saw so many people come to know the Lord on this trip!
If you have ever been on a mission trip, you'll understand what I'm about to say. When you go on a mission trip, you always have your mind set on what YOU will be doing for those that you are going to serve. You always think I'M going to share with them, love them, bring such joy to their lives....BUT, every single trip I was the one that was BLESSED! I was the one feeling so full of love, I was the one that God changed and moved, I was the one that felt had been served. What a blessing it is to share Jesus with others!!
If you have ever been on a mission trip, you'll understand what I'm about to say. When you go on a mission trip, you always have your mind set on what YOU will be doing for those that you are going to serve. You always think I'M going to share with them, love them, bring such joy to their lives....BUT, every single trip I was the one that was BLESSED! I was the one feeling so full of love, I was the one that God changed and moved, I was the one that felt had been served. What a blessing it is to share Jesus with others!!
If you would like to read about other people's mission trips, hop on over to Kelly's Korner.
I have been out of the blog circuit and am catching up. I loved seeing the Mexico pics. I have some of the very same and amazing memories of the trip. I would love to go back one day for another mission trip. I still think of that trip so often and remind myself how blessed I am. That trip was life changing for me as well as the people that were helped through God's love. Miss seeing you! Thank you for the trip down memory lane!
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