Tag: Student Take

Macy Hudson: When My Thinking Changed

Macy Hudson, a sophomore studying Faith & Social Justice and Corporate Communications.  She serves as the Data and Evaluation Chair for Belmont on Mission’s Missional Engagement Council, on the Room in the Inn leadership team, as well as a student leader for Plunge trips.  Today, Macy is sharing about her perspectives on being on mission have changed in her time of service.

For years, I had this dream: I wanted to go on a mission trip. I had seen all of my friends go with their churches, to another country, in matching shirts, to serve, and ultimately come back with a transformed life and a camera full of pictures. In my mind, these trips seemed perfect, and after many attempts to convince my church to go on one, I became closed off to serving anywhere except a third-world country mission trip setting. My church was particularly focused on serving the community I lived in, and I didn’t understand why. There were countries with no running water. No schooling. No understanding of Jesus. Coming up on my sophomore year of high school, I found myself filled with anger. Why did my congregation seem to only care for their people? Aren’t we as Christians called to serve the least of these? Filled with confusion and doubt, I signed up for a mission trip myself with an organization where I was able to go to Puerto Rico with high schoolers from all over the country. I packed my bag and flew to a new place, hopeful for revival and transformation in the community I would be serving. 

 

Two weeks later, I arrived back in Tennessee, with a new realization about my life. I was set on going on that specific kind of mission trip because it looked fun and appealing. I was so caught up in wanting to fill my own insecurity of feeling inadequate that the concept of being a hero or greater than thee caught my eye. My jealously of my friends’ experiences on mission trips was fueled by the lack of confidence in what my personal mission was as a beloved child of God. By centering those feelings on a single type of mission, I was limiting myself to experiencing only a single quality of God. It took me setting my pride aside to vulnerably uncover my deepest self. 

 

God has a quite ironic way of working. Upon returning home, I discovered my strong love for children in the foster care system. I felt a direct and clear call to child advocacy as a vocation and realized that I was made to serve the community around me. My church’s community outreach that I was quick to judge ended up being a great tool to get me plugged into local service. I was able to understand and deeply appreciate how committed my church was to serving their neighbors and how that is just as much a mission as a trip to another country is. 

 

This experience taught me not only humility but also vulnerability. Because I was drowning in self-doubt, I constructed a picture-perfect mission trip in my mind and chose for myself that this was God’s call for my life to me. This is not to say that this type of mission is bad in any way, I just didn’t have the right intentions towards these trips and was close-minded to any other form of service but them. Through this, God revealed to me how my story in God’s mission is one of openness. I became able to stretch my arms out and pray for God to use me how He pleases instead of praying Him to use me in the ways I desired. This small mindset change welcomed transformation in my life in abundant ways.  

If you have any questions about Macy’s experience, any of the programs that she is involved in, or Belmont on Mission in general, feel free to reach out to Macy or any of the Belmont on Mission team!  Be sure to follow us on social media @BelmontOnMission to stay in the know about what’s going on!

Jamie Keith: Who Does God Call to Serve?

Jamie Keith, a member of the Missional Engagement Council, is sharing with us her look at serving God, and what it looks like to find her place in God’s story through service.

