For today's post, Josiah Hsu -- a student at Church of the Savior -- reflects on the recent mission trip led by Savior's youth pastor, Father Andrew Unger.
What did you do on the mission trip?
As a group, we did a lot of service work around the community. We would typically divide into separate groups and work at different locations as needed. Some notable locations that we worked at includes Cornerstone Community Outreach, where we prepared and served food, and Books for a Cause, where we packed books to be shipped to schools and universities. We also attended a bible study at the church we were staying at. In addition to this, I worked with a smaller group to help organize items in the church.
How did you see God at work in the community you served?
Personally, I saw God at work through the unexpected tasks that we found ourselves working on. When we first arrived, we were told that the building manager needed to clean, organize, and renovate rooms in the church. While not originally part of our schedule, it was decided that we would have some people help her. From what we were told, upon hearing this the manager had a visible wave of relief. I feel like God was most at work through unexpected opportunities like these.
How were you challenged or encouraged in your own faith?
Being honest, throughout the week I had a general sense that I wasn't doing enough. It felt like the work I was doing wasn't as substantial or meaningful as it had been previous years, which was disheartening until Father Andrew addressed this during our communion service. He reminded us that our goal wasn't to serve so that we could feel good about ourselves, but rather to serve so that we can demonstrate God's love to others. Those words helped reassure me that even if I didn't feel like I was doing much, God was still working through me.