This month's e-update is from Jared reflecting upon the ongoing impact of the mission trip to Haiti.
As we move into spring quarter, there is a feeling of newness on campus. Of course, the early Spring has helped with that, but the newness holds true for ROC ministry, as well. The calendar for spring quarter is full of new opportunities for service, outreach, fellowship, worship, and more. As usual, we’ll be quite busy this quarter!
Yet, amid all this newness, I can’t help notice how our community continues to be influenced by past ministry. You’ve heard a lot about the Haiti mission trip, both in the many months leading up to it, and even in the nearly 4 months (has it been that long??) since. It can be easy at times to feel like that trip and all that went into it was simply a “different season” for the community. There are new opportunities before us, and new challenges the students are ready to tackle. However, there are frequent reminders of how that trip has and continues to influence the members of this community.
I received an e-mail just the other day from Mark Gillette (president of TeamOne.27, the organization we partnered with on the trip) telling me how numerous students have kept in touch, sent items his way to be delivered to the orphanage children, and a few had even taken on the responsibility of sponsoring a child. One of our students who is an RA decided to lead a program for her residents about Haiti after coming back; that program led to this student and some of her residents putting on a hygiene product drive for the orphanages.
Additionally, I have had numerous conversations with students who have engaged with books, articles, movies, documentaries, etc. which have in some way drawn their minds back to Haiti. And this all doesn’t even include the students whose connection with and desire to serve in this community has grown exponentially since coming back.
It seems quite clear that God is certainly not through working in this community and beyond through the trip to Haiti! It is amazing how God does that; He takes our seemingly small and insignificant offerings of service...like a pebble tossed in the ocean...and then uses that to make ripples that stretch far beyond our ability to see. This is what life is like in the kingdom of God—living life beyond what we can see, and then praising God as He works through our faithful lives in big ways! Thanks so much for your partnership with us, and helping make possible the many “Godly ripples” spreading around OU and beyond!
