“I left my heart in Arlington!” This was the common phrase among the 19 students and two staff members who traveled 16 hours back to Georgetown College after a week of playing, praying, and most importantly, ministering to the ”less-fortunate” children and families in Arlington, Texas. For 5 days, we worked with Mission Arlington, an organization of missionaries whose life mission is “taking church to people.” As one of the volunteer groups for the week, that’s what we did too! We, along with 1,300 students and adults, served the physical and spiritual needs of the people living in Arlington, Texas. Our group led “Rainbow Express”-Mission Arlington’s version of a backyard Bible club, with games, crafts, bible stories, snacks, and lots of love and affection. From day one, the children loved us, and were so happy that we were there to play with them. It was especially touching to return each day to find them anxiously waiting for us. One of the girls told us when we arrived, “It’s about time you got here; I’ve been waiting two whole hours for you all!” I love how God speaks through the vulnerability and honesty of a child! God is calling us to His people and they are anxiously waiting for us!
This conviction was expressed during our nightly de-briefing meetings when the students discussed how they could take what they learned in Arlington, and apply it to the Georgetown campus community. They challenged one another to continue the mission by reaching out and loving those who are in their own Georgetown College backyard. It was such a blessing to see how God moved in the lives of those we ministered to, and the team itself. The students not only connected with the kids on site, but also with each other. By the end of the week, the group bonded and connected into a family unit. They truly respected and cared for each other!
Through everything we experienced and learned that week, the idea that the mission doesn’t have to end in Arlington, but that it is an everyday act of love, compassion, commitment, and responsibility to those with whom we are surrounded by, was the most important lesson and blessing that our students took away from their spring break!
One Comment
I took a group from Campbellsville University to Mission Arlington for a week over winter break and we absolutely loved it there and working with the people there was amazing. We helped with the Christmas Store mainly and God is definitely the pne who provided all of the toys that were given away. Whenever we were running out of toys, another truck load of them would pull up.