As most of you know I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Gulfport Mississippi this last Week during IWU's spring break. When people ask me how it went I say it was an amazing devastation. I truly cannot explain what I saw and felt when I saw first hand the devastation of Katrina. At the end of the day I found that everything seemed... hopeless. Then I remembered what our purpose here, on this earth really is, and thank God it is not to attain great fortune and materials for how much more devastated this place would have been. The one thing that this city still had was the hope that only Christ can bring. It was in the church that I found the people with bright eyes and smiles. It was in the Little Rock Baptist Church that I found the strength that Gulfport needs. Each night as we would all gather around in a circle after devotions, you could tell that this circle was where the hope would come from. I can write and tell you about all of the gruesome details and all of the disheartening stories, but in all actuality I know the most I would get from you out of that would be a frown or sympathetic word like, "wow, that's awful," or perhaps from some a tear, but the souls of those in Gulfport have received plenty of these. They don't need anymore tears, they don't need anymore sympathetic words, they need the hope of Christ. They need just that one roof put on their home so that they may find strength for one more day. They need to see that light of Christ from those who will come to them and make a difference. Am I trying to guilt you into going on a trip to the Gulfport... Maybe... Maybe that's what the hopeless need. Maybe they need you... Maybe they need your light. You know, when Mother Theresa was alive people would always ask her what she was doing in India and every time her answer was simple... "come and see." I think she grasped something that most people don't, and its the point that you can never guilt people into helping... Maybe temporarily... But the motivation for continued devotion will not come from this... It will come from the passion and the heart of one who sees the need, who feels the hopelessness and desires to change it. In all honesty, I don't know where this puts me because I have seen it, I have felt it, and I SO desperately want to do something about it, but I don't know what I can do. My team and I roofed 4 houses and gutted 2 and in the end we felt like we had done nothing. Obviously it is one roof at a time, but to see the catastrophic need compared to the wee little change- it just hurts. At this point all we can do is pray... For them... And for the light that seems so dim right now. I am still processing everything, I will most likely update about this trip once again later, but until then please pray for all of those who were effected by Katrina. It looks like the hurricane hit 2 weeks ago and it has been 6 months, pray that the people will recover and end up with a hope like never before! The above photo was taken right on the Gulf. It is a picture of the building of a First Baptist Church which was destroyed, they are still holding services, but isn't this an interesting picture?

As we walked down the street I saw these pearls hanging off a hand rail, there was just something about them that jumped out at me. Obviously, they are probably not real, but the irony of something that is so beautiful and usually highly esteemed among the garbage of the street was just something that I still need to process.

It appears to be a pile of trash, but this is once where a hotel stood...

This was a piece of one of the china plates. It seemed so that amidst all of this debri was something that we cherish so much. Something that we would pay lots of money for and keep in a special place for a special occasion was broken to pieces along this destructed shoreline. It makes you realize how insignificant things like china plates really are... the only thing that really really matters are the souls and lives of those around us... oh how temperal material things truly are~ Lord let us not forget!

One of the left over foundations down on the Gulf. This was probably one of the most amzingly devastating places on the trip. On the ground there are the lives of the people who live around there. We spotted everything from toilets to broken china plates in the sand as we walked around cautiously on feet of debri and sand.

This was one of the signs in a window in Gulfport. Obvioulsy things have changed enough to where there are no longer looters... but it was quite interesting to see.

MISSIONS UPDATE:

Spring Break:
First full week of March
A group of students and I will be taking a road trip down to Gulfport Mississippi to some Katrina Damage Help. We just really want to be a blessing to the people who seem to now be forgotten but who are still in need... they're lives will never be the same- but thanks the Lord, we know he will be faithful!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Funds- its not too much but we still want to be able to be a blessing to the people who need to see a light in days that seem so dim.
Prayer- That the Lord will use us to the best of our ability in everything we do. Wether it is just talking with the people or... roofing!
Safety- This will be a road trip, and I'm sure a fun one, but all of us will be taking turns driving and sleeping and there is always a prayer for safety on the roads!!

