Sarah Bell
Bio:
- Hometown: Harrisburg, PA
- Served: Atlanta, GA 2004-2005
- Did Mission Year: After College
- Where They Are Now: New Orleans, LA
What made you decide to do Mission Year-what was the draw for you?
Mission Year seemed like a great next step for me. I had been working at a long-term drug and alcohol recovery center for women in Harrisburg, Pa for almost a year, and felt a strong pull to continue working in an urban setting. However, I was ready to move farther away from home and test the waters. I've always been a person who likes to test traditional ways of thinking, and challenge the status quo. Mission Year's approach to the idea of “missions work” was completely different than any other group I had heard of. Being frustrated with the lack of resources (both government AND church) being applied to the needs of those in our own country, I found that Mission Year was doing exactly that Christ calls us to do – but in a radical, powerful, and effective way.
Describe the types of service and outreach you were involved with during your Mission Year.
I spent my year working at three different service sites. At Benteen Elementary School I worked with 2nd graders and kindergartners, as well as with their after-school program run by Americorps – Hands on Atlanta. I spent a few hours a week working at Ms. Travis' Learning Center tutoring students and also working with the 3 and 4-year-olds. Finally, in the summer I worked at my church's (Antioch Lakewood Mission) summer camp. This camp was offered to local children ages 5 – 18 for no cost. It involved 2 meals and a snack as well as day trips, and educational training. We had up to 60 kids each day during the summer.
How are you different from having lived for a year in the city?
My views of different demographics of people are much different – much more loving. From addicts to homeless people to single mothers to teachers; now I don't define people by their situation. I understand the importance of taking time to invest in relationships with people I interact with, and not judging them based on stereotypes that we've been force-fed over the years of our socialization. I am also more critical of the way the world and national systems are set up and feel empowered to use my status as part of the 1% of the world's population that goes to college to actually make a difference for someone other than just myself.
How has your Mission Year experience affected your future plans and goals?
Well, I didn't really have plans for after Mission Year so being in Atlanta really just shaped my direction. About halfway through the year, I decided that I would like to stay in Atlanta, but I had no idea what job I would get or if I would continue on to graduate school. As usual, God worked out the details and now I'm doing recruiting for Mission Year. I knew that I wanted to do work in an urban setting and do something to benefit the communities that I fell in love with during my Mission Year. Working for Mission Year is an awesome way to bring more people into the fold of what God is already doing in the inner-cities around the country.
What did you learn about God during your year? What did you learn about yourself?
One of the biggest things I learned about God was the magnitude of his faithfulness. Time and time again my teammates and I would fall short of the mark. We would be judgmental or slack off, or be selfish and God would redeem us. We had to sacrifice some of the little pleasures that we were used to but God always gave us what we needed exactly when we needed it. I also witnessed his faithfulness with our neighbors and church members. I was privileged to see very tangible ways in which God provided for people when everyone else backed out.
I came into Mission Year with a “save the world” mentality and that mentality gets in the way of God's work. Even though I tried to go into each situation humbly I would find myself wanting to fix every person's situations for him or her. Instead of being a very supportive friend to a few people, I wanted to be the one to make everyone's lives better. I overlooked the fact that I'm just a vessel for whatever task God has for me to do. Whatever role I play in someone's life is the role that was decided on by the One that can see the whole plan. Now I know that I don't have to save the world…that's what Christ died for. I just have to be available to serve in whatever small capacity God has for me.
Can you give some words of wisdom to potential Team Members?
Realize your own capacity to love. God created us to be relational and commanded us to love Him and the rest of humanity. Fight the desire to do things the way they've always been done.
Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 (The Message)