When I came to Belmont as a freshman, I set a goal to graduate not wishing I tried something that I had the opportunity to do and to do things for my own enjoyment. This goal has pushed me out of my comfort zone and into wonderful new experiences. Since starting college, I’ve added a second major in economics, studied abroad in China, held internships, led the copyright society as the vice president, and been a spiritual life assistant for Freshmen. I am truly grateful for all these opportunities. At the same time, the more I experienced the more confused I became. I struggled to figure out how to fit all that I enjoyed and all that I was good at into a fulfilling and meaningful career. Can music business, economics, and legal studies somehow fit into God’s mission to redeem and restore creation? Through my experience with Belmont on Mission as a trip leader and student on the missional engagement council, I’ve been able to further explore the way my talents and interests fit into God’s story. One of my “Before I Graduate from Belmont Bucket List” activities was to go on a mission trip. I never imagined that meant I would be leading one. Last year, during my sophomore year, I co-led the mission trip to El Paso to work with Casas por Cristo. Going into the trip, I felt extremely unqualified to lead. First, I had never been on a mission trip through Belmont. Second, I am far from outgoing in a group of strangers. I was uncertain that I could connect to and lead a team of students on an international mission trip. Finally, I was a music business and economics student, not a faith and social justice student. I didn’t fit the typical profile of a student who should be leading a mission trip. I relied heavily on a phrase that the SLA team talks about often: God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. Throughout my experience as a trip leader, I saw the truth of that phrase. Within the first few days of the trip, I realized how limited my imagination was in envisioning the ways that God would use my existing skills and develop new ones. Except for my prior construction skills, most of my technical skills were useless. Instead, I had the chance to use my organization skills to plan the pre-trip meetings, communication skills to lead morning devotionals and prayer, language skills to develop relationships with the family, and ability to exercise patience and make sound decisions in stressful situations. I did not have to know everything going into the trip, and I still don’t know everything coming out of the trip. There will never be a situation in which I will be the perfect volunteer or leader, but God isn’t looking for perfection. God will provide the opportunities and the skills needed to serve to anyone who has the desire. This year on the missional engagement council, I’ve been able to combine my passion to serve others with my business and finance skills. I get to use my analytical and technical abilities to support the administrative work that is required to run the student mission trips. I get joy and satisfaction from the work that I do not just because I like working with numbers and technology but because by doing my role, I can help other people discover their role in God’s story. My experience with Belmont on Mission showed me that I do not have to fit a certain profile to participate in the work that God is doing. While I am still finding my place in God’s story, I find great comfort in the fact that I can be a music industry professional, an economist, or any other professional and still be able to faithfully participate in God’s mission. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

Follow us on social media @BelmontOnMission to stay up to date with everything going on in the future!

Ford Chittom: What Cliffs and Jesus Taught Me About Connection 

Today, Ford Chittom, a freshman Biblical Studies Major, is sharing with us what being in relationship means to him, and how that connects to being “on mission.”

A few years ago, I was stressed about the future, so I decided that the best solution was a  kayaking adventure. I drove my truck fifteen minutes from my grandparents’ house to the bridge  over Yellow Creek in North Alabama. Yellow Creek is a small tributary of the Coosa River that empties into Weiss Lake in a beautiful waterfall. I set out, alone, with my kayak, a cooler with a shameful amount of La Croix, and a life jacket that was too big that I had gotten to “grow into a few years before.” I pulled the boat over some rocky creek bank to the small, narrow, main channel. I paddled a few yards, but the water was too low so I had to drag my kayak over the rough rocks for a lot of the time. I alternated between dragging, pulling, and chugging La Croixs until I got to the first waterfall. I was unprepared for the twenty foot waterfall and I eventually pushed my kayak off and found a conveniently placed rope that I used to repel down. I pulled and dragged until I got to the big waterfall.

I planned on meeting my Dad and grandfather at the big waterfall so they could drive me back to my truck. I had no idea how tall the waterfall was beforehand and later learned that it was over forty five feet tall.When I got to the waterfall. I looked down at all the families and friends picnicking under the waterfall and swimming together. Alone, covered in mud, scared, and out of La Croix, I realized I didn’t need the adventure as much as I needed the connection with people. They were only fifty feet away from me, but they were so far away. I couldn’t just jump off of the waterfall or I would have gotten hurt. I couldn’t connect with people even though I was right there. I ended up throwing my kayak off of the waterfall in a safe spot and dangerously climbing rocks until I ultimately found my way down. When I finally reunited with my family at the bottom, I was so happy to see them and connect with them. The warm hugs and jokes from my family gave me more than a perilous adventure ever could. 

Sometimes we are only separated with someone by just a few feet, but so many more things. We get separated by our fear of rejection, our insecurities, our own selfish desires, and our phone screens. I’ve spent a lot of time looking for the feeling of satisfaction from adventure that we can only find through God and community. I was physically above everyone and we can often treat people with contempt when we feel intellecutually, morally, economically, socially, or spiritually above other people. God loves us and makes us all special. He designed us to be with one another and love one another in spite of our differences. God gifts us in different ways and he calls all of us to live in community to be the church. Jesus had his people during his time on Earth. He had twelve disciples that he spent most of his time with, and he served with. Being with the disciples wasn’t always easy. They argued about who was the greatest, betrayed him, sliced off some guy’s ear, doubted him, and took him by a bad fig tree.

