Take It With You 05.01.2022

What does “Missions” mean to you?

My childhood Missions Memories? Giving to Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong and Heck Jones offerings. Learning “Jesus Loves Me” in Portuguese while visiting my parents’ seminary friends, who were  Brazilian Missionaries on furlough. “Mission Trips?” Taking homemade cherry jelly to shut ins.  Visiting Bessie and Mack, who were blind, and later as a GA, cleaning their house.  Delivering groceries, making cards for a sick little girl, helping with a party for abused children, and watching my mother help with therapy for a child with a disability.   “Mission Trips” changed over time…. singing in prisons, retirement homes, children’s homes, and shelters. Backyard Bible Clubs and hurricane cleanup.  Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, New York, San Antonio, Czech Republic, Bayboro, NC and Fayetteville, NC. 

And then there was Haiti…

In 2016 we planned to go to Haiti with the youth choir but cancelled after learning our first grandchild was due during the trip.  Brad had already delayed several Haiti trips due to Cancer treatments.  Our son, Gray was able to go and meet the little girl we sponsor, a blessing for all of us. 

Brad finally made it to Haiti in 2018 and met our special little girl.  Although at first very shy, she grinned BIG and threw her arms around Brad when he showed her a picture of Gray giving her a baby doll when he was there.  With plans to return in 2019, several days before Brad and other Snyder members were to leave, the trip was cancelled due to unrest in Haiti.  It was a heartbreaking week.  A gift bag we had for Sephora sat in our closet in hopes that he could take it soon.  Unrest continued and Covid hit the world.   A few months ago in tears, I gave the baby doll, socks, and hair ties away, realizing she would be too old to use them.  We continue to pray for that sweet little girl, and love getting her report cards to know how she’s progressing in school.

Today on a day where we dedicate these precious babies in our church, let us not forget as we pray and commit to nurture them, to also support and pray for children around the world so that they will also know Jesus.

Steve Green’s song, “The Mission” says,

To love the Lord our God Is the heartbeat of our mission.
The spring from which our service overflows
Across the street or around the world, The mission’s still the same
Proclaim and live the Truth in Jesus’ name

~ Kerri Hurley