Full Circle: Impacted to Impacting
This year, March 3rd not only marked my 26th birthday, but also the beginning of a new chapter in my life. As I celebrated my birth with friends who had become my community and life in Albany, NY, I packed my bags and headed to Dorchester, MA to work with The Boston Project Ministries. Before I tell you more about this new urban ministry adventure, I need to fill you in on a little bit of history.
About 6 years ago, I went on an urban mission trip to Dorchester, MA (a neighborhood of Boston) with InterVarsity, my college Christian fellowship. Little did I know what an impact it would have on my life. During that week, I slept on a church floor, volunteered at an after school program, played Starpower (a simulation game), explored the neighborhood, was challenged by the concept of racial reconciliation, and inspired by an example of intentional Christian community in the inner-city. This trip was more than just a week service experience. I was impacted!
I began to explore what racial reconciliation really meant in my own life, which led me to further tackle the issue during my time in South Africa. My experience in Dorchester also laid the groundwork for my desire to work at New Faith Family Center in the inner-city of Albany, NY. Here I was able to come alongside women and children facing issues of addiction and homelessness and see God change their lives.
The hunger to pursue serving God in the city which was birthed during that trip to Dorchester has now brought me back. I am able to use my God-given skills, gifts, and experiences to now impact youth on short-term missions trips, as I was impacted six years ago. My main role as the Assistant Director of the Summer Missions Program is to plan, train others, and facilitate similar service learning opportunities. So during my first full week of work, I was sleeping on the same church floor, leading a similar simulation game, discussing racial reconciliation, and leading college students in volunteer service projects. It is amazing to see how God brings things full circle.