However, Jesus did some great things with the disciples. He sent them out, and they witnessed to hundreds of people. He got to share in his ministry with them and help them grow in their faith. He also got to be friends with them. They went fishing together, stayed together, spent time together, ate together, and I bet they pranked each other. Jesus and his disciples grew so much from their investment in one another, but they also branched out to other people everyone and served everyone. He was friends with Mary Magdalene, Martha, Lazarus, and While he had a relatively small crew of people that he served with, Jesus was friends with Zacchaeus. He ate with tax collectors. He went to someone who lived in the middle of nowhere, cast out a demon, put the demon on some pigs, and the pigs ran off of a cliff (Yes I know I’ve said a lot about cliffs). He talked to the woman at the well and changed her so much that she ran into town and proclaimed his power. Jesus was not afraid to be with everyone and did not only spend time with the disciples. It is important to have a group that you really invest in, but it’s important to have people outside of that group. There’s so many great people in the world and Jesus did not limit himself to only a few to be with. He served and spent time with people outside of his inner circle. I think it’s important to do that also. It’s important to work out issues within a community, but don’t be afraid to let your circle grows. 

Another thing that Jesus did a great job of was being alone. Jesus retreated to the mountains for a whole night to pray about who would become his disciples. Just as Jesus did, it is very important to connect with God through prayer to prepare for connection with others. Psalm 121:2 says “my help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and Earth.” God absolutely intended us for connection with others, but he also wants us to pray make him the source of my help. Jesus illustrates this especially with the greatest commandments “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.This is the great and first commandment.And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:27-29.Jesus calls us to love and connect with God and with people. So go therefore and connect with people, love people, and make disciples.

We are so happy to have had Ford share this great message with us.  If you want to take part in relationship-based missions, check out global.belmont.edu before Friday! If you have any questions about Belmont on Mission, reach out, and follow us on social media @BelmontOnMission

From a Host Partner’s View: Beth Virostek

Hi, I’m Beth Virostek, a sophomore Psychology and Faith & Social Justice major from Columbia, Maryland. On campus I serve as the Operations and Logistics Chair on the Missional Engagement Council this year! 

This summer I had the absolute joy of working full-time as a summer staff member with the Appalachia Service Project, one of our host partner organizations! I spent two weeks in training at the year-round center in Jonesville, Virginia, and then with my staff of four lived for almost eight weeks in a preschool in Louisa, Kentucky, the heart of Lawrence County. With teams of visiting volunteers offering their labor, we were able to help 10 families make their homes a little warmer, safer, and drier in six short weeks.

The Appalachia Service Project is a home repair ministry that deeply loves people and builds connections and relationships with ‘a little construction on the side.’ A ministry that holds dear its founder’s statement that “We accept people right where they are, just the way they are.” After serving as a volunteer for a week each summer during my four years in High School, I was already in love with Appalachia and all it has to offer. I could not wait to follow in my brother’s footsteps and join staff in college. However, there is a large difference in being a week long volunteer and being a summer staffer. Being a summer staffer involves a lot more responsibility, including learning all about and advising construction projects, leading teenage and adult volunteers in programming throughout their week, and juggling situations that I had never considered would occur. 

 

My eight weeks in Lawrence County, KY included some of the most joyous celebrations and sweet glimpses of heaven that I have ever encountered yet also some of my most stressed and defeated moments. Through this experience I learned the reality of some of the difficulties and realities that missions and nonprofit organizations like our host partners with Belmont on Mission face. Budgeting, communicating with volunteers, and loving well the people we encounter, and many more things are hard. 

It is not easy telling a family who is so deserving of a new, leak-proof roof over their heads that we are unable to help them this summer due to time, volunteer, and budget limitations. It is not easy trying to lead volunteers through fixing a leaking roof in a week full of thunderstorms. It is not easy driving a 12 passenger van filled with lumber down narrow and steep roads for the first time. It is not easy making deep relationships in a week, or even in six weeks, with people you have never met before. It is not easy, but it is deeply worth it. 

