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Reflections and Testimonials

Please brouse through the comments and reflections from Hope College students, staff, and faculty who have thought about questions of calling and vocation. Tell us your story! Send contributions to us at crossroads@hope.edu, and we'll make them available to everyone who visits this site. If you prefer, you can ask that your contribution be posted anonymously. Contributions may be edited for length and content.

Trip to an Indian reservation in New Mexico - Reflections from students and leaders (edited):

Name a couple of things you learned about yourself during this experience.
• I am able to step out of my comfort zone and perform responsibly. Also, I can be patient with people in situations that I usually am not.
• As a leader I learned to try to include everyone in activities and continuously perform activities/ things for God and not for myself. Also, I stepped out of/ went beyond my comfort zone “when I was pushed.”

What did God teach you as a result of being a trip leader?
• The Lord taught me humility, courage, and to trust in Him and in the group.
• God taught me that you cannot always control everything.


I consider a highlight of this trip to be:
• Talking to the native people about Christianity and in particular Jesus Christ. An Apache medicine man contacted us and wanted to discuss religious matters (pertaining to Christianity) which was really awesome!
• Being able to learn about a new culture and being immersed in it.


The thing I valued most about my group was:
• The willingness to work together and our interactions with the people of the clinic sincerely. It brought us together as well as acknowledged the Lord and the work He was doing in Dulce.
• The friendships that were developed from the trip.


The thing l liked best about this experience was:
• The chance to experience another culture.
• Seeing Native Americans in their day to day life, and seeing how doctors help people who have had a hard time.
• Experiencing Native American culture- it’s so different but there is so much need!
• Seeing a new culture and developing friendships with my group.

The most significant lesson God taught me was:
• Focus less on myself and more on others.
• I can do all things though Him, but also that I should not push myself too much because then I will no longer be a help to anyone.
• Again and again to be patient and put my own agenda away, to appreciate community even with people different than me and that sometimes our weaknesses unite us.

 

Nicaragua Reflections (edited)
I think the time we spent at our site was beneficial because:
• The parasite treatments will aid in destroying about 90% of the parasites, which means less hospitalizations. Also, we developed good relationships with the local kids.
• We were able to grow as a group and individually. We were also able to treat over 1100 kids for lice and parasites!
• I believe God was pleased, the people were appreciative, and the students were both inspired and challenged.


Name a couple of things that you learned about yourself during this entire experience.
• I may not want to go to medical school (in fact, probably). It was like a book I was reading: Lance Armstrong "It’s not about the Bike".
• I think I am being called to do missions overseas one day.

What has God taught you as a result of being a trip leader?
• I can trust God to handle every situation.

What experiences and gifts do you have that influence your calling and vocation?
• I am scientifically analytical, I have good communication skills, and I have the ability to be a leader and a team member equally.
• I have a passion for children and medicine.

What has God taught you as a result of being a non-student supporter?
• God is working to fill the earth with His glory, and is inviting the students to partner with Him.

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Student comments…..

The thing I liked best about this experience was:
-I loved meeting new brothers and sisters in Christ, and seeing different and new sides of each of them.
-Seeing the children of Nicaragua again, and working for them.
-The team because we all got along very well. Also, the children we were able to help and come in contact with.
-The people! I loved my group and how we were all different but we respected and loved each other. I also loved the kids we got to meet and play with in Nicaragua.
-Immersing myself in another culture and experiencing God through the people and the landscape.
-I really enjoyed the commodore and the children singing before their meals.
-Returning again to see relationships remade and to see how things as simple as lice treatments can be used to improve a life.
-Being able to play with all the kids in the neighborhood when we weren't doing treatments at the schools. I also loved being able to get to know the people in our group.
-I liked how laid back and easy going everyone was; not everything worked out as expected and everyone just dealt with it and didn't complain.
-Seeing how much of an effect we could have on how happy the kids were.
-Experiencing all of the cultural differences between the shotty Americans and the humble and happy Nicaraguans.

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The most significant lesson God taught me was:
• That I can apply His word to every aspect of my life, and that we should not judge people. I also feel that he told me to settle down on the studying.
• He is present in every part of the world and we bring Him pleasure when we desire to do His will.
• I need to try harder to love those who are difficult to love; to truly look for Jesus in the people and when I meet them I need to treat them like Jesus would treat them.
• Take a backseat for His will and let Him control my life.
• Homework and school should not define me as a person, I need to take time and have fun.
• God speaks and is praised through his creation and through the relationships around me.
• That it's not about me and what I've done, but what God can do- I'm just His vessel.
• Everyone and everything has a purpose. Even if we were not there for every person in Nicaragua we made some impact on the citizens' lives and some part of us still remains in Nicaragua.
• That anyone can show God's love if they trust in Him.
• Appreciate His creation and be happy with the things I have.

