Trials made perfect

Yesterday morning I was in a car accident. No one was injured but my car is pretty banged up. God has shown me a lot through this experience and I wanted to share some thoughts with you.

I had decided earlier this week I was going to fast for 24 hours on Wednesday. The Point-in-Time Count was that day. The Point-in-Time Count is done every six months counting the number of homeless in an area. A group of community members survey the town to try and get a better idea of how many homeless men, women, and children there are so that we can be better equipped to help them. Since I was not going to be able to go out Wednesday night I decided to fast and throughout the day keeping in mind and prayer for everyone counting and being counted. I had a few more selfish reasons for wanting to fast on Wednesday as well.

I started out my reading James and praying for my girls I meet with. I left to go to Northside where we would be watching week 2 of the Beth Moore study over James. I was at a 4-way stop. Almost through the intersection I was hit on the driver’s side rear end. A neighbor heard the wreck and called police. We got everything worked out with the police. Thankfully it wasn’t too cold Wednesday morning. I never made it to Northside. My car is still drivable so I went to CCH and started making the necessary phone calls.

(Ironic moment: The other driver and I have the same first and middle name)

Now to the lesson(s) to be learned from all of this…

In 2 Samuel 6 David gets angry at God. David had no right to get angry, he was in the wrong, but because David got angry he got to understand more of who God is. I’m not saying I got angry at God but I do believe I have come to understand God a little more now because of it. God is my Protector. HE should be the only one I fear.

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4

I think these verses describe it perfectly. There will be hardships; be filled with joy. You will be tested; have patience. Everything will be achieved.

Right in my own backyard

Last week was really great! I had Spirit led conversations with the girls I meet with weekly. I can tell the difference of when I am just doing things because it is on my schedule to do and doing things with intentionality. Ashlen and I went to the Johnson County Cares meeting. It is a collaboration of the different organizations focusing on poverty and homelessness in Warrensburg. They just reopened the homeless shelter for the winter. Ashlen and I had an awesome opportunity to see how the different organizations in Warrensburg are working together and how we can be a part of it.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to First Haitian Baptist Church in Kansas City. I went with Anna, who has been to Haiti four times now, and Dia, Anna’s roommate who went for the first time at the beginning of January. We had a great time! The service was in French and English. When they asked for the visitors to stand, Anna introduced us in Creole and I think everyone was impressed. We went out to lunch after church with a couple and their three kids to a Haitian restaurant around the corner. It was delicious and the conversation was great! It was amazing to be welcomed into the Haitian community, while still being in America.

What can I do to change the world?

The last week of break, which would have been the first week of January, I lead the Grow trip to Kansas City, MO. I started planning this trip back before school started last August. I didn’t think I would have to plan too much since I had found a place where we could stay and they would be finding the places we would be serving at around the city. I still remember the day I got the email we could not stay with them because it would be winter and they would need the space in their facility to house people who were living on the streets and didn’t have a warm place to stay.

I had to put this trip in God’s hands. I asked Him to make it possible for us to go to the places He wanted us at. Several times I got so frustrated planning this trip I wanted to cancel it. But God is good and He made this trip possible.

First a rundown of all the places we went:

Harvesters- A clearinghouse for the collection and distribution of food.  We packaged cans of sauces, beans, soups, meats, tuna, and peanut butter. It was a great place to start. The team worked well together and got to know each other.

Youthfront’s Something to Eat- One of our alumni works here and lead us through the process of packaging meals made up of soy, vitamin powder, dried vegetables, and rice to be sent to the horn of Africa.

Holy Family House- A Catholic worker movement house serving evening meals. We ate, talked, and built relationships with the men and women who were there for a warm meal.

Operation International Children- We packaged bags of school supplies for kids in Afghanistan.

Mother’s Refuge- A safe place for pregnant teens to come and live and learn how to be a good mother. We helped move all the donations they received for Christmas into the shed and had a chance to talk with a few of the teen mothers who live there.

Cherith Brook- Another Catholic worker house serving meals and providing morning showers four days a week. Half of our team went Thursday night to have family dinner with the community. The other half went Friday morning to have breakfast and help facilitate shower rotations and pass out clothes in the clothes closet.

Hillcrest Transitional Housing Thrift Store- This organization provides housing for low-income families as well as a high-quality place to shop. We sorted a room full of trash bags of clothes that were donated.

I posted more pictures on Facebook.

One thing I was worried about as being the leader of this trip was that everyone who went would “get something out if it.” That really wasn’t my responsibility though. That was up to God to work on their hearts and open up their eyes. And he did just that. There were a total of eight of us that went on this trip. It was so exciting to see that moment when it clicked in someone’s mind when they realized what they could do to make a difference in the world. Since all of these places are only about an hour away everyone seemed to be excited about being able to come back and keep building relationships with the people they met.

I was so worried about making sure that everyone else had a good experience I almost forgot about God showing up in my life. Holy Family House and Cherith Brook are both apart of the Catholic Worker movement. This movement was started by Dorothy Day during the Great Depression. She proposed the idea that every Perish should have a hospitality house. If there were people in the neighborhood that needed a meal or a place to stay the hospitability house would provide for their needs. Now there are over 200 houses in the US and more several in other countries as well. In Missouri there are two in Kansas City and one in St. Louis.

Three people live at the Holy Family house and nine live at Cherith Brook. They live in community together which means they share everything. It is a simple was to live. At Cherith Brook they are also becoming self-sustaining. They have a garden, chickens and bees. The three main values of the Catholic Worker movement are Community, Mercy, and Peacemaking. I left this trip with the conviction that there needs to be one in Warrensburg. I don’t know what that will look like but God knows so that’s enough.  

A little of what I did over break

Back to work and it is wonderful. I have loved hearing about what God did over break in everyone’s lives. And there are still so many more stories to be heard. My break was great! I got to spend time with family and do some pretty cool projects with my sister (pictures below). Christmas was great! I had a chance to talk with my parents about my future plans after this internship, not that I have anything really planned, just many things festering in my head.


Hannah and I bought black sneakers from Walmart

We put them in a bleach bath for two days. We put them in the
washing machine but that tore them up so I would
not suggest doing it that way unless you want the worn look.

I drew with Elmer's glue where I wanted to dye to
resist then dyed my shoes purple.

I dyed the shoe laces orange and used Sharpie fabic markers
to draw on the shoes. Here is the finished project!