Connections

This morning, several of us met for Breakfast and the conversation turned to seeds. Not the kind you plant in the garden, but the kind you plant in people’s hearts. For Carol and several of the other people who came here to Jonesville last year, this year’s mission trip has been a lesson in seeds.

Last year, of course, was our first time here, and at first the people were a little skeptical, wondering, no doubt who we were and what we were about. By the end of the week last year however, several people had made real connections. Miss Thelma and Shannon connected. Little Brianna and several of the people from our church connected. So much so in fact, that they have been looking forward to our coming back with real anticipation.

A lot of times, a church goes on a mission trip somewhere and plants seeds of love and faith, but the next year they go somewhere else, and never really get to see any of those seeds start to grow. But for the group from Troutville that went last year, they see real, concrete changes in people – their seeds of love from last year growing, making a difference.

Of course this year we not only were continuing the work at Jonesville, but also began to plant new seeds of love in Darbyville. This morning, after only a couple of days there, I could already see some of those seeds bear fruit. How could you miss the hugs the children, who met us only yesterday, were giving to our members?

They particularly love the teenagers. Shannon and Sarah. Drewry, Emily and Lacey are all touching hearts with their joy and caring and joyful attitudes.

And our adults too are touching people. For instance, yesterday one lone teenager showed up in Darbyville for bible school, but Pam, and others touched him enough that he called several of his friends, from school and from his high school ROTC unit and today we had five teenagers. You should see how the kids are responding to Shirley and Drewry’s crafts – they love them. This afternoon David O’Dell led a rousing game of kickball in the hundred degree heat and the kids all responded. Throughout the day I watched Carol talking to people there, encouraging them, lifting them up. Seeds of love at work.

Joe and Tim spent yesterday scouring the area to get the supplies they needed to do their work. Today they were hard at that work, fixing rot in the flooring of the church, fixing flashing, and more. Unlike the rest of us, their work is solitary, and they are not mixing with as many people in the area, but they are making a visible difference in this small church, and stabilizing it in ways it needs, in a way that only they could do. In the morning, before we began to fix lunch and dinner, Martha Murray and I began to weed and reclaim a faith garden in the churchyard that was overgrown with weeds.

In short, there is work for everyone here. It was Lucy Miller who said this morning that there is just so much to do here, that you can never do it all. But she said, we can make a difference, and we have, each in our own way, using our own gifts. We can plant seeds, and we have.

Last night, at our worship service after dinner. Several people shared their experiences from the day. They also shared that, for many of us here, there were real, valid, heartfelt reasons for them to not have come. Illness, Illness of loved one. Family issues. Grief. So many of us here came within a hairbreadth of not coming. And yet in the end, each took the leap of faith and came despite their doubts or worry or cares. And each has given so much of themselves and made a real impact, each on their own, special, God-given way. It seems that God simply meant for THIS mix of people to be here at THIS time, and we all certainly come to think that way about each other, and about ourselves.

Again, thank you all who are home for your prayers and comments. Dana – your tomatoes are a hit. Juanita – your goodies made dinner special last night. Linda and Joy – Drewry wears your crosses each day. I’ve seen several people here reading the cards and notes their prayer partners have sent them. I could go on and on, but every small kindness, every small prayer, every little gift and card from our prayer partners, everything you have done for us has touched far more people than perhaps you realize, both here in Jonesville and in our own small group.

Two full days of work ahead, and we begin to tire, so keep praying for us. Continue your comments and notes – they are all precious to us and everything you do is what makes a mission like this not our mission, but the church’s mission, God’s mission.

Tom

PS - click on the small pictures for larger versions.