2010 MISSION TRIP TESTIMONIES
Click on links below to read stories

MEXICO
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
GOSHEN VALLEY BOYS RANCH

A Gift of Service

Jeremiah 22:16 tells us that defending the cause of the poor and needy is the same as knowing God. Matthew 25 tells us that what we do for the “least of these” is what we do for Jesus. These things are not analogies; they’re realities. Defending the poor is not like knowing God; it is knowing God. Serving the needy is not like serving Jesus; it is serving Jesus. Whenever we decide to get dirty and serve those who need it most, we will encounter God in one way or another.

When I went on the James Fund trip to Orange, Texas, there were times when I felt burdened or even disgusted by the work we did. But there were other times when I felt like I was in the Holy of Holies. When I sat in a driveway and talked with a widow who had just lost 50 years worth of sentimental possessions, I was sitting in the presence of God. When I tore out a ceiling and got covered in insulation, I was communing with the Lord. And He used those moments to teach me new things about His character that I couldn’t have understood without those experiences.

There were times when I would deal with something particularly disgusting, like tearing off a piece of paneling and watching cockroaches pour out of the wall like something out of a horror flick, when I couldn’t help but fall more in love with Jesus. I can’t help it because I know He deals with the same thing on a regular basis. Cleaning out those houses was a lot like what God goes through when He cleans out our hearts.

Our purification is a long process that can get pretty ugly sometimes. The moment we open our hearts to the Lord, He moves in with His hammer and goes to work. He tears down walls, He sweeps the floors, He helps us sort through everything we’ve stored up throughout the years, deciding which things are treasure and which things are trash. This is exactly what we did in Texas, and it gave me a whole new perspective on God’s love for us.

Sometimes we are not always so willing to allow God to work on our hearts. In Texas, we found homeowners in all different stages of the grieving process. Some were angry, some depressed, some in denial, some counting their blessings and ready to move on. Whenever we would encounter a homeowner who wasn’t ready to let go of something, even though it might be covered in mold, I would wonder what toxic things I’m still clinging to in my life. What is God trying to clean out of my heart that I refuse to surrender? In those moments, I couldn’t help but marvel at God’s patience with us.

This trip provided me with a whole new way of meeting God. As a worship leader in my church, it can be easy to think of worship in terms of music and church services. But on this trip, my worship was the sweat on my forehead and the dirt under my fingernails. My worship was the ache in my muscles after a long day of hard work, knowing that it was done in the service of someone in need and therefore in the service of my Lord.

Kathy Johnson
Family Christian Stores
Sales Associate, Flint, MI

A Gift of Touch

Our first day [at the Casa Hogar], we toured the grounds and met many of the children. We were shown where the teenage boys lived. Our hearts were saddened by the poor living conditions these boys were staying in. During a cookout with the kids, I found a little boy named Carlos who was sitting alone and crying. We couldn’t understand what he was saying so we didn’t know what was wrong with him. I went over and picked him up, not sure of how he would respond. When I sat down with him, he laid his head on my shoulder and put his arms around me. I started rocking him back and forth and just cuddled him like I would one of my own boys. After a few minutes he quit crying and just stayed sitting in my lap, I had so many different emotions at that moment.

I felt love for someone I didn’t even know. It’s the kind of love that God gives to us. I also felt sad that this little boy did not have his mother to hold and comfort him when he was sad or hurt.

Kay Hall
Family Christian Stores
Inventory Control Specialist, Virginia Beach, VA

A Gift of Praise

Having just returned from the first ever James Fund mission trip to the Dominican Republic it is hard to focus on one “picture” of this incredible week. No matter how much I try to break the week down into one event, I keep coming back to a “bigger picture” that better tells the story of what God is doing in the D.R.

For most of our visit, our work was focused on an orphanage for young children, where 20 boys live with a housemother and her four young daughters. Along with them are two other adult women who help with the children and assist in cooking, cleaning, etc.

To call this building a home would be a stretch for any of us as Americans. Those in charge are doing the best they can, but desperately needed help in upgrading the entire building. Rooms were dirty and dilapidated. Electricity was randomly on and off throughout the day, and even when on many of the lights and fixtures didn’t work. Bathrooms had no hot water, toilets didn’t work, and nasty bugs were a problem. Think of a third world orphanage, and you are getting your own fairly accurate picture.

The children, like most children we’ve encountered on missions trips, seem relatively happy. They don’t seem to know what they are missing and for many of them, life is better here than where they came from. These kids are much less accustomed to visitors than other places The James Fund has visited, and seemed a little bewildered with us being there at first. The house parents kept the children out of the building as much as possible so they wouldn’t be underfoot as we worked, but curious eyes popped into open windows, and occasional whispers could be heard about what was happening inside. When we got the chance to play with the children, they warmed up to us quickly and seemed to realize we were there to help. They just didn’t know exactly what we were up to inside.

Over three days, we did a little Extreme Home Makeover, Dominican style. Everything was re-painted. Electricity was fixed, and new light fixtures and a ceiling fan were installed. Plumbing was repaired and bugs were killed. Draperies were made and rooms were decorated in kid-friendly style. The building was cleaned top to bottom, and new tables, bed linens and other necessities were purchased. The team made every effort to turn this place into something any of us would have been comfortable living in.

When the children were finally allowed inside to see what had been done, their eyes lit up. They laughed as they ran from room to room to see what had been done in each bedroom. Apparently “WOW!” in Spanish is still “WOW!” As the tour wound down, the children gathered together to thank us, and to sing praise to God for what He had done here. Truly God had showed up for these children in a big way. Their housemother said it best when she said we had turned an orphanage into a home.

For me though, this is where the bigger picture comes into play. In spite of all that was done, there is much more to do. Although the children seemed thrilled with their new place, there are many more improvements that need to be made. A partial list of possible improvements included a new kitchen, new beds, and a playground. The reality is that the kids have NO IDEA how much more God has in store for them when it comes to this home. Scripture tells us that God has more for us than we could ever imagine. Even after we made some improvements, there is still so much more that God can and will use The James Fund to do here. The best part about it is that much of it is more than physical. The biggest blessings will be in their spiritual and educational well-being and what God can do through them because of the efforts of people who care enough to help contribute to The James Fund through mission trips, through giving, and through promoting James Fund events in the store.

Big picture? Just like these kids have NO IDEA what God has in store for them, we as Christians often have NO IDEA what God can do through our efforts in our local communities or across the world. While we go about our business in our homes, churches, and stores we are often happy enough to not dream for more. We might see glimpses or hear whispers of what God can do, but we settle for the familiar and the routine. Yet God is busy working behind the scenes to bless us in ways we have not yet begun to imagine. The work He is doing on our behalf in our families, our stores, our communities, and our world is beyond our comprehension.

Know that we serve a loving, faithful God who wants to bless us beyond measure. When we align our hearts with His, His love overflows in ways we haven’t begun to think about. Keep serving Him with all you have, knowing that everything done with a pure heart will end up somewhere in His plan as a part of a much bigger picture.

Kevin Beavon
Family Christian Stores
Store Manager, Miamisburg, OH