It is worth it to wake up every day and see teenagers have a drastic change of perspective of the world in a week. It is worth it to see the joy of a mother who can worry a little less about the electrical bills and spend more time loving and raising her kids. It is worth it to watch people who would not know each other in different circumstances come together over peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and share a meal together. It is worth it to watch the joy of an older woman walk down her new ramp to the mailbox instead of struggling on the stairs. It is worth it to watch kids take a bath in their new bathtub, one without a hole in the bottom any longer. It is worth it to rest knowing that a family no longer has to worry about putting out buckets each time it begins to rain in order to catch the rainwater that leaks through their roof. I’ll spare you my continued pages of why it is worth it with this: It is profoundly worth it to serve. It is profoundly worth it to fall in love with a small town and its residents in just eight short weeks. It is profoundly worth it to work with a host partner organization, and for this experience I am forever grateful. 

 

Student Take: Abby Connolly Practicing a Discipline on Mission

 

Abby Connolly is a sophomore Experiential Design major.  Over the summer, Abby participated in the Athentikos trip to Guatemala! Today, she is sharing with us a little bit about her experience serving on a discipline specific trip.

 

“Coming to Belmont, I was amazed with how this community serves others. I knew I wanted to contribute in sharing my gifts to benefit others. Last year, during my fall semester, I met with Dr. Meaghan Brady Nelson so we could talk about the possibility of me going to Guatemala with Belmont on a Mission in partnership with Athentikos. If you have never met Dr. Meaghan Brady Nelson, she is one of the most wonderful and spunky professors I have gotten to know since my time here at Belmont. She is so passionate about art and has such a servant’s heart. She gave me a run down of what the trip would be like explaining that we would we doing art therapy with at risk youth. Immediately after leaving her office I called my mom and told her that I needed to seize this amazing opportunity that Belmont was offering. 

 

 

Fast forward six months later I began this life changing journey to Guatemala. I got to work with an older group of boys ages 14-16 who came from a very tough part of Guatemala. Having the chance to help them heal using art was an experience that I will never forget. One thing that I learned from the journey was that language is no barrier for love. It was so interesting to see the transformation of these boys through just one week at camp. They came in putting up walls, but by the end they opened up so that I could really get to know them and meet them in their suffering. As one of my boys Miguel said, “The memories will last a lifetime.” Belmont on a mission allowed God to not only transform my life but also the lives of the kids I served. The program also enabled me to meet so many new people from Belmont that I would not have gotten to know otherwise. If you are considering doing service whether it is here in our backyard of Nashville, or on another continent I would highly encourage you to do so and Belmont on a mission is an incredible place to start.”

If you have any questions about this trip, or any other Belmont on Mission trips, please reach out!

Student Take: Hayden Stover

We asked Hayden, a student athlete,  to write a bit about his experiences so far as he has served with Belmont through an athletic mission trip!  We are excited for you to read Hayden’s take on serving with his sports team and athletic community.

“This past December, I was fortunate enough to go on a mission trip to San Diego. When I first got the email about this opportunity, I genuinely felt God pushing me to go on this trip, but I felt very uncomfortable thinking about it. I had no idea who would be going, and I had no idea what we would be doing.  Even though I had my doubts, I constantly felt God pushing me to take the opportunity. So, I ended up taking a leap into the unknowns of this trip, having no idea what God had in store.

The first day of the trip finally came.  We had a few meetings to get to know each other, but I still felt like I didn’t know our group at all. My honest reaction when we finally landed in San Diego was “what did I just get myself into?”  Our first night there, before we started work, I tried to make an effort to keep an open mind. I still had no idea what God was planning for this trip, but I was confident there was something there. Even though I did not feel prepared at all for what was about to happen, our group was thrown into the deep end from the start.

Our first two days were highlighted by serving breakfast at the Ronald McDonald House and helping out sorting toys for a Christmas toy drive. But, most of our work on this trip was dedicated to serving the homeless population of San Diego. For me, our interactions with the homeless were the best thing that I could have asked for on this trip. The stories these people shared were so inspiring because even when it seemed like on the outside these people weren’t given a fair shot at life or it seemed like there was no hope, they still had unshakable faith which was so powerful.