Summer:
Internship- there is oppurtunity to do the same internship I did last year with experience mission, and maybe another... I am still praying about it- pray with me as I need to make a decision sooner of later!
Nicaragua- This year I have the oppurtunity to go to Nicaragua again with Los Amigos de Esteli- definitely an amazing trip. I may also look into staying longer or going before-hand to learn some Spanish. Please pray the Lord leads me in these decisions also.

Student Teaching:
I have applied to student teach cross-culturally and I sincerely believe that is what the Lord wants me to do, but this is the assessed situation at the moment.

$300 dePosit needed by Tuesday- Don't have YET
Partner: IWU doesn't send out teachers alone- Don't have YET
Place: I would LOVE to go to the Middle East (it is required we go to a Nationally accredited school)- No Prospects as of YET

SO, all in all it is a good thing that Hebrews 11:1 says: faith is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED for and the EVIDENCE of the UNSEEN... Oh, ye of little faith... He is FAITHFUL to completion!!

All in all my trip was AMAZING!!! Through it all God showed me His desire for the church to take Hope to the Hopeless, and He wants us to this through His love and His power. It really is the time to take up the commision He gave us and say as Isaih did "Here am I, Lord. Send me." I have many, many other amazing stories that I could share with you, and perhaps I will post more as the Lord leads me. But as for now I hope you enjoyed reading about what the Lord did through YOUR support this May. I am so encouraged by the number of people who truly lifted out team up in prayer! Thank you sooooo much! I love you all!

In His Service,

Kallie G.

One of the other things we were able to do while we were there was meet with some families and have some authentic cuisine. The dinner we went to was truly amazing. Getting to know the people and hearing about their way of life and just their love and hospitality was truly amazing. I could go into to much more detail- if you want to hear more email me or leave a comment.

After a few months of team preparation and extreme team challeges we headed to the Karis people the day after two of our members graduated from school. After a four hour drive to the airport, 3 layovers ( 1 for 12 hours in Vienna), and many hours on planes we arrived in the beautiful capital city.

During the week we participated in conversation clubs. We were able to share our culture with the students who were learning Eglish there. We also learned about their great culture, their history, and we had a lil' fun too!

On the weekend we were able to go into the mountains of the country to deliver some clothes and miscellaneous school supplies to the orpahnages. We had an amazing time seeing all of the kids and then going outside with them to play games and create crafts.

My heart still burned with this desire, but the class ended and it seemed to be something that wasn't taking as much precedents in my life. Then one day, while I was walking to lunch I saw a sign that said "Do you want to reach Muslims?" Automatically this caught my attention and I took a flyer... It was informing the students of a mission to trip to the Karis people (or Muslims overseas). As soon as I read the information I realized that the last day to apply for the mission trip was that day. So I ran to my room and filled out an application. A couple of days later I was called for an interview to join the team. Come to find out one of the leaders on the trip were in my Christian Witness to Muslim class the semester before. Next thing I knew, I was a part of the IWU Karis Mission Team.

My first Semester, my Sophomore year at IWU, I was in a class called Christian witness to Muslims with an amazing Proffesor. It was an awesome experience. I learned so much about Islam- and through this class I began to have a growing desire to meet and reach out to those of the Islamic faith. My heart began to go out to the Asian and Middle Eastern countries. My prayers for the believers in the countries became more and more frequent as a passion for the persecuted church was rekindled in my heart. Stories I read in Middle School from Jesus Freaks started coming to mind... and I began to read more and more. For some reason my heart was lit on fire for this unreached people group.

This May I had the oppurtunity to go on an amazing mission trip with a team from Indiana Wesleyan University through World Impact. God revealed so much to me on this trip- I hate keeping it all to myself, so I am going to post information about this trip and hopefully future trips on this site. I want all of you who are my awesome supporters to have some kind of good contact with me about what the Lord is doing through YOUR prayers...look and see what the Lord is doing. I pray that through this you may understand the kind of effect you have on the people who are effected by your prayers and support (including me).

You are awesome- Thank you so much!!
In His Service,
Kallie G.