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Days 13-25

We haven't really had too much internet access lately which is why I have to summarize the last week and a half in just one entry. Hopefully I'll be able to remember some key stuff. To make it easier i've listed just important updates or events going on in my life and on the project in general.


1. I finally got a job! I work at Paul Revere's Smorgasbord. I've heard mixed reviews about the food there, but I've never had it, I only prepare it. Unfortunately, since I work food prep, nobody else comes in while I'm there besides the boss. I work with only one other person, and he's from project, so there isn't much of an opportunity to witness. However, I'm still determined to be creative. Luckily we do have an hour or so right before I leave to see all the other workers come in. I've befriended a couple and asked them to hang out sometime. Most of them are foreign kids from Romania or other European countries.


2. Speaking of international kids, our project Cru goes to this cafe for the international kids every monday and wednesday night. We build relationships with them and share the gospel with them as well. I have a great passion for international students. Just a couple days ago (22nd) I met a girl who told me she had recently found Christ and was very passionate about her newfound faith. It's definitely something that's very inspirational to hear. She joined a missions trip from her country, the Ukraine, to OCMD. I invited her to come to some of our events and church. She came along today and grew close to some of the girls.. Hopefully they will be able to help her grow in her faith.


3. I've volunteered to help out with our church (Sonrise). I wanted to help out in the kid's ministry. They asked me to be a volunteer as well as teaching. So I will be officially be teaching some kids this Sunday!! I'm really excited. I love our church (there's 6 of us who attend, and 2 staff members). They've sent our project soo much food and have been extremely welcoming. Earlier this week we had our testimonies video taped (It felt awkward to do it on tape. I'd much rather give it in person). I think mine will be presented this sunday.


4. As far as learning and growing goes, this trip has caused me to grow spiritually and closer to Christ than I've ever been before. In fact, through this trip I have recommitted my life to Christ. In short, I've lived the past several years not really completely surrendered to the Lord. Truthfully, I had my ups and downs of being on fire for God, but it was naturally descending. I had let sin enter my life and take control while I placed God off to the side whenever it was convenient for myself. I had no accountability. I pushed away from church. And worst of all I was ashamed of Christ.


Thankfully, I was greatly convicted of my sin before coming on this trip. I will tell you, I've seen God impact lives both in the community and on project; And I am definitely among those people. In being here I have learned and continue to learn about the power of prayer, having true joy, keeping short accounts, having accountability, becoming a leader, being a man of God, cojourners, being a servant, importance of discipleship, reflection, and much more.


5. This leads me to my last few things. I ask you to bear with me since I am still thinking and praying greatly about this. I also ask that you pray for me since some of these are major life decisions.


First off, I've recently felt God's call to lead a Bible study back at the Campus Crusade in Pittsburgh. However, I don't want it to be the typical Bible study. And when I say that I mean that I don't want it to be where we read a section of verses from the Bible every week, have a few good discussions and then leave. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I long for a more challenging Bible study. Even if it technically becomes something much more than just a Bible study.


I want to lead a men's group that is


1. Challenged. Every week doing something that may be not be easy or comfortable, but at the same time grows them closer to the Lord. Application is so important and often avoided. I've been taught and told for years what to do to follow Christ, but I've never really felt personally challenged to do so. I want to provide a proactive environment of guys taking steps of faith.
2. Vulnerable. I want a group that knows each other personally and isn't afraid to be open so that barriers can be broken and that healing, through the Lord, can be accomplished. The book I'm reading by Joe Dallas, The Game Plan, brings up a great point: When have you ever been in a Bible study or men's group where somebody says, "Guys can you pray for me, I'm struggling with sexual purity". I have nothing against people giving testimonies, but they can sometimes mask deep emotions and struggles that may need to be talked through in order to truly get to know them. We gave life stories here on project the first week in our Bible study groups. Each story was between 30 mins and an hour. My story was last and as I told it, I held back nothing. I revealed suppressed memories and emotions that I had been holding for almost half of my life. The shock and pain of telling my story almost brought me to tears. I was telling this story to guys I had just met..


