Is moving dirt missions?

Today, we went to Camden, New Jersey to a church where some members fo the Simple Way are involved with. The church is very run dow, so the small service they have is held in the basement. We got to check out the main sanctuary which was very run down, but so beautiful at the same time. The room was filled with amazing stained glass windows that made me visualize how the church would have looked like back in the day when it was up and running.

We were sent here to clean up the around the church. Our plans were to sweep, mop, and paint some of the columns in the basement. There was a lot of dust, which made some of the members not feel so good  because a lot of them have dust allergies. I wasn't feeling so good either because of the shoulder pain I had been experiencing. On top of that, there was a gas leak in the kitchen... so that wasn't so safe. For me, I knew my heart was in a condition where it would be hard for me to work and have a good attitude at the same time. At that moment, I had thought about a previous mission's trip I took where we were moving dirt, derooting tree trunks, and cutting away foliage so it didn't clog the drainage system for a facility that housed battered women and children. During our debrief, my youth pastor asked us, "Is moving dirt missions?" Wow. It totally hit me because these trips aren't the typical mission's trips with a VBS or anything like that. So was our work still of substance? If what we do with our hands can better the lives of others and allow them to experience God more in some shape or form then yes, moving dirt is missions. As a team, we prayed for God to protect our bodies, change our attitudes, and shift our hearts. Almost instantly when we got to work, I felt so much better. Physical pain was still there but my heart was in a MUCH better place that it was previously before we prayed.  

love, steph chow

Just a quick update!

Shane Claiborne visited the house we are staying at and he spent about an hour just talking to us about what he's been doing here in Philly. Here's what stuck out to me:

What's the difference between a stick in the mud and a flute in the mud? A stick is full of itself and a flute is empty and makes good music. How do we empty ourselves?
Society teaches us to move away from poverty and violence.

The things Shane said definitely stuck out to me a lot and started to make me think about how I can apply the things I've learned when I go back to Irvine (or at least do my best to try to!)

Love,

Shirley

Alive and More than Well!

First plane ride---success! Just to let you all know, it was my first place ride ever! I know right...crazy that I've never been on a plane before! But now, it's down in the history books. There will be a video posted up soon! 

Yesterday, we were picked up at the airport by two guys names Brett and Aaron, who are a part of Simple Way. Brett gave each of us a letter with one of those mini encouragement cards. The verse on my card was Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." I actually went the day without reading the card. At the end of the day, I took out the letter before our team debrief. I was kind of in awe when I had read this because this verse has resonated with my walk with Christ throughout my life. Coincidence? Not a doubt it my mind that this was the verse that was meant for me to hear.  I was scared with the weeks leading up to BWAM because I knew finals week would be a draining one for me. I constantly asked myself what the condition of my heart was and knew I needed to prepare my heart for this trip. Coming from a draining week of finals, I really needed this as a reminder that God has everything planned out for me during this trip. PTL, seriously. 

Tonight, we met with Shane Claiborne before he headed to DC for the rest of the week. He was sharing with us about the Simple, how it started, and their part in the community. The land that Simple Way wants to buy and the land that we are building the farm on (both are on the same street) was land that was burnt down a few years back. Shane was sharing about how the work that is being put into the aquaponics farm is an "act of resurrection." Since there was death to the land caused by the fire, we have a chance to bring life back into the ground and essentially, back into the community where the neighborhood can play, get nutrition from this farm, and gather as one. Just as our plan is to resurrect life into these grounds, God has brought breath into our lives through His son for us on the cross. Good food for thought, since Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday is drawing close. 

More to come soon!

Steph Chow:)

Dang! God is SOOOO GOOD!

When we first got to Philly, we were welcomed by Brett and Aaron who picked us up from the airport. We headed directly to Simple Way's Hospitality House. Brett gave each of us a letter upon our arrival along with a card that had a bible verse on it. It was crazy because the verse on my card was Proverbs 3:5-6.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

This was the verse that I had written in my support letter because it has been what God has been telling me throughout my years in college and something that I have been learning to do as well. A week or so before this mission's trip, I started having doubts about why I was coming on this trip and if I was even suppose to come on this trip. After having read the letter and the card that Brett gave us, it was a confirmation for me that there was a reason why I'm in Philly, whether it is something that I am suppose to do or learn during my time here.

During our debrief last night, I found out that each of us had a different verse on our card. (When I first read it, I just assumed that we all had the same verse.) God is SOOOO GOOD! There have been several times where I'm constantly doubting myself or just struggling with the challenges of life and Proverbs 3:5-6 has been what has brought me through. A friend always reminds me of this verse whether it's through email or text, and this time, it was someone that I just met which still shocks me.


More updates to come soon hopefully!!
Love,
Shirley

We are now at John Wayne Airport about to get on our plane!! :)
It's going to be Steph Chow's first airplane ride EVER!!!! (We'll try to either record a video or take pictures of her to document this moment and upload it for you all to see!)

Love,
Philly Phamilly

team photo! :]

I can't believe we're counting down the hours until our flight! 

one more day!

It's scary to think that there are just about 24 hours left until our team leaves for Philly. Personally, it seems so surreal that it's just a day away (even though I'm basically packed already). We received an email from one of the guys heading up this project telling us that the foundation of the farm has been poured and that the green house will be delivered in a few days.

Part of me is still in school mode worrying about the grades that I got in my classes this past quarter, but I'm starting to realize what's done is done and there's no point in worrying about that stuff. I'll just have to wait and find out when grades come out in a week. >.<

As a more detailed update, we will be leaving from John Wayne Airport at 7:20pm and land in Philly on Tuesday morning at 6AM (with a two hour layover in Phoenix). Please pray for rest and energy especially since we won't be getting much sleep >.< haha

Please also be praying for the other two bwam teams (Mexico City and Boise!)

Love,
Shirley

(hopefully a team picture will be on our next post!)

Less than 2 weeks..

<No one has posted anything?  I guess I'll start us off =D>


There are less than 2 weeks until we'll be flying out to Philly!  It's hard to believe that it's coming so soon.  At the same time, I just want this quarter (and finals and my research paper) to be over, so that I can get out of here and go to Philly!

A couple of weekends ago, our team met up with Aaron Flora, the man with the plan of building an aquaponics farm in Philly.  He told us that the area we'll be going to is a food desert, meaning there's no fresh produce in a five mile radius.  So having an almost self-sustaining food source would be an awesome resource for the people living there.

Aaron showed us the farm he made in the city of Fullerton, one of Irvine's neighbors.  It was really cool!  The whole concept was very intriguing.  Basically, there are plants growing in beds without soil, just gravel.  Water is pumped into the beds.  Living in the water are fish whose waste acts as natural fertilizer for the plants.  I used to think that the fish were there to support the plants, but Aaron explained that it's actually the other way around.  The plants filter out the ammonia from the water without which the fish would die.  There was such a wide assortment of fruits and veggies from tomatoes to cabbages to carrots to strawberries. And all of them were big and healthy!

Unfortunately, we've all been busy and haven't even taken a team picture!  But we will do that asap.  Thank you so much for your love and support!


<3 Ben