The area in my life where I saw the greatest change was:
• My outlook. I feel that I can be more enthusiastic about the last months of school, and that I can take time to enjoy God's creation.
• Getting out of my comfort zone, not only with the environment but with people.
• My outlook on all that I have.
• I don't really know.
• I take more time out for God.
• I don’t know if I have changed from this experience. I want to say that I have, but unfortunately I am not emotionally changed. I saw it and I was there.
• Finding joy in the quiet relaxing times instead of being content when busy.
• Being able to step out of my comfort zone and just have fun.
• I appreciate what I have a lot more then I did before going on this trip.
• I will hopefully not take so many things for granted or worry about things that really don't matter.
• My confidence in my future career path.

One story that sums up what God did through me is:
• I could just sit on the back porch and hear the waves and see the stars and feel His power and love. He is more remarkable every time I think/read/write/feel/see Him.
• He used me as His hands and feet to show those in need that He is love.
• I don't really know.
• He gave me the resources to give lice treatments to dozens of kids in need.
• To be His servant of love and care through building relationships with kids on the street and in giving lice and parasite treatment.
• It was just really awesome being able to see the kids light up when we went out to play with them and being able to share Christ's love with them.
• I gave about 50 treatments in one day after about five hours of sleep. God kept me focused and He was my driving force.
• One little girl asked when we were returning; when I told her not until next year, her look told me how much our being there meant to her.
• There were times when I did my best to translate with the kids in order to help brighten their lives.

The thing about this experience I'm most thankful to God for is:
• The fact that none of us got too sick, and that He let us in on His plan by helping kids. Also, the view He made visible from the back porch!
• Just the opportunity to go on this trip.
• The safety He gave to us, and the way He revealed Himself.
• This was a perfect balance of challenging and relaxing and fun- I was able to work hard but still have lots of fun, and I did not feel completely exhausted/ worn out by the end of this trip.
• Him giving me a wakeup call on what my priorities in life should be.
• Ms. Frieda's house and ocean view. I felt God through the beauty of His creation.
• The relationships made with the team members, for granting me the opportunity to enjoy His creation and for the lessons he has taught me.
• The awesome team I went with, the grace He provided us to keep going and the ability to get a lot done as far as treating so many of the kids.
• How fortunate I am for what God has given to me and everyone I love.
• The opportunity to share his love.
• The relationships I made with the people in my group.

What experiences and gifts do you have that influence your calling or vocation?
• I love children and I love to help people who are in need even if it is not glamorous.
• Kind-hearted, caring for the needy, love of kids.
• I think I am caring. As a nursing student, I think being a very caring person is an important key to providing quality care for my patients.
• I am gifted in the sciences and with people skills. My gifts can be beneficial in a future medical career.
• I am realizing more and more my passion for international work.
• I have a creative mind for practical and useful items for missions and also for projects and methods. I also have a passion for health care which I consider an important part of very effective missions.
• I love kids, I love to travel, I have a passion for third world countries (particularly in Africa), and I really feel called to medical missions.
• This experience helped me see what medical care in a third world country is really like. It makes me want to be a physician who truly cares.
• I am extremely fascinated by the potential in the medical field, I love to travel and I love God; so I can see myself as a medical missionary someday.

Have you thought of your career or your calling in terms of your faith or your relationship with God?
• I think becoming a doctor is a great way to use my talents, and to also maybe do medical missions to expand my gifts.
• I've always wanted to do international missions with nursing.
• Yes, I can use the gifts He has given me to care for His people as a doctor.
• Yes- I am considering even more the MD/MPH degree to do international health.
• Yes- medical missions are of great interest to me.
• Yes, my relationship with God affects every thought I have about my future career.
• As a physician, I can show the love of God to people by helping to heal them.
• I have very often but do not see myself as becoming an "official" leader, for my knowledge of the Christian faith is not as strong as it needs to be for that kind of role/position.

Did this trip open up a different picture of how you might use your gifts and calling? Did it reveal some things about the brokenness of the world, and what roles we might play in the midst of that brokenness?
• I do see a lot of brokenness in the world, but I feel that God might let us fix some of it in our lifetime. I am still amazed that they are happy with what they have, and I wish that everyone could be content with what God has given them.
• This trip makes me want to go and be involved in medical missions in the future. It makes me excited to think of the many ways I can help people once I am a nurse.
• Yes- I have always wanted to go on a mission trip, I just had to do it. This trip has confirmed my passion. I realize that I may have more of an impact following this path than another. It is sad to see the conditions of the people, but yet they were so joyful; their outlook inspires me.
• Yes, it again showed the poverty and the different brokenness not commonly seen in the U.S. It was more of survival brokenness whereas in the U.S. it is a greed and power hungry, ignorant brokenness. Yes, I actually am reminded by this mission trip of the need for effective evangelism in the U.S.
• I think this trip just affirmed my belief that God is calling me to serve in Africa doing some sort of medical missions. Being exposed to the poverty and the kids' craving for love just gave me more of a drive for serving God somewhere abroad where the need is great.
• This trip showed that the world truly needs-God's love. God can work great things through us, and although the world will always have problems, God can still make a difference.
• It did not open a different picture of my calling but it solidified my current plan. It did not reveal anything new; however I recognize now that without constant willingness to help nothing will ever be fixed.