"On Missions"

On any given Tuesday night, I am usually found leading a group of middle or high school youth in sharing their testimonies. This is just one of the many activities I get to do when I am "on missions." This summer, City on a Hill has had four week-long missions teams come in to serve our neighborhood. As the missions intern here, I get to be with the teams during nearly every step of their trip. I have loved being able to see the transformations in students lives over the course of the week.

One of the most transforming parts of our trips at City on a Hill is the poverty simulation. Participants spend forty hours experiencing the hardships of poverty. During my first trip as the missions intern, I was able to participate in the "pov sim" alongside the missions team. I was able to see firsthand how this program impacts students, and was drastically changed myself. I became so much more aware of how those in poverty live and why the cycle of poverty is so difficult to overcome. After going through that experience, I become so much more passionate about what I am doing here and the ministry I get to be a part of.

In addition to the poverty simulation, we do multiple activities to engage our missions teams in the neighborhood surrounding City on a Hill. We strive to provide opportunities for trip participants to meet and interact with the people living in our community. During my favorite two activities, Adopt-A-Block and street evangelism, we send teams out into the neighborhood to get to know people nearby and to offer them prayer. I love how much our trip participants are shocked by the generosity and kindness of the people in our community. Often, they go into these activities quite reserved and concerned about their safety, due to stereotypes about impoverished and homeless people.  When they come back just a few hours later, they often have wonderful stories of the interesting, funny, happy people that they met.

I am so thankful for this job that allows me to see students' lives being changed every day. I get to see students be set on fire for God and go home with a passion for helping those in poverty. The last two months have been exhausting, but I wouldn't change them for the world. What a perfect, well-spent summer here at City on a Hill.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 5:14-16

Doing What You Love and Experiencing the Wisconsin Life

I have successfully written only two blog posts since starting my internship. It's not that I've forgotten to blog, or I've become a workaholic at this job. It is true that I work a lot, but not because I feel I have to. It's more like I work because I absolutely love what I am doing. I am gaining so much valuable leadership experience and getting an amazing inside look at the world of non-profits.

Dozens of grants that were organized today.

Today I spent the majority of the day sorting paperwork pertaining to past grants that my organization has applied for. To most, it may seem like a menial, tedious task. I, however, am really interested in how non-profit organizations work, particularly how they get funded. In high school, I had the opportunity to write a grant proposal for a non-profit in my English class. It was definitely hard work, but it was rewarding in the end. After having the experience of writing and presenting a grant to a committee, and now working for a non-profit, I have a much better understanding of the necessity of grants and how they get put to use once awarded to an organization. Grants fund a vast majority of our programming here at City on a Hill, from our health clinic to our youth center. Without them, this organization just wouldn't be able to function, and I certainly wouldn't be here in Milwaukee right now.

Speaking of Milwaukee, this summer hasn't been all work and no play. "MKE" is an amazing place to be in the summer, and I am enjoying every spare moment that I have here. I have gotten the chance to explore downtown, with incredible, beautiful architecture, spend hours on end in delicious local coffee shops, and of course, wander the beach at Lake Michigan. The City of Festivals is lively, with something new to do every weekend. This weekend, I am considering checking out "Festa Italiana." I also am headed to Refuge Smoothies at some point this week with the other intern. We are both really excited to try the "Diane de la Santos" smoothie, which is named after City on a Hill's executive director.

Yes, Milwaukee is great. I love living here, and I love having an amazing job here for the summer. However, it is also starting to sink in that this incredible summer is almost over. Three out of the four missions teams have come and gone, and I am already in my final few weeks here at City on a Hill. I will be sad to go, but great things are yet to come for this next school year. I am getting so excited to head up North for leadership training with Student Government! And yes, I can officially say that I now know what "up North" really means, in Wisconsin terms. I also know what a "bubbler" is now. If there's anything I can take away from my time in Wisconsin, it is probably that. Oh, and that cheese, the Packers, and the Brewers pretty much are life.

First Major Events!

After two weeks of training, I feel like I am finally getting into the swing of things here at City on a Hill! So far, I am really loving my job! The people I work for and with are incredible people, who are very dedicated to what they do. This really showed the past two weeks, as City on a Hill hosted two large events. The first, last weekend (June 7), was a luncheon for all of the men in the neighborhood around COAH. It was great to get my first glimpse at the camaraderie and tight-knit relationships between the people in this community, and to see how City on a Hill works to help them. At the luncheon, the youth from our youth center put on a great program while the men ate. Some students read poems they had written, some sang worship songs, and some got to talk about their accomplishments in school and clubs. It was such a great thing to see!

