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Missed Opportunities and Second Chances

A mentor of mine once told me that it is important to document what you are feeling and to take a journal and write down what God is doing in your heart. And then saturate the experience in prayer as you walk alongside God and those with whom you are serving. Then share it. So I am going to share with you a story that has been penetrating in my heart for exactly one year..

A married couple with 4 children needed help. They searched for help in the community and they received some assistance, but was needing more. They heard about Mission U-Too through friends and my boss, at the time, came to me about their needs. They had lost their house in a fire because of an electrical issue with their dryer, right before Christmas in 2015. My heart was broken as how to help. Fortunately, now for those that fear they may lose their house due to the same factor, keep in mind pages on what to do if your dryer caught on fire are all over the internet in hopes of saving your clothes dryer, and more importantly house.

I journaled February 2016: “I am a servant of Christ, a child of the Most High who is to fulfill a commitment on this earth; to spread the gospel showing Christ love in different ways depending on situations and circumstances. Help was given to this family by providing a week in a hotel, Christmas presents, clothes, and groceries. However, I missed the opportunity to pray with them because I allowed the language barrier to build a wall.”

After help was given I felt my purpose and motive was not pleasing to God. I had the opportunity to pray! I had the opportunity to share the gospel with 6 people. I had the opportunity to be a light in the darkness, and I failed.

Have you ever felt like that?

The Rodriquez family moved in with family after their hotel voucher was over, and started building their house with their own hands. I kept in contact with the family through Facebook and would reach out to them every few months.

Just a few days before Christmas in 2016 I was told by a local Pastor that the Rodriquez’s home was almost finished. I know some of you can relate to losing your home in a fire and the devastation of losing everything and having to rebuild your life again. I then reached out again and asked what I could do to help. Diana, the mother, sent me a list of items that they needed and I started praying through the list.

Within a few days God sent His deliverer. A Bastrop family wanted to bless a family during Christmas, so I mentioned the Rodriquez family and their needs. It was a MATCH! Gifts were given from a local Pastor…pillows, towels and a microwave. Plus money for a washer and dryer, curtains and other household items were given. I gathered all the things and went to visit the family.

I pulled up to their little trailer size home with 3 bedrooms, 1 bath and a kitchen. No living space and they were content, blessed and satisfied with the work that was put into their tiny home. Emotions were expressed by her and I. We cried together, laughed together, and we PRAYED together. I knew just enough Spanglish for her to understand. That was my opportunity friends! I shared the gospel with her and the heart behind Mission U-Too. I spent 3 hours with her unpacking her new gifts and talking, while Jordan, my son, played outside with the children.

God presents opportunities. Sometimes we miss the opportunity and sometimes we don’t. Don’t miss the opportunity that Christ has for you. I almost did, but with His great planning, my journaling, and pursuing the Great Commission, I had another opportunity that God trusted me with. Diana is a believer. Her husband is also a believer, and a few of her children are as well.

2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” I was blessed abundantly and the Rodriquez family, because of OUR commitment to Christ.

You can do the same. Choosing a service opportunity can be daunting, but if you think about it, you have passions that will help drive this decision. God has blessed you with gifts that will lead your decision and will encourage you along the way. Trust in your passions, gifts and, most of all, God. And He will lead you to an experience that will change your life.

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Meet A Volunteer: Hannah

Hannah is a cheerful 14-year-old who has been serving with Mission U-Too at various locations since 2012. She heard about Mission U-Too from her mom, Christine, who had first heard about the ministry at a local community group. She has been serving with her family ever since.

Hannah’s family started serving for the Bastrop North site in 2014 on a regular basis. “When we first started serving at the Bastrop North site people would be outside fighting and it was scary. I was scared to attend the local feedings. However, when we continued over the months serving consistently trust was being built and less fights were happening.”

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She served in the Oklahoma tornado disaster relief trip. During the days of serving it had started raining and another threat of a tornado was coming through. People were devastated from the devastation they already experienced just a few days before. Mission U-Too still served those that were hungry. “Life changing experience,” she said. “Seeing people scramble for shelter and the fear that was on their face. It made me appreciate the things I have.”

A story about the tornado she remembers is hearing about two best friends who walked into the local high school together to get away from the tornado had died. The tornado destroyed half of the school. Being a high schooler herself she can’t imagine the devastation of losing her best friend.

