Spring Break '07

It's been awhile since I have posted. I've been working on my book, "Reflection of Something", for the past few months. I guess all my writing and thought has been poured into that. I just returned from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Who would have thought that two years later we would still be cleaning up the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina? I was apart of a work crew of 108 Penn State students and adults from the State College area. Aside from the length of the van rides, the trip was awesome. As Pastor Dan would say, it was awe-full!

Going into this trip I piously thought that all the people going would be Christians. What I didn't know was that God had ordained a time for me to be challenged by a group of young women who weren't Christians but were more like Jesus than I have ever been. I was placed in van 2. "Team Estrogen" was the name we came to be known as. I quickly came to the realization that these girls weren't followers of Jesus. The first time I realized it was when I looked at one of their shirts and proudly displayed was a pot leaf. Needless to say, I instantly fell in love with these girls. My two girls Lo and E were in our group as well and I think I can speak for them and say that, they too immediately fell in love.

As I got to know these girls on the way down to Mississippi, I was blown away. So, at a construction team leader's meeting when they asked for a group for a situation everyone else thought was hopeless I immediately jumped at the opportunity to show these people that my girls could take on the job. There was something in me that knew this group was special. Everything in me said that we had the skill and ability to not only do the job but to do it well and win the heart of the owner of the property, a kind, old southern gentleman by the name of Jeffrey Liddell. I was also told that Mr. Liddell was struggling with PTSD and would need some extra love and compassion. TLC was one thing that I knew we could give. Little did I know, we could give much more...

It was at this point that I brought in Dave Bressler as a helper to me in managing the site(s). We affectionately called him Pappy. As he put it, "That's what my grand kids call me..." This man was instrumental in our team on so many levels. He brought such wisdom and skill. There was a day when one of the girls received notice that they were denied entrance to grad school. I wanted to cry as I saw this young girl's heart breaking at the thought of her hopes and dreams not being fulfilled. I tried all I could to make her smile, to no avail, but with all the wisdom and gentleness only a grandfather can have, Pappy asked her to take a walk with him. I have no idea what was said between the two of them on that walk but I do know that this young woman came back a different person smiling from ear to ear. It was no coincidence that we were put together. I believe that God had great plans for Pappy and in a way only He can, God orchestrated this link between us.

Our week was marred with these times. There were so many powerful conversations. In our talks about my faith, I began to get frustrated with the church. These girls had a vision of Jesus that was one of judgment, condemnation and conformity not of love, grace and acceptance. Why do they have this vision? Because as a church, we have done an excellent job of giving people, especially their generation, a warped view of who Jesus is, in an attempt to conform them to a prideful image of what we think Christianity is. The truth of the matter about these girls is that they look more like Jesus than most people I know in the church. Two of the cornerstones of Christianity is love and servant-hood. Think about it... Jesus was love embodied. Jesus was a servant. When Jesus went to the well in Samaria and came across the woman who was sleeping around, He didn't tell her that she had to first conform to some image. He loved on her and showed her grace. He accepted her.

One of the issues that was brought up during our conversations was the issue of homosexuality and sexual activity outside of marriage. These were sticky issues, 'cause I know some of them were dealing with these very things. I left these conversations feeling that the church better get it's act together and respond like Jesus would have to these things or we are going to miss out on a whole generation of amazing women (and men) like Team Estrogen.

I couldn't help but notice how well they loved each other and how humble they were, serving all the people around them. Scripture says that they will know Christians by their love for one another. It says that people will see a difference in us. Humility and servant-hood does that... It makes you different. These girls were different. I wish I were more like them. I wish the church had their hearts, 'cause maybe then we would be able to make an impact on our world. I am crushed by the survey that found that if every professing Christian would tithe the scriptural 10 percent of their income, instead of the .06 percent that they do tithe, we could single handedly wipe out world poverty. Well... This week I was also crushed when I saw about 10 young, amazing women win the hearts of the people they were serving by love and humility and I am convinced that if we had their attitude, this world would be radically changed.

In the end, we totally gutted Mr. Liddell's house getting it ready for a team to rebuild it inside and out. We did that in two and a half days. I remind you, they said this job was hopeless. The rest of our time was spent winning the heart of a woman named Nona Whittingham by giving her new floors. When we got there Nona didn't even want us to mess with her house because another team had done really poor work. I am proud to say that Team Estrogen came through. Nona didn't want us to leave on Friday! By far, this past week was the greatest and most challenging time in my life in recent memory.

To my girls (and Pappy and Tim) in van 2... I love you all! Thank you for putting up with me and helping me to see how I can make a difference just as you all have and are.