The ASP Experience

A couple weeks ago I went on the Appalachia Service Project (ASP). It was an amazing and rewarding experience. I had not heard of ASP until I started at my placement site and up until recently I did not know much about it. ASP is a service opportunity across five states, there are various projects but during the summer the primary projects are construction on homes. Metropolitan Memorial’s youth go on an ASP experience once a year and this year I was able to attend.

At the beginning of the week I had no idea what to expect, and after the first couple of days I realized I loved the experience. My love for the experience stemmed from a few things:

1. Every step of ASP felt like fellowship. The youth got to know each other better, the adults learned ways in which to encourage the youth to believe in their abilities, and together we all got to know the families that we were working with.

 

2. Youth empowerment is one of the main goals of Metropolitan Memorial’s ASP experience, and I got to see that in action. There were challenges, and sacrifices; there were achievements, and personal and group victories.

 

3. The ASP experience was, for me, joy-filled. There was a restaurant, Ma and Pa’s at which we spent almost every night. On the second night we went to Ma and Pa’s and was able to dance and sing with persons from the town. Toward the end of the week we went to a park and enjoyed a picnic for the ASP crews and the homeowners, this offered a great opportunity to further connect with people and enjoy the beauty of Virginia.

These three aspects of the ASP experience were beautiful to be a part of and to witness.

I heard many times ASP called, “A relational ministry with construction on the side.” I was struck during the week with how much the tenets of ASP remind me of the tenets of Generation Transformation such as, “‘Engage. Connect. Grow.,’ or,’ ministry with, not to or for.'” I felt engaged by the work we were all doing together. The only way the projects would be done successfully is if we all worked together, with the youth making choices and plans along the way.  I felt connected to the families we were working with during the times when we would stop our work and just chat together for a while, or when a family member would give us freeze pops on our way out at the end of the day. I sensed growth in seeing the youth dynamically ask questions and come to realizations through the entire experience.

The ASP experience was a great way to spend a week during the summer months, I feel grateful for the time there and all that was learned.

Stephanie Quammen

GMF US-2, Class of 2016-2018

Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church

Washington DC

#3022240

Who Am I?

Who am I?

It isn’t a complete tragedy that I’ve never known the answer to this question.  I have never defined myself, making me vulnerable to letting others define who I am.

Who am I?  Thankfully, my quarter life crisis, my life long identity crisis, as well as the cultural crisis (due to leaving home for the first time in my life) would culminate the perfect storm of the ideal timing, season, motivation, and environment for me to get my hands dirty and discover the answer to this question.  I’ve avoided the question for 24 years for various reasons.

There have been times that I could literally feel the electricity in the atmosphere shock my heart- bringing me back from the hell of mundane and meaningless routine that I willingly embraced because of the expectations society thrust upon me.

The main thing I learned in my 24^th year of life is that I am too young to know anything and therefore, I am certain that who I am today will not be the same as when I am 35. But, I hope that I will continue to make progress by continuing to evolve and be enlightened.

Truth Seeker

One of the strongest desires that dwells within me is the unquenchable thirst for knowledge; a curiosity that fuels the gears in my mind to constantly work overtime.  I am not comfortable accepting reality from a country/government/society/institution/individual that has intentionally, or unintentionally, deceived or withheld the true nature of my history, culture, or my people.

Realizing, seeking, and understand these important pillars (history, culture, people) helped me understand myself, my family, and my community  as well as the position we occupy in this social order – then determine if I will accept that position or rebel against it.  It was the beginning of liberating and painful transformation that would ultimately determine the direction of my life.

Truth Teller

Since I was a little girl, I have been told to shut up.  A consistent wave of complaints concerning my excessive talkativeness convinced me at a young age that I had better shut my mouth.  As a result, I’ve wasted a lot of time in silence and have suppressed everything about myself that did not fit into the mold given to me as a black Christian woman in the South.

Upon realizing that living with no authority over myself and without the right to express myself was a form of enslavement. I was restrained without chains.  Now 24 years of silence is about to blow a hole in the fabric of reality to this social order and religious institutions that reinforce the infringement of my rights to express myself via invalidating my experience.

I have never been known liberation or inner peace as well as I do when I am actively committed to being genuine and authentic.  This leads me to believe that I am charged by God to continue as I desire to see others freed of their bondage as well.

Lover of Justice — Lover of people

My love for justice and people are the primary and underlying motives for everything that I do and say.  I am convinced that it is impossible to be a lover of justice without being a lover of people.  Likewise; I cannot understand how one could claim to be a lover of people without being a lover of justice.  The people that claim to love people the most, that’ I’ve known, have a very incomplete concept of justice- if justice is even a factor for anyone but themselves.

Many have told me that because of the direct manner of my words or the nature of the words, that I am no longer speaking the truth in love.  I beg to differ, I am only speaking the truth via highlighting the unfiltered reality because of love, and I have relinquished myself of the responsibility of how others react.

