Reflections upon a Mission Experience:
by Alfred Spillman
St. Johns East

On Febrauary 8, 2006, I was privileged to go on a mission trip with 9 members of Zionsville Presbyterian Church, where my son is a member and also is the manager of facilities. Part of my motivation was a chance to spend some time with him. He has two year old twin boys, who needless to say, take up all our time and energy when we visit.

We went to a small town in Mississippi: Gauntier (pronounced, "Goshay"). Travel time was 12 hours.

We got to the church about half way through their Vespers. We were warmly invited in for the service and made to feel welcome. We shown our quarters and the amenities and then were left to retire.

Zionsville Church is a large congregation of about 1600 members, and all the people did not know one another. But we grew to know each other and were very open with one another.

The next morning we were taken on a tour of some of the devastation. It was very viseral. No matter what you have seen on TV, it cannot be the same as standing on a lot where there is no sign that a building existed and you are told there was a large house on the spot.

The storm surge was twenty five to thirty feet high because it was a high tide. The salt water stayed about 5 hours and then receded, taking much with it.

We saw the tension of God's grace and hope with the blooming of flowers everywhere and an orange tree with ripening fruit right next to the utter devastation. The wind blows constantly and a multitude of wind chimes reminded us of God's presence.

The crew I worked on built a shadow fence. We prayed at lunch and it was very quiet. At the end of the Amen, the wind chimes went off -- God was there!

Later the same day, one of the crew members received terrible news that the father of one of her son's friends wh had been admitted to the hopsital for pneumonia had a massive heart attack and had died. It was very quiet. She talked, all hugged her -- we prayed again and after the Amen, the wind chimes went off and again were were all comforted by the presence of God!

We did all kinds of work from electrical wiring, drywall sanding and painting, and demolition of some remaining water-soaked insulation and siding. There was a job for everyone -- no one was too old or inexperienced.

I alerted a young couple in the crew that Friday (2/10) was my son's birthday and they arranged to have two cakes, a golden crown, Mardi gras beads, and a can of "gummy worms."

I led devotionals on Saturday morning. This is what I said:

"I was asked to do devotionals this morning because I am the oldest living person here and that makes me closest to God's age. One of the things that I learned on this mission trip is that we are not only the hands and feet of God, but also the heart of God. I use the United Church of Christ's Calendary of Prayer, and the reading for last evening, 2/9/06, was as follows, in the form of a prayer: 'When we think we've done enough, prod our imaginations to go a little farther, O God. When we think we've given enough, prod our conscience to remember all we're blessed with. Don't let us off easy, God of Justice. Make us true to the Gospel. Amen.'"

Then we sang, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, let's eat.

To me, this was not only a chance to get out of myself and physically help someone in great need who was essentially helpless to do it for themselves, but it was also a wonderful opportunity to get down into myself and find out how I would live out the command that Jesus asked of us to go do for the least of his creatures.

Sometimes my life gets complicated and I need to simplify to the basics-- to love God and to love His children. One can have all kinds of theological discussions, but what seems important to me is how am I going to show the love to other people that God's grace gives me.

I came back home with a renewed sense of the urgency to relate to people in a loving way.