Blackbelt Outreach Mission Trip

This post is going to be a little lengthly but i ask that you read everything that I have wrote. 

Wow.Blessed.Amazed. Are a few words to describe our trip. Greensboro,Alabama is said to be a third world town in Alabama. The pastor of this church has been praying for 7 years that someone would come into the community and do what we were doing. So just being an answer to a 7 year plan was something really amazing to see! The church that we would help was a congregation of around 20 maybe and to pain a picture of what type of place it was, the bathrooms there didn't have great plumbing so if you were to go to the restroom you would go and then any toilet paper you would use, you would have a bucket or something to place it in. 

We left Friday with not only leaving our mark on the apartments, but instead in the whole town! So sunday we hit the road running and was making good time till we took our final bathroom break right inside of Greensboro. We went back to load the vans and one of the vans would not start. Some may say well maybe the vans were not taken care of or the maintenance wasn't up to date or you could say that Satan knew the blessing we were about to receive and make and he was trying to make us go with a bad attitude. But we had contacted the church we were helping and the place we were staying and within an hour we had two different buses that we available for us to use. So we met up at the church and then headed to the Government Owned housing to hand out candy and flyers to the kids and families talking about VBS we would be doing every morning. The church had a few of their members there to walk with us, and I think that is because it wasn't too hard for us to stick out. According to the kids we were those white folks. So the members were with us to help create some ease and comfort. By the time we were finished with handing out flyers we had around 15 kids that followed us and played with us and seemed very excited for the week! So we loaded up and headed to Jena, Alabama to where we would be staying. So when we arrived to our place I was in heaven. The place we stayed was called Baseball Country. Two people basically turned their property into just what the name says. There is an indoor baseball facility with two separate rooms with bunkbeds. two toilets and one heating and air system. There would be no cell service unless you went to the house and received wifi or stood in one area and could possibly get one bar. The kids got a shock when they would see their showers, true outdoor showers. 

They also had one full size baseball field, wiffle ball field, t-ball field, outdoor batting cages. We were fed 3 hot meals everyday and just enjoyed fellowship with one another every night. 

So Monday morning we hit the ground running with eating breakfast at 6am! The kids were all excited about the first day of VBS but not necessarily the early morning! The kids planned this trip from lesson plans, to crafts, to recreation. The flyers we passed out said for ages 4-15, but through out the week we had kids anywhere from a year old to two show up because their 6 or 8 yr old sister was in charge of watching them for the day. So on the first day we would have a decent number of kids arrive and just enjoy the time they had with us. The kids were obsessed with wanting to get on our backs, hold our hands, and just be near us. They just wanted some attention, some love. They didn't even have to tell us what their home life was like, we could just tell by their actions, their clothes, and ultimately by how small they were. So the kids throughout the week would grow to love us and always try to get on the bus when we left each day. I had one girl ask me to be her mom and to take care of her. One day i took care of a one year old because his 6 year old sister was in charge of him for the day. He came dressed in fleece pajama pants, and a three quarter long sleeve shirt. He could even sing his ABC's and talk some. One thing that would happen everyday at 11:00 was that the church would bring their 15 passenger van and pick up the kids for free lunch. The kids would run to the van to get on because this could be the only chance they get to eat. They would pack that van with around 30 people on it! On Wednesday the lesson was tied more towards the Gospel and sharing the cross and our sins and everything. That day we had 7 kids accept Christ and one of those would get to be baptized on Friday! It was a glorious moment for sure!! 

Throughout the week you saw the parents give us more trust with their kids, because you could tell that we came to love on them and to just be all about the kids. Antonio is the one boy that would be baptized on Friday and coming home and talking to his parents they all are going to start attending church! Praises that we not only were able to reach out to the kids but then also to the parents. Thursday was the last day of VBS with the kids and at the end we just went to pick up all the trash that was everywhere and all the glass from beer bottles that were just all over the playground and area where the kids played. We had people ask us why we were doing it and we just responded that we wanted to be here doing it and we wanted to do it for the kids.

There is one boy that was very close to our hearts, Day-Day. That was his nickname that we would give him and he was one that is more street smart than any of us there. He is only 6 years old but the things that he has seen and possibly done is such a sad story. He was a handful but we would learn some of why he was like that. Thursday one would witness his cousin dealing drugs right outside of the apartment. This was who he lived with and there is no telling what the cousin would use him for. This boy has so much ahead of him and it can go one of two ways. 

Afternoon Schedules:

Monday and Tuesday afternoons after VBS we would go to a house that the church owned and needed help fixing up for people to stay in it as they would work in the community doing programs such out literacy outreach programs. The house had yard work that most likely had not been touched in years. We spent two long days working at the house, pulling weeds, cutting grass, cutting trees, picking up pine cones, weedwacking, cutting poison ivy/oak out, and just turning the house into a complete 360 than what it was when we got there. The heat index with our long pants and long sleeves on was roughly 104! It was very hot but none of the kids complained one bit!