This past Saturday, June 14, we hosted our monthly free health clinic. The clinic offers free health services such as physical therapy, vision screening, blood pressure/sugar tests, medication information, insurance information, and doctor visits. We also had a lunch for guests, a food pantry for them to receive a bag of groceries, and a hygiene station where they could get one free hygiene item to take home.My role was to sign in people that had never come to the clinic before and fill out paperwork with them. I met some really interesting people through this experience, and I felt really grateful for the opportunity. One woman in particular came in towards the end of the clinic with her young son. They had walked around for hours trying to find City on a Hill after they heard about the clinic from a neighbor. They were absolutely exhausted. However, when I started to tell them about the services that we were offering that day, the mother perked up and became overjoyed. She had not known that we were serving lunch or that we would have toothpaste available for guests. She told me that she knew the entire time they had been walking that God was with them and that He was giving them strength, but she had no idea just how much God would be blessing them through City on a Hill that day. By the time she left my registration station, she had me in tears. Her optimism and faith made more of an impact on me that day than I ever could have imagined. I really saw how God was working in the lives of those in our impoverished Milwaukee neighborhood. Although the people don't have much in terms of belongings or money, they do have a lot of love and faith. Relationships mean everything to them, including a relationship with God.

I went into this internship thinking about how much I could impact other people and feed them spiritually. I had no idea how much they would impact and teach me. This is only the beginning, too. This next week we have our first missions team coming to City on a Hill. I am so excited to see what this next week brings, and what I am able to learn from my encounters with others through this first COAH missions experience!

Motto on the wall of City on a Hill

A Summer in the City

In April, Canon Andrew White, "The Vicar of Baghdad,"  spoke at my school. Canon White told students to "take risks, not take care." Specifically, we were told to take risks in our ministry to others and in giving everything. Around this same time, I was in the process of interviewing for summer jobs and internships. There was one opportunity that stood out to me, and that I was willing to do just about anything to get. It was a risky step for me to apply for this particular internship, as it is much different than anything I have ever done before.

Not long after I heard Canon White speak, I was offered my summer internship with an inner city ministry. I will be a missions intern, working with church groups and leading them through poverty simulations, service projects, street evangelism, and a weekend day camp for kids in the community. I will also have occasional opportunities to work with a nurse practitioner to create health education programs for the monthly free clinic that the organization runs.

I am thrilled about the opportunities I have with this internship. I get to live in a new city, meet new people, and try many new things. One the other hand, I will also have the opportunity to do some of the things I feel most capable and confident in: communicating with groups of people, planning/leading events, and creating educational/promotional health programs. I am excited that I get to use skills that I feel confident in, but in a setting that is new and unfamiliar to me. I think it will be a really great opportunity to continue improving these skills, but also learn brand new skills and gain new insights/perspectives from others.

Tomorrow, I make the move to Milwaukee and start my internship. It is exciting and terrifying all at the same time. It is definitely a good terrifying, though- maybe it is more of a feeling of "exhilaration." 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." I feel like this is absolutely true in my life right now. I am so excited about what this summer will bring, and although it is new and slightly intimidating, I feel powerful and ready to take on whatever comes my way, no matter the risk.

Growing Pains

"You don't do well with change, do you?" While speaking with my wonderful pastor a few weeks ago, he posed this question. He clearly already knew the answer, but I, on the other hand, had never even considered it. I ended up responding with, "I like the idea of change, but I guess I'm not very fond of it while it is actually happening." Isn't this true of just about all of us?

In elementary and middle school, I was always anticipating my next "growth spurt." I am a relatively short person, and for a very long time I dreamed of being taller. I craved the idea of this physical change. When growth spurts finally did come, my legs would throb and I would have severe knee pains, particularly during my first (and only!) season of track in 7th grade. Like many kids do, I was experiencing growing pains. I ended up wishing my growth spurts would be over quickly. When I finally stopped growing for good in high school, I came to realize how wonderful being short really is. I can wear heels whenever I want and I basically rock at limbo. Sometimes you have to go through some trials and pain to realize how much more important the journey is than the final destination. Ultimately, your idea of the "final destination" may even shift from what you had originally wanted.

In April of 2013, I made the tough decision to transfer to a new college. I didn't have anything against my school. I actually really loved it there, and I still do. I made the decision based on what I needed academically and where I would be able to get the best education for my desired career path in healthcare. After arriving for my first semester at Wheaton, however, the reality began to sink in that I was no longer at Wartburg, and that I couldn't be a part of the things I had loved there. Despite being involved at Wheaton, I struggled to feel like I really belonged on campus. I had a truly rough start to my year, and I contemplated transferring back multiple times. Throughout this process, I really wrestled with God and my faith. I found myself clinging to God when I didn't know what else to cling to. Throughout the semester, I learned a lot about myself and about how to face challenges head-on.

