My 2 Cents Worth...

I have heard of being called by God to do His works, but I had never knowingly experienced it until now.

For months I had heard the rumbling of this Mission trip to Mississippi. I had always thought in the back of my mind that I would really like to go on a mission trip - some day. As a nurse I'd kind of thought a nice medical mission trip would be the direction I would head. God had other plans for me this February.

I had worked the night shift and had stopped by church to pick up the Super Bowl Sunday hoagies I had ordered as my "contribution" to the mission trip. I ran into Carter and felt a little guilty about not staying for the 8 am service even though I had been up all night. So I stayed. Once again the subject of the Mission trip to Mississippi was mentioned and that gentle nagging in the back of my mind became a very obvious push. I found myself asking Carter if there might still be room on the trip ( now only 1 week away) for one more worker. He didn't say no. I came home and looked on line...There were still tickets on the flight. A neighbor whose daughter was of babysitting age was driving by. The daughter was able to babysit in the afternoons while I would be gone. Another neighbor called... Oh yeah, by the way can you take the dog next week? "Sure" was the reply. I called Carter to verify that I wouldn't be an imposition. "No, and by the way the mission committee will pay for part of your airfare." Carter knew that finances were a concern and that I was looking for a new job because I wasn't getting enough time at the old one. I received a call about a new job just after getting off of the phone with him. They called for a second interview!!
So before I knew it, I had a flight reservation, the kids and the dog were taken care of and all I had to do was pack!
The snow came and the Phillips and the Wrigleys picked me up to go to the airport together. We were to spend the night before the trip at the hotel so we'd be there ready to go if the flight took off. That turned in to two nights due to the snow. In the midst of that came the opportunity to get to know them and I adopted them as family. I now had additional "parents" in Marlene and Al and a new "aunt & uncle" in the Phillips!
Monday came and we were finally off to Mississippi where I was lucky to pick up a whole bunch of family members. A cousin Kurt, and a bunch of brothers and sisters in Christ. For the first time since I joined this church I really felt like I was truly a part of it.
As you have heard our trip was a life changing experience for all of us. I was prepared to go and give it all I had. What I was unprepared for is what I received. What a blessing it was to be a part of it all.
Susan told us that a big part of our mission there was not only to help with the physical labor of it all but to minister to the souls of the people we encountered there. Once she reassured us that no one expected us to "fix" all of their problems that made it easier to listen. Before I knew it we were listening to Magdy Rivera's story. Another day she shared with me that this hurricane was just another in the recent painful events she had had to endure in her life. She opened her heart to me about some things that had taken place in her personal life as well. We cried together because some of these were the very things I had thought I was escaping for a week by being there.
One of the most touching things of all was the birth of three puppies one of her poodle's had while we were there. What a joy to see new life come to this place where so much had been lost.

You have heard from others on this trip about the work that was done and the devastation that we saw while we were there and the indominatable spirit of those we encountered. Still one of the greatest joys for me was the bonds that were made with those of you who allowed me to be a part of that group and to feel the undoubtable call of God to do something that mattered with the week that I had no work to do at PMMC. Thanks be to God and all of you! And by the way I started my new job with Bryn Mawr Hospital this week. I am thankful for that as well.