In the reading today from 1 Kings 19:4-8, Elijah, the prophet, asked for death. We don't know why he wanted to die, but that he did feel regretful and angry about his past. Instead of granting him death, though, an angel tells him to get up. "Get up", he says "and eat". In Mississippi, the people’s lives had been destroyed; their homes were gone, their loved ones lost, and their futures uncertain. There were probably many who wished to die or just forget everything. There were also probably many who were angry; angry at the government for not taking better care of them, angry at God or the earth for letting this happen. We saw many shirts and signs against FEMA in particular; some of them were just enraged, but most of them were a little funny, poking humor at the storm and the government, like a well-needed laugh to shake off the hopelessness.
When we got there, I expected people to still be angry at the world; I was surprised though, that people seemed to have accepted it and focused on moving on. They had given up their bitterness and gotten up to return to their homes in the hopes of rebuilding; they took it and used its energy to instead focus on moving forward.
Now, personally, I love living in California, and would much rather live here; but Mississippi and Louisiana had a certain affect on you, a certain air of old age that was thriving and moving around. The people certainly seemed as if they were filled with the presence of hope and God. For some reason, after two hurricanes, and another possibly on the way, these people were crazy enough to try to rebuild! Their entire state had been crushed through a wall of water and wind, and nothing was left in place or untouched by the chaos. At first, it didn't make much sense; I realized though, that these people loved their state, and felt that old age, like a well-known scent from childhood. When we were learning to cook New Orleans-style at the New Orleans School of cooking, we learned a lot about the history of the food and the culture of the city, and it struck me how deeply God ran through this place of old souls, old food, and new people. It captured the people and drew them back.
The people had enough hope to get up, off the ground, and shake off their bitter feelings. They had more hope than anyone I have ever met, and instead of letting themselves focus on their anger at the world, they rebuilt. The angel told Elijah to get up, and shake off his bitterness already, so that he could eat and move on with life; in this way, he was filled with enough strength to get through 40 days and nights. The hope these people have has taken their anger, and will show THEIR holy selves as part of Jesus Christ, like in Jeffrey's sermon, and will get THEM through these days and nights on the road back to rebuilding.
-Adrian Guerrero
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Each youth and adult who went on this trip, left the Gulf Coast with their unique personal experience shaped by other people on the trip, the work we did with our own two hands, and a new sense of personal growth.
One of the most rewarding parts of this trip, besides being able to help such a devastated area and hear the residents’ stories, was going to the south and experiencing a culture and an environment that is very different from what I am accustomed to. The teen leaders were very involved in the planning of this trip from the beginning and had a rough outline of what the trip was going to look like. But then they gave the other youth the freedom to decide if certain activities interested the group as a whole. Many of the activities on the trip were planned as we went along. The “Flow Team”, a group of 3 teens and 1 adult worked to make our transitions as a group from place to place as smooth as possible and gave the teens on the trip a greater voice in what the group wanted to participate in. This sense of freedom to do what you want (for the most part), made our time in the places we visited more valuable and unique because we were able to explore for ourselves and develop our own opinions about what we have seen with our own eyes. It ultimately granted us teenagers what we yearn for the most: independence. Being able to make what you wanted out of your personal and group experience will make this mission trip even more unforgettable. The adult leaders treated us with more respect than we are used to and showed interest in our personal opinions. And unlike our parents, they understood that the best way for us to grow in this environment is to let us discover this world for ourselves. For me, I think that is one of the most valuable aspects of growing up. Self-discovery and independence are two things that contribute to who you become as an adult in the “real world” and being placed in an unusual environment tested everyone’s life skills in working and co-exisiting with others. Because we were encouraged to explore within ourselves in a place far from home, in a loving community outside of our normal comfort zone, each youth on this trip gave something unique to the Gulf Coast and in return received a gift even more special. This trip greatly contributed to our own personal growth and sense of independence by giving us the confidence that when the time comes for us to live on our own, away from our families, we’ll be ok. Many of the teens on this trip experienced God in ways that are impossible for others at home to understand: by working with their peers and feeling a sense of purpose in doing God’s work in a community that needs faith the most. All the leaders placed emphasis on each teen’s personal experience allowing everyone to come away from the trip with one of the most memorable weeks of their lives through spirituality, love, work, and friendship all seen through the eyes of God.
-Claire McConnell
I have seen God on this mission trip of ours,
Just as sure as you can see Mars.
He’s been with us the whole way,
Just as sure as it rains in May.
His presence was in the people we met,
Who are always so thankful for the help they get.
God was with us each step of the way,
We could see that everyday.
He gave us an air-conditioned car,
When the humidity felt like tar.
His presence was in the places we went,
It was like an agreement that could not be bent.
God was with us throughout the week,
Even if times looked meek.
We were quite surprised to see Him so much,
It wasn’t hard to keep in touch.
Even as I write this poem now,
I look back, and can only say wow.
-Luke Doylemason
This being my first mission trip, I feel that I have to express what a wonderful experience it has been for me these last 10(ish) days. The friendships I have formed and the feelings I have felt on and off the worksite have been truly inspiring. Being able to find a whole group of such wonderful people my age can seem so hard to find sometimes, yet, here I have struck gold. The kids in this group express a kind of unity and friendliness that I just can’t get over. I have decided that I am officially addicted to the God Squad and all that it stands for: the work, the bonds, and the fun.
To be able to view first hand the destruction here on the Gulf Coast was an eye-opening experience for a “weather-sheltered” California girl. The idea of a huge wall of water leveling everything in its path is almost too much to comprehend, something that should be reserved for Hollywood back-lots. Yet, I assure you, it is very real for the residents of those cities that looked like they had been vacuumed up and spit out again. To hear their stories was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. They went through such a profound experience; to be able to hear them speak about it was such a treat for the journalist in me. Their strength and optimism after all that had befallen them was awe-inspiring. I felt like I got so much more than I gave from every day of work.
To conclude, I absolutely loved this trip with all my heart, for reals yo. I am so thankful I decided to come. Yeah I’m done.
-Leslie Corona, signing off.
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