6. I want to be a leader. I have a passion for Christ to share the gospel. I have a passion for teaching and instilling the lessons I've learned to Christians who may have trouble fully submitting themselves to Christ. I wish to see them go down a much better path than I had initially. Yesterday, our project leader, Michael Frey, made the statement:


What if in a few years, you and a group of your Christian peers decided to take a year out of your life to go on a missions trip.


I was overwhelmed with joy about the idea of taking a year out of my life to do something I've been craving so much recently. I know it's a big commitment, but I've analyzed my life where it currently is. I'm not satisfied with my major, Accounting. I long to do something more with my life. Maybe God wants me to use Accounting somewhere in the ministry field and maybe not, but either way, I will serve as a missionary whether I'm travelling across the world or stuck in an American office for the rest of my life.


As I mentioned before, I'm in constant prayer about all of this awesome stuff, and I ask that you would also do the same for me. It is much appreciated.

Day 12

Today was an amazing day. I had my discipleship with Ben earlier on, and we had some really good spiritual conversations. Ben does a really good job listening and talking things out. It often makes me forget that we're the same age. Normally, during discipleship, we would go outreaching on the boardwalk/beach but since we were already planning on doing that as a group later, we decided to wait until then.


Our plan during outreach was to use Soularium cards. Basically, you have this set of cards that have some sort of picture on them. There's a large variety of pictures that can be seen and interpreted in many ways. The point of Soularium is to break the ice in conversation with others. Then transition to the Gospel through the same pictures. The questions are:
1. Pick three cards that describe your life
2. Pick three cards that describe how you want your life to be
3. Pick a card that describes how you view God
4. Pick a card that shows where you are with God or your walk with Christ


After walking around and praying for a while we found a couple who was willing to do Soularium. The couple was a Mormon woman and a catholic man. (I think they were either engaged or just planning on getting married). We talked to the lady for a while since she was extremely open to talking to us. We told her to pick 3 cards to describe her life and she ended up picking like 10... which was awesome because she was willing to be really open about herself even though we had just met. After a little while I asked her what she believed as a Mormon. In a quick summary of our 30 min talk, she told us about how she got divorced and was going to remarry a catholic man, but the Mormon church looked down upon this. They told her she needed to go through a "confession process" in order to get right with God. She told us that she didn't agree with a lot of the things the Mormons were telling her. Ben and I tried to encourage her to look into discovering truth outside of the Mormon religion. We left her with a KGP and prayed with her. She was so happy and excited to have us talk to her. She had aspirations to have her kids grow up and follow God. We told her to use the KGP if they desired to have a relationship with Christ. It was an amazing conversation. So when 90% of the people I talk to reject the gospel, the 10 or so percent that do accept make it all worth it. And even still, God is teaching me that I'm not here to save souls, just to plant seeds.

Day 8 & 9

So today was sort of a free day for me after I searched all morning for a job. I've been pretty exhausted from looking. Ben and I decided to get fighter kites. Since Brittany works at the Kite Loft we went there. We tried to help make Brittany look good by having friends who were customers. Probably had no effect. We took our kites back to the house to fly them behind the house. Practice was needed before we showed off at the beach. All went well until my kite got stuck in a pole. After numerous times of trying to free it, we had to sacrifice some line to get the kite back. The handle remained stuck in a groove in the top of the pole.


I woke up the next day and decided to get in shape. I ran until I met up with two others: Jake and Callie. We eventually cooled off in the ocean which was freezing cold still. I decided to wait until 4 to go meet the manager of Tony's Pizza. That was 1 of the 2 leads that I had going for me. Unfortunately, they fell into the same time slot, so I could only go to one. Before I stopped off at Tony's I went to the Kite Loft to get new string. I asked the lady there that dealt with kites, and she said that kite string for my particular kite came out to be like 5 dollars less than the cost of the actually kite which made no sense to me. Anyways I decided to just leave but I made sure to say hi to Brittany as I left. I walked down to Tony's to ask if they were hiring but they said not until next Wednesday (which is really late). So needless to say I was feeling pretty down.


