The Chicago Trip went great. We all had our stereotypes completely shattered. For every preconceived notion we had going into the trip, we met at least one person that defied it.
From highly educated homeless men, to Pakistanis with Computer engineering degrees that can't find a good job, to homeless grandmas that look normal and are working hard, to the coolest kids that live in the poorest environments.
The kids we worked with at WECAN ranged in age from 4-12. You can see that the younger the kids are, the more hopes and dreams they have. Despite high aspirations, so many of them won't have the opportunities to live their dreams. Most of them aren't in poverty because of laziness, but because of truly bad situations. It hurt so much to leave them because we loved them so hard during the week, and we knew we were leaving them with a very uncertain future. The odds are against them, and we really don't know how they will end up. We can only hope and pray that their situations will change and that the groups that they will see for the rest of the summer will be able to water and harvest the seeds that we planted.
I really grew attached to a 6 year old boy named Quan. He is so innocent and hopeful. He wants to be a police officer like his dad when he grows up, and he loves video games. He doesn't exactly fit in with the other kids, and I hope that doesn't lead him to join a gang. When you look at him you want to laugh because his eyes never open all the way, but that just adds to his personality. I really miss him, but I hope that he won't just remember having fun with me. I want him to remember that Jesus really does love Him and will never walk out of his life. While I was there, he taught me some "believer songs," so I know He goes to church. I pray that he'll continue to attend so that he will accept Christ when he understands fully.
Another kid we met was Devin. He had four long braids coming out of the side of his head, and many (including me) mistook him for a girl. He gets made fun of a lot, but he knows how to take a punch. Like Quan, he is also a social anomaly. Devin got really attached to Cade. He seemed to take our departure well. I hope he turns out alright. He's definitely a unique person.
There are so many other people that we crossed paths with this week, but those two stand out the most. The uncertainty of their future is scary, and it is very unlikely that we will ever see them again. They really blessed me this week, and I hope that I was able to bless them with a glimpse of the unconditional love of Christ.
I don't really understand how the lessons I learned in Chicago will affect how I serve God here in Muskegon, but I definitely don't want it to just turn into another memory in the back of my mind.
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2 comments:
I totally agree with you, Andrew, about not wanting this experience to be just a memory. I want to be changed. I'm still digesting everything that God has been teaching me. The things that we have learned and experienced are incredible, but yet it is so easy to forget. I want them to shape me. I want to be impacted forever.
I already feel some of my greatest emotions from the trip slipping away. Pretty soon all I'll be able to do is read my journal and look at pictures in order to feel that "spiritual and emotional high" that I do now. God has worked in each one of our lives in different ways and we've all felt some connection to someone or something from the trip. With God's help and from each other, we'll be able to put the things we've learned and experienced into action right now in our everyday lives. Stay strong in God's will!
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