Many
people are asking me when I start my new journey. Sometimes I want to be funny
and say, “not soon enough,” but the truth is I leave in one month. I am moving
to Grundy, Virginia on July 11th. I am so excited to be able to do
my internship with a ministry that I full heartedly believe in. Mountain
Mission School will be my home for about five months. I am excited to see how
God is going to use me there and also how He will stretch me. I’m excited to
build relationships with the children and even the staff down there. For all
the internships that fell through, I know that there was a reason for that. God
has really been working on me lately, even in ways I would not imagine.
I
have honestly been challenged with living the simple life. While I was in
Uganda and Ethiopia, I saw people who had less than I did and they were much
happier than I was. Yes, I am happy in life, but am I content with what I have?
No, I don’t feel content because the American lifestyle tells me that I need
materialistic things to make me happy. Honestly, it sickens me how much I have
in my room and most of it I no longer use or even need. Some things that are
souvenirs that I believed would have so much meaning, but are almost pointless
to me now. I look at it as stuff that is collecting dust. Most of it will go in
a yard sale this fall in order to just get rid of it. I am sick of living the
American lifestyle of thinking I need a lot of “stuff” in order to be happy.
Just to show you how much of the American lifestyle I used to live, I have an
example. Before I left for my trip, I got a brand new pair of Asic running tennis
shoes. When we were in Uganda, we were there during the rainy season. As we did
house visits, I stepped in a huge puddle of water. I “thought” that I had ruined
my shoes. I complained to my mom as we were walking and she proceeded to tell
me that she would buy me a new pair for Christmas. As we returned from the
trip, I looked at my mom and told her to just throw my shoes in the washer. I
realized that my shoes were not ruined, but just needed a little cleaning. To
say that a little part of me died inside when all the red Ugandan clay came off
is an understatement! That clay was something that reminded me of what we did
there and the lives that touched my heart. I have realized that I don’t need
half the stuff that I have in order to be happy or content. I can’t wait to get
rid of most of my things this summer. I watch people that buy so much just
because they can and wonder why.. Why do they need all of that to be happy with
their life? Is it to show that they have so much going for them? Any more, I
could care less that people have more money than I do. I could care less that I
have a little amount of things.
This
year in chapel, we have had some really good sermons. There was one this
semester that really challenged me. It didn’t hit me until after and to be
honest it was one of those chapels I halfway listened to. It was a sermon that
I need to go back and listen to fully. The basic concept of it was that we shouldn’t
collect the glory, but give it back to God. Here is why it has stuck with me
more than some of the other sermons. The guy giving it asked everyone to stand
on the pew, if we felt comfortable doing that. He proceeded to say that this is
how we view ministry sometimes, that we are higher. He then asked us to get
down and then lay on the floor. I questioned it at first, but then realized
there was a purpose. As everyone in the chapel was lying down, he proceeded to
say that this was the way we should view ministry. A lot of times, we accept
the glory that we get from how well we are doing a ministry or with what we are
doing with our life. I have realized that it isn’t our ministry in the first
place to accept the praise for how well it is doing. That is God’s ministry and
we shouldn’t be accepting the praise without directing it up to Him. I have
been wrestling with how to respond when someone will say something about my
life and ministry. It is hard to direct the glory back to him and not keep it
to myself. I believe that a lot of times I want people to see what I am doing
so they know, but that shouldn’t be the sole reason. I need to realize that it
shouldn’t matter at all of what I am personally doing.
I have had a lot of people give me encouraging words lately.
Words of how proud they are of me or how they love watching what I am doing
with my life. I have to say that all of these encouraging words mean a lot to
me. They mean more than I could ever express and I can only say thank you! I
honestly would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for certain events in my
life. Life changing events that led me to realizing that I was running away
from the idea of being a missionary and trying to do something where I made
money. The world tells us that we should get this job because you make this
amount of money. In the end, I want to be able to do something that is going to
matter for the Kingdom. I want to be able to show kids love that they may
desperately need.
Some have been asking
me what I will be doing while I am at Mountain Mission School or where I will
be staying. I don’t have all the answers for the questions that have been
thrown at me, but I can answer some with the best of my ability.
What is MMS?: This is a place for at-risk youth to have a
place to feel safe. They serve as a home, school, and church to over 200
children from over 60 different countries.
What I will be doing?: Well, I will be doing a little bit of
everything. I am hoping to be able to see what it is like to be in the office
part. I might be working inside the classroom as an aide. I might be in toddler
hall playing with the little kids. I could be helping out in the kitchen if it
is needed. Honestly, if they tell me to go clean a toilet, I will be doing
that!
How long will you be there?: My last day will be Monday, December 7th. I wanted to be able to have a full experience of an internship. I will be at MMS when they have the Indiana Christmas party and then I will leave the next morning for home. I will be home a couple times during the internship because of class and a couple other events, but I will be able to spend Thanksgiving away from family. This may sound awful, but as a missionary, you are not able to see family when you want to. My family and I are still working out the details, but I hope to be able to spend Thanksgiving at MMS without family.
Where will you be staying?: I will be staying on one of the floors of girls.
I am not exactly sure which floor. When I was down in March, I was asked if I
saw myself as a mother figure or a big sister. I said big sister, so I am
hoping to be a mentor to the girls on the floor I live on.
Ways that you could be praying for
me:
·
As I am
doing my internship, I will be taking an 8 week Psychology class. I ask for
prayers on how to balance everything in my life. I know how to balance ministry
with homework.
·
Pray that
my time there will be fruitful and that I would be able to apply things I have
learned at LCU to my internship.
·
Pray that
with all of the pouring out into others lives that I would be able to fill
myself back up.
·
Pray for
Mountain Mission School and the kids there. Pray that the ministry could be
fruitful and that they would be able to reach more children.
·
Pray that
as I am at Mountain Mission that God’s will would be done.
·
Lastly,
Pray that I can be patient until I leave.
Thank you everyone for
blessing my life and that I have been able to learn from people around me. I am
super thankful for the people that have helped God redirect my desires for the
future. When I was younger, I never would have believed that I would have huge
heart for the Fatherless or even for the orphaned children. Everyone has a
purpose, whether that be to help those children or to support someone that is working
with those children. Thank you to the people that have helped guide me through
the major life events that have shaped me to be who I am today. I am thankful
for all the opportunities that God has allowed me to serve Him and His people.
I will be keeping
everyone updated while I’m on my internship.
Until next time,
blessings!
Ally
Here are some pictures of MMS.
Going up to the school.
An overview of the school
The countries that have been or are represented at the school.
My favorite statue at MMS.
