Weekend in Watts

Mission Trips are funny things. Someone once told me that it was the “nice white thing to do.” I can see from the outside perspective that it might seem a bit self glorifying, “Oh look at me, taking my whole weekend to go serve those in need. Look at me playing with kids and loving them all weekend then returning to my comfortable bed in Orange County.” I guess that looks a little funny. But on the other side of the self glorification and judgment we can ALL get in to when doing something good is just simple gratitude for our lives.

Rollin' with the homies!

I think the thing I am constantly reminded of on Mission Trips is how grateful I am for the life I live. How grateful I am to be able to worship God without being threatened with death. How grateful I am to live in a neighborhood where I don’t dodge bullets, gangs and rapist. How grateful I am to have jobs that provide me with enough money to buy food and go on trips. And from that gratitude I hear a voice say, “And what do you plan to do with that life you have so generously been given?”

Adelain made me a bracelett

Mission Trips remind me to be grateful and to give what I have been given. Some people start non-profits, after school programs and churches after they attend mission trips, but for right now all I can think to start up is love. I realized that I have a lot more love to give to the kids and women I work with. I have a lot more grace and respect to give to my co-workers and I have a lot more thanks to give to God. Thats all I have for right now, but I think it’s more than good enough.

While in Watts we served Power House Church by throwing the kids in the neighborhood a “End of Summer Party!” Complete with a Dance Party, crafts, a water balloon fight and a free trip to see the ice cream truck.

In the evening we worked with Broken Hearts Ministry visited Santa Monica Blvd where we hung out with transvestites, hookers and gang members from 11 to 2 am. I met one guy named Shadow. He was 20, had just gotten out of jail and had grown up in the foster care system since he was 3. When he said he grew up in the foster care system I instantly imagined how many years he has spent without a mom and dad. Without the consistent reminder that he is loved and cared for.

Waiting for ICE CREAM!!!!

All in all my weekend in Watts left me with a lot of sadness. Sadness that there is so much brokenness and sadness in the world and wondering if any of it could be fixed. I guess thats where my faith comes in. I have faith that though there is darkness, evil and chaos in the world that it can be healed. I know that I can’t fix everything, the church can’t fix everything and mision trips can’t fix everything, but I have faith that kindness, love, hugs and frequent trips to visit people can heal.