San Diego Summer Mission 2016

1         God is Love

First off, much needed apology for my late update. Like, guys, I have been back from San Diego for -  well let’s just put it as a “while’ ago. First thing I learned from getting back is that life just keeps going. So for background, I went to Cru’s Denver Christmas Conference in January where I had my heart set on going to California in the summer. God purposely allowed me to go with Cru campus for Crusade, a college ministry (Check out the organization out. They are amazing!) San Diego Summer Mission trip was so amazing, it pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and grow spiritual. It taught me to trust God even when it is difficult.  The Project Purpose: Provide an environment where we can walk with God: stepping out in faith, growing in our passion for the lost, experiencing Christ-centered fellowship, and growing in our love for Him; Romans 8:15-16

Details  

A 100 people were with me on project. I came a day late due to a doctors appointment. So meeting everyone took a couple days because I was not sure who was whom; 65 of those were college students and the remaining were staff/student staff. Everyone was from a different state, for example: Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, and more.  Fundamentally, the project required us to work 20-30 hours at a part time job. I thank God, a job was ready before I even set foot in San Diego. I averaged 30 hours a week at Hammels, a rental/retail store right on the beach.  “The Surf Shop” was a great job, and the building literally looked like a castle!  I was allowed to invest in my co-workers, and, best yet, some of those co-workers were from project!   I usually walked or biked; Shout out to Cheap Rentals for allowing us to rent equipment for free! Follow them on Instagram. 

Living Details

I had 5 marvelous roommates: Marissa, Leah, Morgan, Alex and Kate who shared a tiny isty bitsy motel room with me. We had an open room where three bunk beds were set up with a couple drawers. The kitchen was a square part of the open room. Also, we shared one bathroom with a vanity outside the entrance of it. We called it Princess Palace, two rooms were occupied by only girls. The third room was occupied by our shining knights, 6 of the guys from project. A building next to ours was called Man Land (other motel building) where the remaining men stayed. Two condos were occupied by the remaining girls who had 2 rooms, a living area, and a bigger kitchen. However, they did have 12 girls living in each. Also, both where everyone’s hanging-out area.

DNA is the best of times.

I was blessed to have Mandy, our fearless leader (aka Mama-Mandy), stellar Shelby, and fearless Catherine as my DNA group. I went to UCSD (University of California of San Diego) every Tuesday to evangelize with my DNA sisters and brothers. We did a bible study on campus called “One Story” which we were more than welcome to invite others from campus. Sharing my faith was difficult for the first couple of weeks because, well, it was my first time. Cru, though, is so fantastic. They equip us with tools to start conversation with strangers. We had solarium, perspective card, and words. I personally preferred solarium, a spiritual picture survey.  It consisted of 50 pictures. We usually relied on three questions mainly because many of the students were academically driven, or we had 5 minutes of their day. On my first day of campus, we got like 10 declines - not exaggerating. It was hard to feel encouraged, but we got 1 conversation that was fruitful.  God is incredible because on my last day of Campus I got to share with my DNA brother Kevin, and we got zero declines! All the conversations were awesome, and people were really interested in what we believe about who Jesus is in our life. Although I did not experience anyone come to Christ personally, many of my fellow project friends did. It was so encouraging when they testified with us their experience and how we got to rejoice receiving one more brother/sister in Christ.  I loved being able to rely on God each time I shared my faith to surrender fear and a prideful heart. He is so amazing, and I even had the courage to share by myself one time.

Schedule

Next, a view on my weekly schedule. I thought it would be easier to go through the week and explain the purpose of the actives and some of my favorite events from the particular week.  Each week we had a theme to spiritually work on and a scripture passage as a reminder.

Sundays

Church and guided time with our Ministry teams. I was in GOSPEL in ACTION - our purpose for the summer was to cultivate a heart project as a whole to have a right relationship, even with the vulnerable populations who God identities’ with the fatherless; cares for the poor, migrant, and the widow.   

Then reminder of Sundays were Ministry Team Planning followed by a Project meeting.

Side note.

“Handing over the torch” that week’s particular week theme was just bittersweet since that was the week staff left us! After four weeks, staff left and project was run by us students for the remaining month. I loved having staff. After staff left, us students became more of a community and really encouraged each other in our walk with God. Jessie the Third and I got the honor to get handed the torch of leadership for Gospel in Action. We got two GIA days and we were so proud of the second because we went to the same location of a Poverty Walk we did a month earlier, but this time we handed out sack lunches and got to pray over those who experience homelessness. We got so much positive feedback, and it was a day to remember. Also, so many people were converted and grew so much.

Mondays

They were work days for me, then Night of Reflection for Women in the evening. I loved having 2 hours planned out from my day to have with God. I looked forward to those two hours, and I used it wisely and God spoke to me every time. We would get to share with each afterwards, our roommates, and even times with our DNA group.

Tuesdays

Optional Teaching Time was in the morning usually taught by staff. Once staff left they were taught by one of the students. A different person and teaching each time.

Campus afterwards from 9-5 I also to got to share on the beach as a project as whole a couple of times the first week and a half of mission.

Wednesday-Saturday I usually worked until 5.

Wednesday Evenings

“Project Activity”

We had a different one for each week. My absolute favorite one was Night of Comparison- we were allowed to check our hearts let go of comparisons within our communities and embrace gifts.  We sat on the beach took time to discuss what makes us compare each other and then got to write it on the shore and let the waves washed the comparisons away.

Thursday Evenings

Women Time

I loved being able to have time with just us girls and talk about our struggles. Also, we were encouraging each other each week with prayer. It was awesome to hear from our fearless leaders and what they have been learning this summer. Our theme for the summer was CHOSEN, which I really needed to hear that I am loved by God and that’s who I am.  It was a precious time to be vulnerable with each other.

