“Back and broken?” That was the text I received from my sister. Yes, broken…
A broken heart. Broken by the people of Detroit who have no hope. We walked around an inner city neighborhood for two days inviting all to our community carnival on Thursday. Then showered them with love on that day. And a few of the responses were “Why? Why us? Why here? Do you know where you are?” That hurt..
Those living in the inner city have been made to feel less than, that they are undeserving. That hurts…
I woke up the next morning, headed home, replaying the conversations, tears streaming down my face, wondering, what more can I do? Why aren’t we doing more? This hurts…
Some children didn’t even look me in the eyes when I talked to them, head down the whole time, that hurts… I was able to make many smile. Looking back, I wish I would have given more hugs. We have to do more.
Hurt.
How did it get this way? Homes abandoned, some whole blocks vacant… I grew up in the inner city, just like this, and now even the home I grew up in is vacant, vandalized and occupied by squatters…
We have got to do better. We have got to love our neighbors! We have moved out of the city and never looked back. For the sake of “making a better life for ourselves” & our children we’ve moved out of the city and left the poor to fend for themselves.
How do you ease back into normal living after being on a mission trip?
Slowly I suppose…
I’m just trying to process all of this as I ease back into my normal. My nice neighborhood, miles away from the city. My “safety net.”
This must be what Katie Davis or the machine gun preacher felt like when they went back to their normal. I want to pack up my family and move closer to the inner city to shine my light! Extreme? Maybe. But what is one to do?
For now I won’t forget. I will continue to live my life on mission daily, in my neighborhood, on my job, while in public. But I will also champion for the poor. I want to bring hope! Hope that can ONLY be found in JESUS!
If not us, then who will be like Jesus to the least of these?
Mission Minded Mama 
I know exactly how you feel… I’m still reeling from it. I’m finding it hard to focus on my “normal”. I wanted to do more… say more… be more. It felt like there wasn’t enough time. What will happen to those people in a year? Will more of them move away, lose education, go bankrupt, lose hope?
I didn’t want to leave. How do we adjust after such an experience?
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I think we just have to remember to do what we CAN do….because we can’t do it all. I’ve come back feeling guilty for having the things I have but that’s the enemy talking. Instead I’m trying to focus on being thankful, and to bring hope and a smile to all those I encounter…. in the meantime let’s keep praying for Detroit…. we did what we could do, God will do the rest!! ;-). Love ya girl! 😘
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Definitely. The enemy has been pulling me down as I look around at what I have… and what I haven’t been doing. We’ve lived in thia tiny, mold-ridden house for a few years now and I still barely know my neighbors’ names. I don’t know their stories. In Detroit, those people knew their neighbors. They made sure to invite them or tell us to give so and so down the block a flier. Just… wow.
Even though they live in such a desperate state, they were so kind to us. I’m just baffled.
I agree, though. We did what we could, and now we need to keep on mission and keep praying! The mission doesn’t stop after we leave the trip. ♡ love you muchly!
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The one thing it definitely did was open our eyes!
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Yes it certainly did!!!
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Reblogged this on Beyoutiful Imperfection and commented:
It’s hard to focus on my safety net once I’ve placed myself somewhere without the “normal” I am blessed enough to have. After experiencing the loss and lack of hope, what have I to complain about? How can I do more to help those around me where I’m at? Why can’t I relax? Mayhaps God is calling me to keep moving. The mission doesn’t end in Detroit. It’s here in our own towns and communities.
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Wow!!! What powerful moving account of your mission trip. Everything happens for a reason. Only God knows the real purpose of why you and your children were sent to Detroit. The convictions in your heart are real. Use that as a motivation to live according to His will. Thank you for sharing, God Bless! Tina
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Yes He does!!! I will definitely do that!
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