“Mission U-Too has changed my outlook on homeless people. Before Mission U-Too I never paid attention to them. In my surroundings now I am more aware and not afraid to talk to them,” she said. “If we haven’t served with Mission U-Too I wouldn’t see the need around me. It has helped open my eyes to others needs instead of my own.”

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Blessed Abundantly

Marilyn is a single grandmother raising her four grandchildren: Alex, Brett, Amari and Kaylee. Struggling to make ends meet, her grandchildren started coming to Mission U-Too for a burger.

Quiet and meek they would sneak in the line and wait patiently for their time to be served. Not knowing a soul around them other than others in the community they would walk back home with their food in hand and eat with their grandmother.

Alex, the oldest of the four grandkids attends Bastrop High School and is on the track team. Breaking out of his shell he started finding HOPE and community at Mission U-Too. He began to serve and started building trust with those he was finding peace. “It’s just different,” Alex said in an interview. The ‘different’ Alex was feeling was the love he was experiencing from those who were pouring into him, Christ’s love. Alex’s siblings later followed behind to serve.

Marilyn was seeing positive change in the children. Once her grandchildren were able to find peace and comfort she started coming to be served as well. They even decided to dedicate their lives to Christ in their church and were baptized. Carol, a Mission U-Too volunteer, was invited to join the baptism.

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And then on a summer afternoon Marilyn and her grandchildren were in Houston trying to head back to Bastrop and their car broke down. She was able to get help and a ride back to Bastrop from family, but her car was not repairable. Left alone at home without a vehicle they all began to pray. Little did she know, a family who had just started serving with Mission U-Too had a car that they had been praying about for several months to be able to donate to someone in need, negating the need for the family to look at or somewhere similar for a replacement car in order to be able to transport the family around again once more.

Carol introduced Marilyn to the family and they found a perfect match. Marilyn was blessed with a car.

Marilyn said in an interview, “I have never met people who cared as much as your volunteers do. My family has been blessed abundantly and my faith is stronger.” And Alex followed with, “I am loved and I have a purpose in life that I never knew I had.” They ended with that Mission U-Too’s impact in the community has made it a better and safer place to live.

God is on the move within Mission U-Too. Actually, it’s not about the name or who we are, it’s about Jesus Christ and making disciples. He uses people within Mission U-Too to reach out with His love.

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Serving Christmas Meals

Christmas time is here! The holiday season doesn’t stop Mission U-Too from serving every week. What a great way to spread Christmas cheer and to proclaim the gospel. One of the best ways to proclaim the gospel is through serving others in practical ways. We have two Mission U-Too locations serving on Christmas Day. We’d love for you to come join us and help serve those in need for the holidays and be a blessing to your community!

Mission U-Too Locations:

Giddings: 190 N Harris in Giddings from 5:00-6:00 pm. Set up starts at 4:00.
Bastrop North: 603 Linden St in Bastrop from 5:00-6:00 pm. Set up starts at 4:00.

 

“Though he was in the form of God he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”   ~Philippians 2:6-8

Be amazed at the ways Jesus has served his people. When you see Jesus serving you even to the point of death, you’ll be willing to serve others in radical ways.

Come be a part this year by serving in your community or join us by serving at one of the two listed locations. Have a blessed Christmas! We look forward to serving with you.

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Meet a Volunteer: Jane

Jane and Mike first started serving with Mission U-Too in November 2015. We first met them a month earlier when they stopped to get some food from our disaster relief team as they were nervously waiting out the Hidden Pines Fires in Smithville, TX where they lived.

Mike and I began serving with Mission U-Too November 2015. It was our first Sunday evening serving at the Bastrop North location that I noticed a young woman moving down the service line receiving her food and condiments. She maintained no eye contact whatsoever and in fact, had tears rolling down her face, staring downward as if she wished to remain invisible.

I watched as she progressed to the end of the line and took her food to sit alone, with her red plastic cup. I was moved by her obvious sadness and was very uncomfortable that she sat alone, head lowered. I broke away from the line and approached her and in a futile reflective statement I had learned from years of psychotherapy training, I recall saying, “I can see that you’re sad.” I asked her if I could pray with her and she nodded.

Regarding prayer as something intimate and private, I had never done anything like this before, which speaks to God’s stretching us beyond our felt comfort zone to empower us in anything that may be part of His plan.