As this semester begins, I look back on where the past year has taken me. I've had a lot of struggles, but I have also had just as many beautiful moments. Though I failed to see it most of last semester, I am successful at Wheaton, and I really do fit it well. The academics are hard, but I have learned to rise to the challenge. Many people here do act differently than most of my friends at Wartburg, but I can adjust and be open. The activities to be involved in here are much different, but I can love new things. The adjustment period was the hardest thing I have ever gone through, but I have realized how much stronger that has made me.

Last night a friend said, "You basically get to have two different colleges!" It's true. I do, and I am blessed by that everyday. I set out thinking that I was going to become "a Wheaton College student," when in reality, I get to have memories and share in the joys of both Wheaton and Wartburg. I have a heart for both, however different they may be. You see, it isn't about who you are or what you become, but about the story that has gotten you there. The growing pains were very real as I learned to adapt to my new environment, but I have experienced some incredible people, places, sports, cultures, and more. Sometimes, you need some growing pains to make you stronger, happier, and healthier, and to realize that it isn't all about the destination, but the difficult trip that it takes to get there. You may even surprise yourself with a new, better destination than the one you had planned.

So let it rain...

A year ago this week, my hometown experienced great tragedy. We lost two of our high school students to suicide in one weekend. For weeks now I'm been thinking about what to say when this week finally came. Honestly though, there are no words, and I'm doing the best that I can to find something to say. One thing that I have always been able to really connect with is music, and that's one thing that helped a lot of us express our feelings during this time last year when we were all at a loss for words. In choir, we sang a song by U2 called MLK, which brought a lot of tears for months. Everywhere we sang this song we made audiences cry, even causing the judges at State Contest to cry during our performance.

"Sleep tonight
And may your dreams
Be realized
If the thundercloud
Passes rain
So let it rain
Rain down on him"

As we performed this song, we all held hands and felt connected to one another like we never had before. Suddenly, we realized how much we all meant to each other, and how much we needed each other for support. We couldn't do it alone, and it was okay to feel weak and vulnerable sometimes. During the weeks following the deaths of our classmates, our school came together like it never had before, and likely never will again. I have never felt so close to the 450+ students in my grade, and the 2,000 students in my grade, most of whom I have never even met. We cried with strangers, we prayed with strangers, we openly prayed in a public school, and we leaned on each other for hope and support.

Today, my home church sang a song that was the favorite worship song of one of the young men that we lost, "Overcome" by Jeremy Camp. Since I couldn't be there, my mom texted me to tell me, and I listened to the song here at school.

"Power in hand speaking the Father's plan 

You're sending us out, light in this broken land
We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb 

and the word of our testimony, everyone overcome"

 

By the end of the song, I had tears streaming down my face. These last last few words really hit home for me. This world is so broken, and there is a lot of hurt, but we can overcome. With Jesus and our faith in him, we can overcome anything that comes our way. I've learned that from terrible things comes amazing grace, love and learning. We have all learned something from this tragedy. We have learned to come together as a community. We have learned how to communicate with one another even when words fail us. We have learned that we cannot do anything without faith or without others to help us through. Johnston, I am here for you, this week and always. You have taught me amazing things about love, community, and struggle. I am all the better for that. So be strong, Johnston. Together, we can overcome.

"What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise."

-Oscar Wilde

Scrap the Resolutions: RADIATE!

Happy 2013! Of course, with a new year comes new resolutions: plans to "change your life" in the coming year. For most of us, however, resolutions typically end up failing. A great friend of mine (check her out at neadinspiration.com!) is currently campaigning for New Years "themes" rather than resolutions. The whole point of this is to set yourself up for success instead of failure. By choosing a theme for the year ahead of us, we aren't setting strict laws that we have to abide by. There is no law or rule that is be broken by skipping a day at the gym. Instead, we are setting the stage for how we want to live out the year and how we want to improve our life. As my friend Liz says, this theme will be "a home base for all your actions and improvements."

So of course, I have decided to scrap my New Years resolutions this year! What is my theme for 2013, you may ask? I have chosen "radiate!" By the end of this past semester, I was quite honestly a wreck. I was absolutely exhausted. I just wasn't letting myself be the carefree, happy-go-lucky person that I typically am. Now, it isn't that I completely overworked myself or that I had overcommitted during the semester. I simply got into the "flow" of life, where every single day is the same. This causes all of the days to run together, and life gets quite boring! I have incredible plans for my future, and college is a huge part of that. So how can I take advantage of this time that is given to me this next year and this coming semester? By choosing the theme "radiate," I am setting myself up to live a more exciting, more inspiring life in 2013. I know that I can be that happy-go-lucky, carefree person if I let myself be, which can really affect those around me! I want to be so enthusiastic and excited about my life that it radiates and encourages others as well!

I am so excited about 2013, and I know that great things are yet to come! I am ready to RADIATE!

Check out Liz's blog on New Year's themes here.

Need ideas for your own theme? No problem! Read through this list of themes!