Justina Harrington
About Mission Year
Mission Year is a year long urban ministry program focused on Christian service and discipleship. We take teams of young people, place them in an area of need, and help them to serve people and create community. We are committed to the command of Jesus to “love God and love people,” by placing the needs of our neighbors first and developing committed disciples of Christ with a heart for the poor. Learn more about our first year program…
Justina Harrington's Blog
When There's Only 28 Days Left... / Jul 7, 03:10 PM
Where to begin. A whole year’s worth of unwritten blogs has brought me to this first and possibly final entry.
Alright, here are some lettered illustrations that have come out of me this year to paint you a bit of a picture of the things I’m still learning how to describe:
There’s a beat on the sun-baked concrete, a basketball bouncing up and down. There’s a melody playing on the Chicago breeze, the ice cream trucks are making their rounds. There’s words to the music, city voices and children’s laughter. The rhythms go up and down, forwards and backwards, changing at night and at dawn.
It’s summer in La Villita.
Took a moment to look in the mirror
It’s taken so long to admit my fear
This reflection once knew right and wrong
Suddenly it’s thinking the words to this song
Voice to the voiceless hear my plea.
You’ll never understand how it tortures me
How I’ve blinded my eyes to validate my sin
And though I’ve got the privelege I still have to win
The empty expressions, the silence on the phone
Say I’m ok but I can’t tell you how it burns when I’m alone
Is the fog so thick? Can I see past the fear?
I’ll take your hand, let’s go, escape this sphere
Dirt roads, paved roads, concrete walk.
We’ve been talkin’ bout the walkin’ but I’m tired of the talk
Startin’ to wonder if it’s worth it or not
Bothers me to wonder and I think I need to stop
I’m “different” and I’ve “changed”
and you’ve heard it all before
So why am I thinking this time it’s something more?
Brother and sister got a new definition
Hearts on the street with a justice petition
Sometimes I wonder if I’m going downhill
Or is it hard fighting lies
and the system’s mighty will
Don’t got the answers or the sweet lies I want
One things for certain, “Love people and God”.
-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Words they fail me now
They’ve failed you so often before
Thought I could figure out how
Thought I just needed to say more
But now I am still there’s nothing I can do
To deserve your love, or be more loved by you
I’ve tried so many times
To make myself worthy
To be perfect in your eyes
And deny my own humanity
Father you hold me
Though I turn away
Your still voice assures me that I am worthy
You were the final sacrifice
You came and payed my ransom price
You said enough
The blood must stop.
****************************
It’s 1:09 on a black Chicago night
But you can’t see the stars cuz there’s too much light
But here on the Southside it don’t touch us
You’ll find another world off the 82 bus
And the night goes on but it don’t get far
Before the sirens blare and the gunshots start
With his finger on the trigger is a boy you’ve seen
In the papers and films in the magazines
You know what to think, but not his heart
You don’t get why he’s gone this far
But up his steps and through his door
Is his life’s story you ain’t heard before
His childhood’s what you can’t take
His childhood’s what you can’t take
24 hopeless hours
Years of rape
Destroyed and torn for years and years
By those who have their own dark fears
He’s an adult at 15 tell you how he’s seen it all
And how he gave up on dreams, bout 15 years ago
And I’m telling you now you wouldn’t get far
If the whole world was telling you who you are
The damage is done
The damage is done
Is there any inoccence left my son?
And then it’s enough
He won’t take it no more
It was never getting better so he walks out the door
Where he’ll go ain’t the question
He knows where it’s at
Life was hell but he knows theirs was worse than that
Down on the corner there’s a family to meet
The broken-hearted children of 23rd street.
And he likes to watch them die
Cause then he knows that eyes still cry
And when he fires that gun
He knows he’s not the only one
Who wishes he could die tonight.
-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
So are the stats truly the lies?
Do we become oppressors if we’re civilized
Are we starving the children with the things we buy?
To save ourselves do we have to take their lives?
How much blood do we spill
To be beautiful
We try to blur our mistakes
We think it’s by us we’ll be saved
We think what we say will get them to heaven
But it’s us who need them
Where would I be without you my sister my brother?
How would we know without eachother?
How would I know justice without you?
You’ve set your face and carried on through
You’ve offered your hand
And found the goodness in man
You’ve made me sing redemption songs
You’ve proved every violence wrong
You have broken my heart and soul
Yet somehow your life makes mine whole
-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Hey there empty eyes
Got a little something to keep you alive
Head to Starbucks for your cup of smiles
And be who you want to be for awhile
She’s so depressed, gotten low
So she runs to the theater to catch a show
Numbs all that unfixable pain
She’ll pretend she’s a hero and forget her name
Another war of words and lies
Forget forgiveness, avert your eyes
It’s better if you just let time heal
So you don’t think of what you don’t want to feel
She feels like she is so worthless
So she heads to the mall to find the perfect dress
She’ll buy and buy and take and take
And she won’t even wonder where her clothes were made
It’s about time to waste some time
So he drops and he locks and he gets online
Here is a world he’s wanted and dreamed
Too bad his own wasn’t what it seemed
Ain’t it good to communicate
IM, cell phone, online date
Human contact: overrated, big cost
And if you don’t like the outcome you can just sign off
When you’re on your way, and you’re climbing that peak
Sometimes you just have to step on the weak
Money is money and you need power more
Besides ain’t there always gonna be poor?
So when they bug you grab a gun and fight
When you want love just do what feels right
When you’ve no excuse get that flag unfurled
You can’t live out Jesus in the real world
And this is how I’ve lived.
-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Israel
Your untold stories are burning in your eyes
But you keep them safe inside
And I’ve never seen you cry
Cyrus
You’ve dealt with it all your whole short life
You’ve been hit so hard
Can you feel a thing beneath those scars?
Genesis
You’re the sunshine, you think you don’t have a voice
Will I ever see the day
The world hears what you have to say?
John
Keep on running, don’t you look back
Be the one who loves his brother
And won’t give up his dreams to another
Comment [3]
He comissioned us / Aug 7, 05:06 PM
“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with brotherly love and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other.” ~Romans 12:9-16
“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” ~Matthew 22:37-40
“The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:37-38
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:13-16
“Oh people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” ~Micah 6:8
And Your Light Will Shine
Words and music by Ted Sandquist
Feed the hungry
Clothe the needy
Help the weary
And your light will shine
Teach the children
Raise the orphan
Bind the broken
And your light will shine (3x)
Out of the darkness
Free the prisoners
Not oppressors
Love your neighbors
And your light will shine
Heal the cripple
Aid the widow
Share the gospel
And your light will shine (3x)
Out of the darkness
You are the light of the world
A city set on a hill.
You are the salt of the earth
Doing the Father’s will.
Children of God, you are the light
Sons of the Most High shine in the night
Live justly
Love mercy
Walk humbly
And your light will shine
Be the chosen
Not a token
Bear His kingdom
And your light will shine (3x)
Out of the darkness
Comment [1]
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