Later at the house I decided to get back on a regular schedule with my quiet time. Lately, the search for a job has thrown off any type of routine. Michael mentioned today during his lecture that we can't go out ministering and sharing the Gospel if we, ourselves, aren't well prepared and well versed. It's true though. The few times we've gone sharing, I've been caught off guard by stuff that I realize the answer to later. And a good fix to this is to be in the word more often.


Anyways when I got home Brittany had a gift for me. Apparently, the manager saw me say goodbye to her and asked her a few questions: "Do you know him?" "Is he nice to you" and/or "Does her treat you well?" After answering yes to all of those, they gave Brittany a new set of string for me. It's pretty convicting when you let a few small, simple things ruin your day, and God has had a plan to provide for you all along. It is a lesson in trust that I am slowly learning everyday. Especially as I continue to not have a job.


Btw, I ended up losing a part from my kite tonight, in the middle of the dark. Callie miraculously found it (while not even searching for it). And then I lost my sunglasses as well. Haha it was a pretty rough day, but I'm still looking forward to tomorrow.

Day 7

My main focus this morning was job searching. Six of us went out: Brianna, Jake, Chris, Callie, Emma, and I. We went all the way down to 132 Philadelphia and worked our way back (to 5). I'd say we stopped at about 5 or 6 various outlets and explored every shop and store in each. I was able to put in three applications, but about 90% of the places we went to were not hiring or needed us for times we couldn't work. Pizza Hut wanted me as a driver, but nobody gets pizza in the morning so they couldn't use me. Although I would take practically any job at this point, I really wanted to stay away from fast food. But the more I thought about, the more I realized that fast food places may actually have the best outreaching opportunities. In fast food you're constantly working with others, so there is always the opportunity to build relationships. I've had to constantly remind myself that I am not here for myself.


"Count it all joy... when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" James 1:2-3


Those of us who don't have jobs are working very hard to find them. Typically I've never really worried too much about finding a job, because there was really never any time constraints. But I'd be lying to myself and everyone else if I said I wasn't stressed out at all. However, through this experience, I feel that I am building perseverance in my faith. It's easy to trust the Lord when the cards are laid out perfectly, but when things aren't running so smoothly, it definitely takes some greater trust that God will provide. And I know he will provide.


I'm putting up some pictures of some of the project members. They aren't great pictures, but I will take better ones later. I'll probably create a separate blog later to profile each person, for future reference.

Day 6

Today my life group went to our assigned church, Son Rise. We met Pastor Daryl and a bunch of other church members. The church was held in a local high school cafeteria. The people were very friendly and lively. We felt very welcomed there, and I could tell we were going to really love our church. The band was great and the message was good as well. At the end, we were given three large boxes of random carb items. We accepted the items very graciously. Apparently they receive a lot of bread type items every week and they were willing to give us all that we wanted. After we got back I made dinner for our life group. Pasta! I'd have to admit, it was delicious (I was actually kinda surprised). Anyways we finished up with a night of prayer as a group.

Day 5

Today was our second outreach. We split up in pairs again, and I went with Ben. Before we headed out we got to know each other a bit more. The goal of this outreach was to use a questionnaire to break the ice. Ben and I decided to hit the beach first. Unfortunately, the beach was very unresponsive. We finally ran into a couple, but half way through the questionnaire we figured out that they were already Christians. A few guys we decided to ask cursed us off (they were also on drugs most likely). It had been the first time that I felt a little bit nervous while trying to talk to someone. After 6-7 unsuccessful attempts we ran into a couple in their 20s. The girl was very receptive and interested while the guy was a bit apathetic. We got through half of the questions when we decided to curve away from the questionnaire and talk about what they believed. The girl seemed to be interested, but she couldn't accept that Christ was the only way to heaven. Since the conversation came to a standstill we gave them the KGP (Knowing God Personally) pamphlets and prayed for them. After searching through a couple more people, we got a drunk guy who had been drinking to cover up pain. He told us his son was fighting in Afghanistan. The man was very verbally bipolar towards us. Sometimes he thrashed out at us, and other times he'd apologize and start crying. We decided to just listen to him mostly, especially since he would start getting aggressive if we said something he didn't like. Eventually he gave us a $20 bill for our organization. We tried to deny his offer but he wouldn't let us.

