What our visiting team members have to say!

I learned I'm not in control of these kids lives. God is! I learned how much Satan could use fear to paralyze our ministry. I learned that it's fitting that God in His mystery would bring me all the way out here to meet someone I will always call a good friend!
In Christ,
Scooter Hill

When I got here, I was a pretty judgmental type of person. Always looking on the outside, when I really need to focus on the inside. I love JPUSA. I could totally see myself coming back here in a few years. I love serving people. When I go home tomorrow, I'm going to take with me a new mind. I see things really differently now. How I view people and everything. God has taught me so many things. One in particular is to always put all your trust in Him, and rely on Him fully. Thank you Jeremy. You are such a cool person! See you in heaven!
Kristin

Where do I start? This was an amazing week for me with a group of students I did not know. Prov 16:9. "A man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps."; God has shown me to not be so uptight and to go with the flow of things. Each of us definitely has our own special calling and He will show that to us. . . in His time. Please pray I will be a woman of God as He prepares me for my future husband and our ministry, what ever it is.
God bless.
Marian

Hi!!!! I came on a short term mission back in the early 80's to JPUSA through the Christain College that I was attending at the time. I will be totally honest I was terrified of the whole situation when I arrived!!! I had MAJOR culture shock. All of the stuff I saw on TV news was right there in front of my naive face. Everyone on this planet should visit JPUSA at least. I have a lot of family members in the Ministry and they go over to Honduras (which I believe there is a great need there) but we need to look at what is going on in our own inner cities in this country -- "clean up our own backyards as well as others".
Since I visited JPUSA in the early 80's I have tried over and over again to explain my experiences there and no one gets it. My heart was broken and everyone needs to have their heart broken in order to see the need and in order to set forth (with Gods help) to help heal others.
I worked in the kitchen (I LOVE "liver jive" by the way), I helped feed the hungry, I helped clean an elderly persons apartment, I helped handicapped children ride horseback, I got sick unforturnately the night our group went street witnessing where all the drug dealers and prostitutes hang out, I helped fold tracts and was given as many tracts as I was interested in reading, I talked to a woman who said that she was a "Charismatic Jew" (very up - but very curious about Christains and their beliefs). Basically, I experienced more about Jesus Christ (and the work that He wants accomplished in this world) in one week than I had in my whole entire lifetime of being a Christain and I was even in a Ministry for 3 years.
JPUSA does more for people than any Church or any Ministry (that I have experienced) anywhere. Like I said I was in a Ministry with my husband for 3 years, I taught Sunday School for 8 years, I have a cousin who is a Minister, my husbands father is a minister, I have cousins who have been Missionaries, I have friends who's brothers and sisters are Missionaries, I have been involved in countless churches, my husband and I have been church youths leaders, we taught a Junior High Sunday School class together, I could go on and on. I learned more living amongst Jesus People USA in one week than I have learned from any of those people and places all put together.
Going on one of these short term missions should be required for anyone going into the ministry. Every Christain College and/or a Seminary on this PLANET should make a visit to JPUSA a requirement for graduation. Every church on the face of this earth should make every minister they hire take a group to JPUSA at least once a year!!!!! I thank GOD for my experience there and I THANK YOU JPUSA!!!!! I tell everyone I meet about you and will continue to do so. You made Jesus so real for me that I could almost touch his face!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!
Joan Wallace>

When I first got here there were a lot of things that made me want to go home, but I stayed and I got comfortable. I started to talk to more people and loved it. There were things that got in the way of me liking it here, such as my sister getting sick. Although a lot of bad happened, I definitely want to come back. I learned to trust more in the Lord because He knows what He is doing. It was a great experience for me and coming back a second time I definitely could learn so much more.
Alisa Dunn

It's funny to me that a lot of what God was doing was centered around relations within our team. So the biggest things He was hitting me with were the need to be patient and resist the temptation to retaliate when someone would say something cutting. Partly because I was in a "leader" mindset, I spent most of the week thinking about these kids. I'm learning much now about burying myself deep in God's heart. Thanks for your prayers, spirit and model, Jeremy.
Matt Gerod

I came here with a prideful heart, thinking that I was going to be these people's savior, and what I found out was just the opposite. These people could care less whether or not I was out here giving them something to eat as long as somebody was. What I found was that I need to become a slave to all to become great in God's Kingdom. I also came over and the first things I did was to start judging the people who looked, talked, or acted different and what I found to be true is that no matter what we look like, we are God's if we ask Him to be our Lord and Savior. I hope to go back with a different perspective on life and the way that I view my poverty compared to the people here.
Ian Martin

This week of serving the Lord has been a very significant experience in my life. I have found from first-hand experience that serving others is a great joy. I have also been amazed by the community in how they are willing to give up selfish gain and instead live below poverty level out of their love for those who need help. The main thing I will take home with me is an understanding that the only way to grow closer to God is to deny myself and live outside my comfort zone.
Erik

What God has most impacted in my life is that how good it feels to help serve in a place like JPUSA. And also you Jeremy, you helped me stay calm when I first got here. It's so nice to see colored people get along at JPUSA. How kind they are to us and others. When I leave this place I will leave knowing I did the right thing and that we should be thankful for the clothes we have on.
Pablo Armenderez

Something God really taught me this week is how to really rely on Him and put all my faith and trust on Him. The first day at the shelter was really scary for me and honestly I wanted to go home but I kept praying that God would take my fear away and give me peace and He did.
Something I'm going to take home with me is the value I put on things. One night scooter was talking about how we should be at a point in our walk where God could take away everything and we would still be content because we have God which is all we ever really need anyway. So I pray that I would consider myself blessed that I do live in a nice neighborhood and have nice things but I would hold on to what is really valuable.
God bless you guys. I think it's so amazing what you are doing here. I want to come back really soon.
Jennifer Cooper

I think that it was so amazing that people here were happy living here. I found a new respect for them. I like it here a lot, you are so happy with each other. I think that is very nice. You all love God even better for me. If I could, I would live here. I thank you very much from my heart. This place is so bright for me even if it is one of the lowest parts of the city. Everybody has taught me so much. I want to come back here. I have not much to say but much to think about. Thank you so much.