Who am I?

Lover of the black community ~ Artist ~ Africana Womanist ~ Healer ~ Liberator ~ Poet  Activist ~ Author ~ Revolutionary ~ Fierce Lover

Who are you?

Chasity Jones
GMF US-2, Class of 2016-2018
Seattle District of The United Methodist Church
Seattle, WA

#3022206

Everyday Mission

1 Peter 4:10 (English Standard Version) tells us that as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.

How many of us love to do random acts of kindness such as, tipping the waiter at our restaurant more than the suggested amount? What about giving words of encouragement to random people that we may just came in contact with throughout our day when running errands? How about customer service? That is a true gift. That is exemplifying the kindness of the Holy Spirit. I am sure we’ve never thought of it like that, but it’s an act of using our God given talents to better, maybe even change, someone’s life.

Everyday, I strive to use every drop of the gifts that God has given me to serve those who are around me, and to serve my local community. I believe that there are many ways for us to use our gifts. If we have been gifted with wealth, or wisdom, with influence or education, we should offer those gifts as a sacrifices. Meaning use those gifts even when it is convenient, uncomfortable, or unpopular.

Ephesians 5:1 tells us therefore be imitators of God as beloved Children.

How many of us identify ourselves as children of God?

It is my belief that we are loved by God, and nurtured by God, and comforted by the Holy Spirit. That we should do those very same things as children of God just as the text has instructed us

Separately and collectively think back to the specific things that God has allowed to happen in our lives. What has been incredibly beneficial to us? Let’s take a moment to think about how God has allowed certain people to come in our lives to serve us, and to deliver certain gifts to us. I believe that God strategically placed those gifts into those very people to bless us.

WE ARE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING!

How do we do that? I encourage you to use the same efforts to serve others just as you’ve committed to making sure you attend  meetings and work, or any other commitments  you’ve made to help yourself. If you have already made this a priority in your daily life,  I want to challenge you to take it up a notch. Commit to embodying God’s character, in serving your friends, family, co workers, and your community, and never forget those who are less fortunate than you. It starts locally.  Knowing that the word of God tells us that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  (Acts 20:35)

As believers of Christ Jesus we are all commissioned. There is no need for a fancy assembly but rather the acknowledgment that we are told to feed the hungry and help those in trouble.

Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. Isaiah 58:10.

Are you shining bright?

Lastly, Matthew 5:16 tells us, In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let us remember that it’s not about us, but all that we do in mission everyday.

That all the Glory and the Honor is to our Father God.

I love you with the love of the Lord.

Sydney Stanberry

GMF US-2, Class of 2016-2018

Poughkeepsie, FL

#3022238

Esther 414 Blog

Finding God in the Water

I’ve always loved water.

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I loved when summer vacations meant a long drive and then a week at the beach.

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I loved “creeking” at Girl Scout camp. I loved looking for crayfish when I went to Boy Scout camp with my brother.

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At church camp in middle school, I tried kayaking for the first time. My favorite part? When we had to practice falling out of the kayak and getting back in again. We tipped our kayaks while in the still lake water, just in case this happened while we were on the river.

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As I grew older, I began to feel God’s presence through water.

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On Church of the Messiah youth retreats in high school, I’d find a waterfall to stand next to. I’d pray or journal, sometimes even sing.

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Even while attending American University in Washington, DC, I was able to find water, both through camping trips and retreats, as well as through hikes around Theodore Roosevelt Island. I saw an eagle fly for the first time while hiking in Washington, DC.

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We often think about water as having the power to cleanse and renew, even when it destroys everything first. “And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.” (As a side note, my “Countdown to Missionary Retirement” indicates that I have 40 days left before I end my term of service, and while it will be nothing like in the age of Noah, I wouldn’t be surprised if the rainy season brings similar weather to Miami-Dade County.)

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During the United Methodist Candidacy process, we talked about “One Baptism, One Call.” God created each of us, and God calls each of us to something. I believe God has called me to social justice ministry. When I began to think about baptism–which also involves water–in this way, it became so much more meaningful than the action of putting some water on my head as a baby. I was baptized into a community of Christians who each have unique gifts, and when we use our gifts fully and in a unified way, we form the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12).

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While serving as a Global Mission Fellow US-2, I have also been lucky enough to find water: the ocean! (Now that I have well water, I have also experienced times without water, like when the electricity goes out and there is nothing to power the water pump.) Other than searching for shells, watching nurse sharks swim by my feet, and napping in the sand, one of my favorite things to do at the ocean in South Florida is snorkel.

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In most aspects of my life, I like to be in control. When I am in control, I don’t worry. It’s foolish, really, to go through life that way.