On a happier note, when we got back we played a scavenger hunt. The students looked for the staff who were disguised on the boardwalk. It was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Day 4

Our goal today was to 'scope' out OCMD. We created a list of survey-like questions to ask to the locals, vacationers and shop workers. In a group of four, we walked across the boardwalk surveying various people. A pair of older women were sitting on a bunch. Interestingly enough, they were also Christian so our discussion with them went very well. We obtained a lot of information about how they view OCMD and why they were there in the first place. Other people that we talked to were not so friendly. They might have thought we were trying to either sell them something or maybe they thought we were J-witnesses.


Later on we broke into our small  groups and took a good chunk out of our days to tell each other our life stories. I ended up going last. I really had never told anyone my life story before, nor had I really pieced it together. But when I finally went over it with them, I realized how broken I used to be. At one point I even got choked up to the point I couldn't speak. It was nice to have the others supportive and encouraging though.


Our last event was for the guys. We walked out to the beach on a cool night and prepared to dive into the water. We would then lock arms and walk out of the water together. Apparently this was a tradition for summer projects, and the water is always freezing cold when they do so. It's supposed to be a memorable event to start off the project for the men.


It was definitely memorable.

Day 3

I'd really love to spend hours blogging about my whole day, because each and every day has been eventful and inspiring. Unfortunately there's almost no free time right now especially for those who are still in search for jobs (me included). Today, me and 4 others drove out searching for jobs. We picked up several applications, but most businesses didn't seem to be hiring. One of the girls with us (Brittany) got a call while we were out driving. She was offered a job over the phone, and we excitedly congratulated her. A lot of us have been successful over the last couple of days but there is still a large handful (again including myself) who have not been very successful. We've been praying about it heavily, and those who have gotten jobs have even stepped up to help those who haven't. Each and every day we become closer and our fellowship together becomes stronger. The last part of our day was choosing a ministry team... Just for a little background, there are three sets of groups:


1. Small group - Small group consists of 4-5. Each is led by a student leader who disciples us and helps us out with anything.
2. Life group - There are 4 churches that we work with during this trip. Eventually we will find ways to help be a part of the church, as well as giving our testimony during a service. Our life groups meet on wednesdays and sundays
3. Ministry team - There are about 5-6 ministry teams, each with an important purpose and goal. I decided to put my skills and interests to the test in the Stewardship Ministry team. This team is in charge of financial stuff along with housekeeping/stewardship. Historically, this team is the most unfavorable team to join, however, it is considered the "glue" of the project. This team helps keep things working smoothly and keeps a system of checks and balances throughout the project. Only 3 of us chose this. We worked together to establish some housekeeping rules.


*The girls are struggling with their AC unit. I fixed it for them, but when I came back it was broken again. While running some tests for them, the power on one side of the wall went out. We eventually fixed it for them, and I am waiting for tmrw to fix their AC yet again. Unfortunately until then, they are either going to be very hot or very cold.


**I meant to mention this last night, but Michael Frey (Director) spoke on a few key points using the exact verse that I was dwelling on during the first day (1 John 9:1). Awesome right?

Day 2

Unfortunately, I've started to realize that I have to keep these fairly short since there will be almost 70 of them (If I decided to do one a day. Today was the first day of job hunting. I, along with Jason and my roommate (Marcus), decided to walk along the boardwalk to look for jobs. We asked around at about a dozen different hotels, shops etc. only to be turned down. Eventually we got a few applications in, but many of those places were probably receiving a storm of other applications from other project members. Thankfully, Jason and Marcus both found jobs (among several others). I am currently still in the search though. We've been praying a lot for jobs to become available to us lately. Tonight we did a prayer walk along the boardwalk. Even with the cold breeze, there was still a warming peace from being among brothers and sisters of Christ and just talking to God. I honestly wish I could spend more time blogging about my experiences. It's only been two days and I can already feel God's plans for us being executed. Each and every day I draw closer to him as well as everyone who is a part of this project.