My new friend - June Berfanger

So here I am, on my second day of serving on my very first youth mission trip. I had no idea what to expect. I didn't even know if I was adequate to be a youth leader, but I can seriously say I have enjoyed every student on the trip, and I haven't been erked by anyone even though we've  had our struggles. I'm out of my comfort zone because this is unlike anything I've ever done before.  

I've been trying to find new ways to serve and I realize that I truly enjoy trying to help people. That was brought home today when we visited the nursing home. This is ironic because I spent a lot of time there- five years for my grandma, four years for dad, and on my fourth year for my mother. We had a wonderful devotion about how God can turn your life around in a moment just out of the blue. As I was sitting there waiting to go into the nursing home, I was dreading it because its seems like that's all I do. We talked before we went in about how we might connect with someone which I scoffed at. I walked into the activities room and this lady locked eyes with me and opened her arms to me and asked for a hug, which is ironic since that's my love language. I hugged her and from that moment I just loved her. She had such joy. We talked about her struggles in life, and how she has had some many hardships and deaths and that the memories are just overwhelming. 

She was just talking about her horrible life, and how much she misses her husband. She said she has been seeing him in her dreams. She said, "I love God and I know that my husband is there with him." 

She was so miserable, yet so certain and happy about where she was going and that she was going to be ok. She was patiently waiting for God to take her home. It was lovely because we were both sitting there crying and realizing how lucky we are because there are people that go through life and experience hard times and their hearts harden and they become different people from who they were meant to be. They turn away from God. 

I find it laughable that I traveled to San Diego when I can do this in my own back yard. Ultimately it's not about a mission trip to San Diego, its about a mindset change. We should be thinking about how we can help people, and become who God wants us to be. It's not about anything else, so let's go. That's the whole reason we're alive. I'm glad I'm here with the youth because they're the future. We want them to learn to think about others. And thanks to the church for helping make this possible because this is helping them move another step in their faith journey.