TO LOVE IS TO SERVE

As you may have noticed, it has been about 2 weeks since my last blog update… mostly because I’ve been out of town. But not just on a regular vacation, me and a team of 11 young adults went on a “mission trip” to the Grand Bahamas to serve an impoverished area of the island.

Here’s a picture of our team: 11 ladies and 1 brave and lucky man!

What’s a mission trip? And why would anyone do such a thing?

Well, perhaps when you think of the Bahamas, the first thing that comes to mind is paradise: A place with beautiful beaches, good food and sunny days. (Very similar to Miami…) And though that is definitely the case in some areas, that wasn’t quite the reason why we went.

June 25, 2012, eleven of my lovely friends and one lucky guy decided to hop on a charter plane and head over to Freeport, Grand Bahamas. Why, you ask? Because we wanted to share the love and provision that God has given us with other people who are in need. Our desire was to serve the people of Freeport (in specifically Karazim Ministries) with whatever was needed. Our goal was to serve and empower Bahamian residents with the knowledge and tools that would help build their future.

During our stay, we spent time in the community. We got to know the people, their culture and their current situations. We purchased paint for a church and finished painting the exterior walls (saving them time and money in the process.)

Karazim Ministries works with residents on a yearly basis by empowering them and teaching them trade skills such as carpentry, sewing, and jewelry making. We helped local artists by purchasing handmade products and we look forward to continuing to work with them as we expand their business plans and extend their outreach.

We held a vacation bible-school with 20 kids from the area. We taught them about the love of Jesus, played games, did some arts and crafts, and even danced together.

All in all, we did this not because we’re better than them, in fact, quite the opposite – we are all created by God and for God. Some of us realize that, while others haven’t had the chance to. Some have access to more resources and opportunities, while others lack both the opportunities and the knowledge. Our UBC Young Adult Team went on this “mission trip” because we strive to follow Jesus’ example of unconditional love and selfless-giving. We’d like to help others to find and follow Christ, He’s brought joy to our lives and we’d like to share that joy with others.

A great time was had by all, but the most important lesson we learned was that “serving” is more than just taking a trip and helping others for a week. Jesus calls all Christians to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…  and to love your neighbor as yourself.” But what would it look like to love our neighbors in Miami? How can we use our resources, knowledge and opportunities to serve our community? I’m still trying to figure out what that looks like on a day to day basis… Till then, I hope this inspires you to learn more about who Jesus is and to get involved in your community. I love Miami and I’m glad I’ve been placed here.