Friday Evenings

FNL (Friday Night Live)

We had a worship band from students from project. Kate and Avery were our rad emcees - they killed it every time.

Then we would transition to someone on project who would share their testimony. Someone else would give a sermon.

By the end of the night Worship was amazing, and everyone’s heart was in it. It was just amazing my; favorite part of FNL.  Then a lovely game afterwards plus hangout afterwards such as: glow in the dark volleyball, baked bear, and ultimate Frisbee.

Our goal was to invite anyone/everyone to FNL for them to experience a Christian Community, Worship, and have questions answered. Praise the Lord we had many people from campus come and love it!

Saturday evenings were free time

Highlights

DNA

I loved my DNA girls.  Shelby and Catherine, you showed me how to genuinely and remarkably be confident in who God created me to be. You both are full of joy, and intentionally invest in others. Most importantly you meet others where they are while being you kind and strong. 

Sulfuring –My ultimate favorite-I suck at it, but it was a learning experience and, well, the ocean is amazing. I loved being in it even snorkeling with seals in La Jolla.

Finding Dory –For Andrew’s birthday, 50-ish of us went to watch Finding Dory, a throwback to our childhood pretty much. It was so good just having a huge group take a whole theater, we of all of people, who remarkably love life and kid movies.

Jumping in the Ocean late at night – This night was so spontaneous and it is one of my favorites! We were dancing on the beach having some, as Emily Wier introduced to project, “sick fellowship”. Fun fact from that night - jeans aren’t meant to be worn in the ocean.

God really soften my heart and taught me so much!

1         I loved going to The Flood church every Sunday. There I was focused and felt like God was speaking to me each time. I was there for a purpose, such as to realize that my suffering on earth compared to eternity is nothing. However, that does not undermine the struggles we face in life; it is a broken world. I love  Romans 5:1-11. This summer unveiled my eyes with a new perspective –which I will admit some days is hard to believe than others because the enemy is so wise in manipulating feelings.  I have been struggling with my health going on 3 years now, and, man, it has drained me physically.  Let’s define the issues: Sinusitis that led to a surgery, swelled throat, abdominal pain/bloating, nausea, congestion, asthma, and recurrent “colds’’ a constant fatigue and irritability. I struggled so much going through the motions of the day, just surviving and not feeling present. Man, has God been with me through it all-with me, he has shown grace it would be utterly prideful to deny it. He provided for two surgeries. He gave me strength to finish a year of college when it was the hardest thing in my life because I spent most of the year sleeping through my days. He literally gave me strength to keep going.  He gave courage and strength for this remarkable journey that was project. Beforehand, I felt very worried  about going because of my lack of  “energy”. Most importantly He defines me. I am the beloved of the Creator, and that’s who I am. He wrecked my world junior year of highschool and still continues to constantly remind me, which I need. I am not defined by my identity in a relationship, GPA, sports, or by illness. By having faith through hard times, you have perseverance, which I need so much when it is hard to be patient. For He is a Good Father and intends good all the time, even though it is hard to trust in that  because, as humans, we do not take ease in the unknown.  God is so good, and we got the results and answers recently that I am allergic to MILK. Which is crazy because I would never have thought it was that!  I  had/have the most reassuring thing through it all; a relationship  with God, who  wants to fully know me, which to say is so awesome because He is an all knowing God, but He wants to know my struggles, happiness, and praise from me from my mouth. We are  called to pray and have a daily dialogue with God. Just Wow! I am defined by unconditional love from the Creator. I am not living to find my purpose, but to trust and experience what He created me for, Again, I am the beloved, and His purpose for me brings the ultimate joy.

2) God is relentlessly pursing me. He is so willing to leave 99 sheep for I, the lost one. So if I ever become lost or astray, I am worth leaving 99 sheep to bring me back to Him. This took me so long to grasp onto. Romans 5 and Romans 6 just rocked my world in the best way possible. Coming to San Diego, I was not confident in my purpose for my life, and I felt like I had been hearing, "you are free and can do all things through God." God unveiled my eyes to really see that I am dead to sin. I am alive in Christ-to reign life with HIM.  Honest truth is we will also do the things we should not do, It is in our nature since everyone is from Adam who, well to put it nicely, condemned us all- we are ungodly, which is unfair. However, the all knowing God knew that had to happen in order to send his son who redeemed us all! Which clicked so well in my heart because I had this phrase in my head and constantly it came to me in so many passages, which was, "Rosa, you need to pray for a new perspective," but I fully understood at the end of project. What is keeping us from fully pursuing the Lord? Why are we trying to be a sacrifice when Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice that took the place for us - no longer condemned. Dead to sin! Nothing is keeping us from pursuing the Lord with all our hearts every day. We will always fall short because, well, Jesus is the only perfect human, and, yes, we are called to be like Jesus, but it is not about imitation but about inhibition. We can reign life and let go of sin because we have the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised. So if we let the Holy Spirit inhabit us, we allow Jesus to Glorify God perfectly.

The Big Picture: surrendering to God is hard,but it is necessary to have an intimate relationship with God and of course community. I still struggle being with vulnerable with others, but God showed His light of how wonderful it is to have community, because most importantly, God is love, which is revealed in I belonging to HIM, but also having the blessing of being loved by others and loving others.

San Diego was life changing and my absolute favorite memory was getting baptized on the last night there being cheered and prayed for by 65 of the most amazing people plus Cheap Rentals crew. I ended the night attempting to surf, but there were some pretty gnarly waves. However, I will never forget the joy, excitement, and shalom I felt watching the sunset on a board. It reminded me how wonderful it is to be still and just let God show Himself.

Thank You for the consistent prayers, and for those who were Ministry Partners, man, thank you so much for providing a trip where I spiritually grew and got to Know God even more than before.

God Bless!