Wednesday we took the afternoon and evening to relax and went to Tuscaloosa to Johns former church to shower and change and listen to Tim Simpson talk about life to us. We then went on a Stadium Tour, Tour of Mal Moore facility and then some of the true Bama fans got a special treat when we  were able to be taken to Nick Sabans office and sit at his desk and wear some of his National Championship rings! Then we went to Midtown to just eat, shop, relax for a few hours.

Thursday we would adventure downtown to a place called Pie Lab and eat some of the amazing pies they had there and relax. Then we went to a place that makes bikes and skateboards out of bamboo! This was amazing to see the process and basically is a program that helps to give jobs. We then after difficulties would go to Greensboro Baptist church who lent us their van and their restrooms everyday to set up to watch a funeral. Mary Stewart Furtune was a member of Olive and has 3 kids, 2 of them which are in the youth group. So many students on this trip know the kids and adults knew her well. John had driven down early this morning to help with the services so we were able to have it lifestream and watch it. This was something that is so sad and hard but God was in the midst of everything!

Friday morning we would go to the church and finish out the week with the baptism and a block party with the kids. The kids loved just played with water balloons, ice and water. The simplest things to us was just everything to them.

This whole week we were there for the kids was like a whole week of Disney World to them. That is the only way I know how to describe it. The kids were so excited to see us and be with us, it would be like going on a family trip to Disney world, or opening gifts on Christmas morning. God was with us the whole week and we not only left a mark at the apartments, but in the community. Near the end of the week we had kids come that heard about it that didn't even live in the apartments. People would honk horns at us while we did yard work, people stopped us while we were walking downtown. God left His mark in Greensboro and we were just able to be servants for Him! 

I went into the trip knowing around 4 of the 37 people. Today I went to church and had all the girls coming up to me giving me hugs, smiles, and laughs. I left the trip seeing how faithful God is and how much is Love is. 

God answered the preachers 7 year long prayer in His timing. That shows that God is always working and may tell us to wait, but the wait will be worth it and it will be far greater that we can imagine! 

Prayer Request:

Please pray for the community of Greensboro. That God will set a revival in that town and that HE will be known.

Pray for the apartment complex, that the kids would remember what they were taught and continue to remember it and show it.

Pray for the kids that accepted Christ and that they will show more interest in wanting to come into the Kingdom.

Pray for the kids and their living environment, that they will just be able to cling to God when they feel hopeless or afraid.

Pray for the Pastor and his church, as they are continuing to outreach to the the town and just trying to grow.

Pray that the students just grow and learn from this trip and then continue to serve Christ in missions!

The students who went are already wanting to go back or do something to help the kids, pray that God shows what HE wants to be done.

Thank you for your prayers and for reading through this long post. I could go on and on about the week. Just contact me for more information or with any questions that you have about the trip!

Going on a Mission

Well I didn't know when the next time I would be going on a Mission Trip and in the last 5 days, an opportunity has came up for me to attend one. In the recent months I have been attending Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola. I have been blessed to have work the past two years with the youth ministry with serving as a leader for their DNow weekends. So the High School Youth Minister John Lowe contacted me about the opportunity to serve alongside him and attend this mission trip. John was the Youth Minister back when I was going into the 6th grade at FBC Milton. That year he followed his call by God to go to Tuscaloosa and minster there before returning to the area in the past few years. So I was very excited to get the text from John and feel honored that he thought of me to help attend the trip. So on Sunday myself, with 29 high school students and 6 other chaperones will leave Pensacola to go serve in Greensboro, Alabama. We will arrive sunday and stay till Friday afternoon. Our schedule will roughly look like: Monday- Thursday mornings leave our base site around 7:45 and head to an apartment complex to do a week of VBS with the kids that live their. So VBS will consist of crafts, recreation, bible story time, and of course just loving on the kids and the community. Then Monday and Tuesday afternoon we will work on a site for a local church that they need cleaned up for groups that will be coming in and helping serving within the church. So we will be doing some intense yard work for two days. On Wednesday we will travel up to the great Tuscaloosa in the afternoon and enjoy the afternoon and evening there. On Friday we will end the week with a block party with the community and the kids and their families one last time when we depart. So what can you do to help? Pray. It is as simple as that! Going into a new community people may not be so open to letting their kids go see strangers, or may hear we are a church group and maybe turned off by that. Pray for the students as they are all assigned various duties for teaching the material, leading crafts, or recreation. May God use these kids to share the Gospel to the kids and ultimately to the parents. Pray for safe travels there, back, and our time around town. Pray that kids will come to VBS and see God's love through all of us there. Pray for the apartment complex workers, sometimes it can be a stressful job and that can build up and may we be able to show Christ love and sovereignty to them. May we not only go to be a blessing to someone else, but may us as chaperones and the students also receive a blessing by realizing how great we have things and just remembering how much God loves us and is willing to use us if we let Him! 

