Late nights partying, Mexico, drinking...that's the typical spring break college students have. Except for this college girl. Last saturday I left Arlington, Texas to spend five days in Joplin, Missouri with the 20somethings at my church for a misson trip. Now I know what you're probably thinking, "It's been almost a year since the tornado, why go to Joplin?" A lot of people in America have probably forgotten about Joplin because it's old news and they're probably thinking Joplin is better now, but it's not! People are still in need of help with reconstruction and cleaning and people are most definitely still hurting! There are still buildings that need repair that no one has gotten to yet. Reconstruction after the Civil War took years...reconstruction doesn't happen over night. Immediate relief 10 months ago was amazing and crucial, but even now relief is just as important. Hearing stories and seeing all of the debris and what was once a house or building just breaks my heart... And the people are so grateful that we and the other churches from Houston and Anna, Texas, Iowa, Louisiana and from Oklahoma were there helping them rebuild. In fact, they are expecting about 5,000 groups coming in the next coming weeks of students to come help.
It's amazing that even through such a terrible tragedy how God is getting all the glory from it! The Joplin High School was destroyed and on the sign the letters J, L, I, and N were the only letters that blew off from the tornado and left "OP SCHOOL." Then someone put a duct tape H and O to make "HOPE SCHOOL." That's the theme for Joplin. Hope. The people in Joplin have hope that God will bring greatness to their city through this reconstruction.
One of the things God taught me the week we were there was something He always has to teach me on mission trip. Usually it's at the end of the trip and it's too late. This time it was in the beginning before the first work day. Just because you are on a mission trip doesn't mean you will be the front man, meaning, you may not to get to speak one-on-one with a person, pray with them, or even lead them to Christ. You may serve behind the scenes where no one will know. And you have to be okay with that and work for the Lord and not for men, because God's eyes are the only thing that matters and it's the reward in Heaven that you receive, not temporary earthly rewards.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as if working for the Lord and not for men."
-Colossians 3:23
That's the verse on the back of our Joplin shirt and it is SO true! Mission Joplin was definitely serving behind the scenes for me. I worked at a site where we just cleaned up debris on a farm land. It was hard, long work, but because of obedience of going where God wanted me to be, He allowed me and the team to meet the owner of the land Tuesday afternoon. He has driven by in his golf cart just watching us and Tuesday he told us how grateful he was for our work and told us his tornado testimony. I didn't get to talk to him one-on-one but at least I had the opporunity to meet him. And God didn't have to allow that. God blesses His children when they are obedient.
On Wednesday God gave me affirmation through an older lady who is deaf and legally blind and has MS. You know the movie "50 First Dates"? That's her. Robin Creemer wakes up every morning with no memory of yesterday and she maneuvers around like she's not disabled and she has a ministry with her stitching of a cross and an angel. She's a missionary evangelist indirectly. She works for Christ behind the scenes. I have a heart for missions and always have. Meeting Robin encouraged me that I can be an evangelist and still be behind the scenes. I want to go overseas more than anything but we'll see where God takes me after DBU.
Whenever you have a tragedy in life, whether it's finacial trouble, a death, unemployment, or a tornado that took away your house, don't ask "Where is God?" Instead ask, "Where is God not?" Even during the tornado God and His angels were there protecting people in Joplin. According to the children, there were giant butterflies (angels) every where. Sometimes, God has to show His wrath before His love. But no matter what, God is there with you. And sometimes out of our tragedies He will use that to bring Him glory and to save a persons soul. God loves and protects and is always faithful to His children.
I pray that as we get back into our reality that we won't let a day go to waste. That we won't wait till we have a tragedy to live for Christ. Everyone has some sort of tragedy in their lives. The biggest tragedy is that right now there are people who if they die tonight they're going to hell.
One last thing I want to say. Sunday afternoon we drove around South Joplin to see all the debris and destroyed houses, schools, hosptials, businesses and trees. One house caught my eye. From the looks of the brick it looked it was a pretty nice house. The family was probably wealthy. And that house was destroyed in the tornado. And then my vans driver, one of the adult shepards in the college group, said "Don't store your possessions here on earth." This is a prime example of why our treasures should be stored in Heaven and not earth. Because everything on earth is temporary. God can easily take it away. But where we will spend eternity is forever.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -Matthew 6:19-21
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