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The first few times when I went snorkeling, I started to breathe rather rapidly as soon as my face plunged under water. I knew that I could float, that I could breathe through my snorkel, and that my nose was covered by my face mask/goggles. Even so, I forced air in and out of the snorkel quickly, because I needed to feel in control.

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At times, my relationship with God has been like snorkeling. I know that God loves me and wants what is best for me. Yet, I sometimes have trouble living into that truth. Instead, I flounder around, seeking to overpower God. When I ignore the Holy Spirit’s pull on my life and instead seek to do my own will, I always end up worse off than I would have been if I had let go. Moreover, I often contribute to our structural sin when I don’t do what God leads me to do. Snorkeling, for me, is a reminder that I need to just relax and trust in God.

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For many of us in the US, water is so common that we (unfortunately) take it for granted. I am grateful that God has used water, which I see and experience everyday, to teach me more about God.

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Emily Kvalheim

GMF US-2, Class of 2015-2017

South Florida Justice For Our Neighbors

Miami-Dade County, FL

#3022060

Moving Beyond Expectations

This journey has not been what I expected. Even though we spend pieces of training debunking the stereotypes of missionaries and their work, my ego clung tight to the hope of transforming into some sort of Jesus-following superhero.

Expectations are very limited. Expectations keep us from dreaming grand dreams or living into grander realities. I’m coming upon the end of my mission service, and I am not a superhero of any sort. And thank God, really. What pressure that must be. It hasn’t kept me from discovering the identities I do embody, though.

When I think about who I was and my societal labels at the beginning of this journey, I don’t recognize that girl. I use the word “girl” very intentionally. To me, a girl lacks maturity, both internally and demonstrably. A girl views the world through the lens of her own ego. So while it seems bizarre that it’s taken me (almost) 29 years, the first identity I have come to claim through this experience is “woman”.

Another significant identity I’ve embraced is “worthy”. Every morning I wake up and use a fine line Sharpie to ink an imperfect circle on the back of my right hand below my thumb. The context of the circle is unimportant, but serves as a constant personal reminder of my mantra: “I am worthy of love”. I have come to deeply love who I am, even if some who claim to love me have given me the metaphorical boot from the family because I refuse to deny my self-worth. (I’m a little bitter about this. I’m working on it.)

I’ve claimed other identities, too. Bisexual. Flamboyant liberal. Feminist. Educator. Urbanite. Protest-goer. Ally. All new. All authentic. Notice the absence of superhero.

My point is that transformation is only possible when we free ourselves from the imprisonment of expectation. The one identity I anticipated living into is the one I’m furthest from. And those I claim were the most unpredictable.

I hope to continue through life without expectations. I would much rather be surprised by the endless possibilities of grand dreams and grander realities.

 

Amber Feezor

General Board of Church and Society

Washington, DC

Global Mission Fellow US-2, Class of 2015-2017

#3022063

 

Reflections on Youth

If you showed up to my church on any Sunday around 5 you would be met with the smell and sound of 6-10 preteens/teenagers. You would hear them yelling about some youtube video they watched recently or how many subscribers they have on their own videos. Occasionally someone will talk about classes or their family. This was what I came into on my first Sunday helping with youth at Avondale UMC.

There is almost nothing as nerve-wracking as walking into a room full of adolescents. They can be judgmental, moody, and loud. It is like being in high school again, and let me tell you, that is not an experience I would care to repeat. Working with these kids has done more for me than I think I have done for them. They have taught me to be fearless in my pursuit for myself, to talk loudly, and to question everything.

Adolescents are very self-absorbed. They are constantly trying to find out who they are and are very against others telling them pretty much anything.  Now I am not saying, “put yourself before everyone or God.” I am saying that you should pick up the craft you don’t look at very often, spend the couple of dollars on that coffee you want, and take some time for yourself, even if you have to say no to someone else. Teenagers have no problem letting you know when they don’t want to do something. Try it–maybe be a little more eloquent than your 13-year-old self–but it may surprise you how much you say “yes” to what you don’t like.

I feel like there comes a point in an adult life when it is no longer acceptable to ask questions or talk loudly in almost any setting. We are given the idea that functional adults talk in a civilized monotone. That is not the case with my youth. They are loud. They yell, they voice their opinions, and they question everything. I love the nights when I can see them think about God, and all the questions come gushing out like a waterfall. Sometimes the questions are hard: “Why did my dad die if God loves me?” And sometimes they are funny: “Was Jesus praying to himself the whole time?” Sometimes I have the answer, but a lot of the time I am learning with them, and that is okay.

I never wanted to work with youth. I didn’t think they would like me, and I sure didn’t think that I would become as attached to them as I have. God has a way of taking the thing that you think you can never do and helping you to overcome that fear.

 

Victoria Stanford

GMF US-2, Class of 2015-2017

Avondale United Methodist Church

Jacksonville, FL

#3022130