These are some photos of the place we will be staying at, Baseball Country. 

Graduate.

May 8, 2015 I officially became an Alumni of Troy University. I joined the the family, now myself, mom, and dad are all Troy Alumnis together. This was a bittersweet day but was a day of rejoicing that I made it and finished college! The road next is a little unsure just by trying to figure out the path that God has laid out before me. Seeing what doors are opened and have seen doors closed in order to see that those were not in Gods plan for me.

Coaching the game I love

So I was asked to help Coach softball at Milton High school. I was an assistant coach for the JV team.  On the team we carried around 12-17 girls to games and a tournament. I remember my senior year playing for my coaches and thinking to myself if I ever was to coach then I want to be like them and not only teach the girls about the game of softball but about the game of life. That there is more to the world than softball, but the things that they will learn they can carry with them forever and apply them along the way. We started off the season slow, with injuries and setbacks but the girls showed some heart and fought each and every game. Being a coach you see the game and the players from a different perspective and I am thankful that I was able to see that and be apart of that opportunity. I was fortunate to grow close with 3 of the girls and took them under my wing as my daughters. I have been able to guide these girls in softball and in life everyday. It has been a true blessing to be able to give back to a place that once gave me so much and was home to me for more that just 4 years. I step out on that field and I can remember my days in uniform like it was just yesterday. I carry those lessons that I learned then still today and try to share them with others. I was also fortunate to help coach some with a former teammate and friend. Alyssa and I grew up playing travel ball and rec ball together and then on to high school also. now life has came full circle and we were able to coach together. 

Teaching Others

 In the month of February I was blessed with the opportunity to spend two weekends at two different churches with some 11th and 12th grade girls for Disciple Now. The first one I was a leader at was at Olive Baptist. The ironic thing about this one was it was the night of the rival Milton vs Pace softball game (where I coach at Milton) and half of the girls i would be leading were Pace softball players. It was a pure joy to spend the weekend with these girls I have never met before and that they were able to open up and respond to me as a stranger. I know that the Lord has His hands in the middle of the whole weekend, I mean he set me up with girls that half of them had the softball connection with me. I was blessed with wonderful house parents and it was a true blessing.
Then the second one I was fortunate to lead was a last minute call and was by a new youth minister. I would have the same age group at Pine Terrecst Baptist. The cool thing about this group is that I have been able to watch some of these girls grow up in Milton but never have been very close to them. But after this weekend I feel like I have known these girls forever and the group message we have now always makes me laugh and smile, you never know what these girls may say. These girls were very energetic and never had a dull moment, our house parents also have a farm so on a small break that we had we were able to go and visit some of the animals. The weekend did not stop here as I have been able to attend many different events for the girls and one was the annual Scholarship Pageant that Milton High School does every year. These girls are not only beautiful on the outside but on inside very much. These girls are truly rare jewels and are shining their light for Christ each and everyday.
Sometimes people may ask why would I go and spend two weekends with strangers or in someone else's home, get little sleep, eat junk food all weekend. But the answer for me is truly simple. I was once in their shoes and had someone once lead me and be able to strengthen my relationship with Christ. So now I am doing what I can and giving back and sharing Christ love with younger girls, and am opening my arms to them since I have been in their shoes before and know what there are going through. These are some of the highlights of the year when I am asked to lead girls. I am forever grateful for the opportunity given to me.

Rollercoaster

If i am being honest the past 5 months have been a roller coaster. Many different things have happened. Many first and many lasts. Many endings and beginnings. Much laughter, smiles, tears, and memories. Life has a way of doing things or telling you things. Two words that I have been trying to focus on and cling to is Patience and Positive. Sometimes God's plan is far greater than we can ever imagine, but the things is we have to have faith in it and in ourselves along the way. We have to trust God that He will do His will, but it will happen in HIS timing. That can be the hard part is His timing. I have closed one chapter in my life book and I am trying to start a new one, except right now I feel like their is writers block going on. But in all reality how can God have writers block? Its the part when my faith is not where is should be and where it has been before. There has been many pros and cons to being home the past 5 months and i can't believe that it has been that long. Figuring out the next step in life has been very difficult, with doors being shut and no more being opened this has caused strain on myself and on relationships. Positive and Patience, it will happen when it is meant to happen and to make sure I get there I have to remain positive and know that God has great things planned for me.