As I’ve reflected on this trip over the past couple of months, I’ve found it so hard to describe or put into words what it really means to me. This was my second mission trip. On both of the mission trips I’ve taken, I went in with the mindset that I was going to help people or make a difference. But, both times I’ve come back more changed by the people I interacted with.

Before I left for this trip, I didn’t realize how much I really needed it. Not only did this trip revitalize my faith, which I didn’t know I needed before, but it also helped me find my identity in Christ. I put so much of my worth into how I performed as an athlete before this trip, and when I faced many injuries my first year and a half at Belmont, it almost seemed like on the outside there was no hope. But, this trip helped me grow in my faith so much and find my identity in Christ. This was an experience I will never forget, and I am so thankful for this trip and the people that went”

Thank you so much for reading Hayden’s take on serving with Belmont! If you have any questions about upcoming athletic mission trips, or any questions in general, please reach out!

Student Take: Hillary Barry

Today, Hillary is sharing about her anticipation in serving with the College of Health Sciences over spring break. We are excited for you to hear Hillary’s  take on preparing to go on Mission with Belmont!

“Over spring break, a multidisciplinary team full of faculty, undergraduate and graduate students from Belmont will be traveling to Antigua, Guatemala. I am getting the privilege to participate in the hopes of seeing the hearts and joy of the Guatemalan people and honing my own nursing skills through patient centered care.

Throughout our trip, we will immerse ourselves into the culture of the Central American country where we will spend 4 “work days” treating the Guatemalan people using our nursing, pharmacology, occupational therapy, music therapy, and interpreting skills. We will be promoting health, safety, and wholesome lifestyles by assessing and educating a wide population of the Guatemalan people.

Upon reflecting on my anticipatory feelings about the trip, I am looking forward to meeting the Guatemalan people and seeing the gifts and talents within my team. I am looking forward to seeing how each person’s specialty and love for Jesus will be utilized in a way that will truly bring value to patient health by enabling a wholistic approach.

This trip and this team is a gift from Jesus but the biggest gift of all is to simply be reminded that are lives are not about us, but about how we can best serve God’s people.”

If you have any questions for Hillary or about Belmont on Mission, CHS Missions or any of the upcoming trips, please reach out!

Student Take: Tiffanie Bohrer

The author Marianne Wilson once said, “Success means we go to sleep ay might knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others.”  Today, Tiffanie Bohrer shares with us her experience serving, and how her talents and abilities have been used and can be used on the mission field.  Tiffanie has great insight into the power that a short term mission has to pull you a little further out of your comfort zone, which ultimately stretches and grows your threshold for service, understanding, and empathy.  We are so excited for you to read Tiffanie’s take on serving the Kingdom!

“I am so very excited to serve with Belmont and Praying Pelican Missions this spring break! This past October, I went with Belmont to Memphis, TN for a weekend service trip called Plunge, and I am so ready to take my experience serving with Belmont  on Mission outside of the country. This trip is going to be different for me, being a freshman, because I am one of the younger participants. This gives me the opportunity to learn from older students. I also don’t know anyone on the trip very well so it is going to be a great experience with a brand-new community of people. Praying Pelican Missions does an amazing job of setting up short-term mission trips for teams just like ours. They work with a church and ask them what they need help with. That is where we come in. We get to be the hands and feet of Jesus by serving those in need in the Dominican Republic.

I have been on two other international mission trips to El Salvador and Jamaica, and I am excited to see how this one will differ from those two. Each of those trips were different in the sense that what we were doing for the community was vastly different because of how the communities operated. In El Salvador, we helped build two houses for two families. In Jamaica, we ran a Vacation Bible School and did more outreach-based activities with the local church in addition to doing various small labor projects. In Jamaica, I was stretched more than ever as I gave my testimony on the street to passersby’s.  I, then, was pushed even more as I was asked to give a message during the church service on Sunday morning. I learned about the country and the culture, but I also learned more about myself and the gifts the Lord has given. Going on a mission trip is a great way to put those gifts to use. The Lord calls us to be a light to those who need light and to spread the good news. I am so excited to do this in a place where I have never been to before.

