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Jul 08, 2015 | Jordan Dietz

Everyone Has a Role: St. Cyprian's Youth Serve in Colorado

 

What if I were to tell you that instead of a week-long mission trip, we are actually on a lifelong mission trip? That was my message to our mission team from St. Cyprian's, Lufkin, who went to Alamosa, Colorado, to build an adobe home with Habitat for Humanity. If ever you want to see a teenager’s eyes widen, just tell them that phrase.

 

Our theme for the trip was Matthew 5:16 which says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven.” Never have I seen teenagers so determined and willing to live into the scripture that is printed on the back of their mission shirts. The patience and the determination of this group has been such a refreshing atmosphere to be around.

 

The first night of the mission trip, before our first big day of work, we sat down for compline and then began talking. Mostly about our expectations for this trip and what we would be doing exactly. We had some who were worried that they would not be able to work as hard as the other missioners. During the discussion and its thought provoking questions, a single phrase popped into my head, “Don’t have any expectations.” God’s message for us that night was simple, don’t go into this trip having any expectations of yourself, because you might come out disappointed. We just had to keep remembering that we are on this trip to do God’s work and not our own.

 

Once we truly relaxed and knew that God was in full control, everything just took off like a jet disappearing into the sky. Some of us got to take part in the mortar making, mixing clay, dirt, and water. Some got to build the door frames and window frames. The majority got to take part in the actual laying of the bricks. Now that was a job that taught patience! You had to lay enough mud down to match the height of where the brick needed to be. Then you had to take a level and make sure all four sides of the brick were level, and you had to do that for each brick. Very slow and precise work. However, by the second day everyone had a role, which made the house building move like clockwork. We even had someone walking around with a workman’s belt on that was stocked with sunscreen, water, band aids, and who knows what else, making sure that everyone was taken care of. The beautiful thing was that everyone had a job to do and not one of them complained.

 

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the anticipation of life that we forget to give God full control of our lives. Which eventually causes us to be disappointed in ourselves and also question what we believe in. It can be as simple as saying, “God I give you full control of my life.” Learning to live your life with God in control can give you a wonderful reassurance that everyone, every beautiful creation from God, has a role in His Majestic Kingdom. So what is your role?