last week my youth group went on a missions trip to union grove, wisconsin. it was just a small town but it was home to a place called shepherds. shepherds is a place for the mentally disabled, and there are about 170 of them residing at shepherds. 11 kids from our youth group, my youth pastor and his wife, and 1 college student spent an entire week with the residents. Although the purpose was for us, being on a missions trip, to minister to them, i definately think they ministered to me much more than i could ever minister to them. i met some very cool residents who changed my outlook on the mentally handicapped, and show me God's love and how abundant it is in their lives. im just gonna talk a litle bit about a few specific residents:
Kathy- she was the first resident i met at shepherds. after saying hi she immediately asked me if i would like to play sorry, so i accepted the challenge. we sat down and she started beating me. since i am a pretty competitive guy, in my head i was like, "there is no way im gonna let her beat me" so i started trying a lot harder. finally, i scored, and tied her, i felt good about myself, in a prideful way. then i looked up from the board and saw kathys hand stretched out to give me a high five, as she mumbled the words "good job!" it was a very humbling experience, and it made me see a different side to competition. a side where you try your hardest and do your best, yet you are able to rejoice with your opponent when they do well, kind of mind boggling. So anyway, the rest of the week whenever either of us when do anything, we would give each other a high five.
Saul- like kathy, i met him on the first day. we began talking on the walk to the cafeteria for lunch. He told me he had been to our church two years ago, and that he shared his testimony. I said i dont remember that, i must have been gone that day or something. he was shocked. he said, "oh, well then you have to her my testimony. everyone needs to hear it." so i told him he could tell me at lunch. So i walked up to him at lunch and said, "alright saul, you wanna tell me your testimony now?" he said, "isn't there anyone else who wants to hear it?" so i went and invited laura costerisan and laura haupt because they were the first people i saw. so we sat down and saul begin to share how he received christ as his personal savior. after he had been talking for five minutes, tate walked up. saul paused, looked up at him, and without saying anything, started his testimony over. a few minutes later justin walked up. saul started his testimony again. this happenend a few more times, and by the end, laura, laura, and i had heard saul's testimony four or five times. It was so encouraging to see how much he wanted everyone to hear his testimony, even enough to start over everytime a new person walked by.
brenda- i met her on thursday, the day i worked with the older residents. During excersice time, in the gym, brenda and i shot some baskets together. she looked like she was having fun. then to my surprise she walked over to a chair, sat down, and put a frown on her face. i walked over and asked her what was wrong. she said my stomach doesn't feel good. she asked if i could pray for it. so i said a quick prayer aloud, and after i said amen, she grinned from ear to ear and and gave me a huge hug. then she hopped up and started playing basketball again. it was amazing to see how much she cherised prayer, and howmuch it meant to have another person pray for her.
i have many more stories, but i just don't have time right now to write them ask me about them sometime...i'd love to share!