I chose to go on this trip because I haven’t done an international serving trip in a few years, and I missed learning about different cultures. The Dominican Republic is a country where I have never been.  I am very excited to experience their ways of doing life and to serve them in any way they need possible. Mission trips are a great way to go out of your comfort zone and step into a place that is unknown while you act as an example of Jesus to those around you. You can serve in any capacity and anywhere in the world, but I am so excited to take it a step further and travel a bit farther to spread love and bring my own gifts to a place where I can effectively help.”

If you have any questions about the Dominican Republic mission with Praying Pelican Missions or any upcoming mission trips in general, please reach out!

Student Take: Elania Trimble

Today on the blog, we asked Elania to write about her experience in serving with Casas por Cristo, and how her time serving in the past has influenced her decision to serve with Belmont on Mission!  Here is Elania’s take on serving God by building the Kingdom!

“I have had the fortunate opportunity to not only work with Casas Por Cristo once but twice. I traveled to Acuña, Mexico in July 2016 and again in March 2017. My first time going, I was very nervous because I had no idea what to expect, and I had never gone out of the country for a mission trip before.

The first thing I noticed about Acuña was how small and brightly colored everything is. We met with Scott Dewitt, who was our trip leader and the Acuña field director. He told us a little bit about what to expect in the coming week. I honestly had no idea how a high school youth group was going to successfully build a house in only four days, but we were reassured that it could be done, and we were going to do it.

Our job site was in the middle of town and there was barely any room to move around, much less freely build a house. We had to build a lot of the parts in the middle of the street. It was the hardest work I’ve ever done in my life. Scott and his intern Alyssa took us step by step and by the end of day four we had a completely brand-new house. The most rewarding part of the trip was all the wonderful people I got to meet. The family we were building the house for had been living in one tiny house together. There were at least 10 people living there, and they were the nicest people I’ve ever met. I got to meet so many children from around town because they would all come visit us on the job site. They were so sweet and loved to help us out. We ended the trip with a little ceremony, during which we presented the house to the family.

Working with Casas Por Cristo was the most humbling and rewarding experience I’ve ever had. It made me realize how much we all take for granted in our comfortable and safe lives. The people who live there work so hard and get the bare minimum in return. They are so grateful for every little blessing in their lives and are the most kind-hearted people. The language barrier was not even an issue and didn’t stop me or anyone from connecting with the wonderful people of Acuña. When I saw that Belmont had a mission with Casas Por Cristo is was the easiest and fastest decision I’ve ever made. I am so excited to be going back to Acuña and can’t wait to make more lasting memories with Belmont on Mission over spring break!”

If you have any questions about Elania’s experience, Belmont on Mission, or upcoming Immersion, International, or Plunge trips, please reach out!

Student Take: Calla Quinn

Today, Calla is sharing about her experiences so far serving in Tennessee, and her anticipation in serving with Border Servant Corps in El Paso, TX over spring break. We are excited for you to hear Calla’s take on preparing to go on Mission with Belmont on Mission!

“I grew up in church and have had experience serving primarily in the Nashville area. Never having been on mission out-of-state, I am equally excited and curious to go on Immersion to El Paso!

I chose this trip for several reasons, but what first caught my attention was the circumstances of the people we’ll be serving. As a pre-law student interested in immigration policy, I was drawn to this trip in particular because I know it will provide me with insight and fuel my passion for serving the underserved. The opportunity to encounter such a divisive subject in a fiercely direct and personal way will offer me a broader perspective and help me better understand the cultural and political dynamics surrounding this issue.

That being said, there are plenty of things about this trip that scare me (in a good way). I know I am going to experience things that push me out of my comfort zone and leave me with more questions than answers. Many of the folks with whom I’ll interact are living as marginalized people in every capacity; racially, culturally, and economically they are frequently categorized as “unwanted.” I hope to unlearn my ignorance through this trip by navigating uncharted waters. Most of all, I hope to grow in my relationship with God by learning and developing the ways in which I’m called to show others His love.”

If you have any questions about Calla’s experience, Belmont on Mission, or any upcoming trips, please reach out!