Disheveled, a bone thin body worn from years of addiction and domestic violence, wearing flannel pajamas, her name was Paula. She revealed she was “dying”, she couldn’t stop drinking, telling of her body failing and succumbing to advanced alcoholism, and held up her cup in almost a question of ‘what are you going to do?’ as she told me it contained her vodka drink.

I listened as she talked and eventually we were joined by two other Mission U-Too ladies who prayed with us and accompanied us across the street where Paula resided to assist her, at her request, in pouring out her bottles of alcohol. She knew drinking was killing her and agreed to allow Mike and me to drive her to an AA meeting that evening. The meeting room was darkened by the time we arrived, so we took her with us to an ice cream shop where other Mission U-Too folks had gathered and once again she could feel acceptance and support from our group.

Weeks later our hearts smiled and our awe of God’s gracious intervention magnified as we watched Paula eventually come back across the street to step into the Mission U-Too service line to help prepare and serve meals for others. She grew in spirit and health in her recovery and was named as a line chief of the serving line, which she manages now with confidence and grace. As Mike and I experienced the calling to serve Mission U-Too after their ministering to us in a time of emotional distress, so Paula had come to serve the very ones among whom she had so many months ago been one of.

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A Mission U-Too Thanksgiving

The holidays are here and we are thankful for you! What a great time of year to come and serve the community of Smithville.

Mission U-Too’s Smithville site has been serving on Thanksgiving Day for the past four years. Because the site’s “normal” serving day is Thursday, we are blessed to continue to serve on Thanksgiving day. But instead of the normal burgers you might find, our volunteers serve a full on Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings.

A Mission U-Too Thanksgiving Story

Our second year of serving the Smithville community and building relationships as a community, a gentleman by the name of Mike who has lived in Smithville almost all of his life, asked us if we were serving on Thanksgiving. Mike had been coming every week, but his question stood out to us. Mike didn’t have much and he had no family close by to celebrate the holidays with. We realized many others might be in the same situation as him so we decided that regardless of the weather or holiday we will still serve on that day.

We showed up Thanksgiving Day and we started setting up for our meal. Little did we know that the community of Smithville and Bastrop came together and surprised us with a full Thanksgiving feast. We still cooked some burgers and hot dogs.

When our friend Mike, arrived to the site he was excited to see a feast waiting before him. “I have never seen the Smithville community come together. I can’t believe this. I had no money for food this week, now I will have plenty.” What a blessing it was to come together as a community without asking for anything and Jesus provided the entire meal. Mike went home with some leftovers to feed him at least through the weekend.

How You Can Help

Bring your family and come serve with us from 5:00-6:00 pm on Thanksgiving day at The Neighborhood Place on MLK and 95 in Smithville, TX. Share your love and the gospel with our friends from Smithville. Also if you know a family in need of a hot Thanksgiving meal, please let them know where they can come. We would love to have an abundance to share the holidays with.

If you would like to help with food, please contact Brittanie at 512-575-5289 for needed items.

We THANK YOU for your generosity, prayer, and servant hearts during the holidays.

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“Now I know why I came”

“I shouldn’t have come,” Nancy said. “Why?” I asked. “Because I’m embarrassed others need it more than me, I should go.” I walked around the picnic table to sit down with her and asked her to please stay. She looked at me in the eyes and said, “Thank you for having me.”

Nancy is a 55 year-old single woman who resides in Smithville, TX. She lives in an efficiency apartment and is on housing assistance. Nancy heard about Mission U-Too from her neighbors who attend regularly, but it took her 4 months to join us. She recently started coming because her grandson is staying with her for the summer, and they were both hungry. For physical food and spiritual food.

“I have a fixed income and can barely feed myself. I now have my grandson with me who needs to eat more than I do.” Nancy and her grandson took home three burgers and three hotdogs each and some extra food for the week since she wasn’t sure when their next meal would be other than the free lunch for the children of the community.

When asked how we can pray for her she broke down in tears and started crying. “Now I know why I came. I have been needing prayer but have no one to turn to.” Divorced and living by herself, Nancy dwells on the past. She has never been able to talk about her divorce because of shame and people judging her. She said, “I’m tired of hypocrites and getting hurt. I need more positive people in my life.”

Now knowing that Mission U-Too is at the Smithville location every Thursday rain or shine, Nancy found a new place where she can come and be herself and feel loved and accepted just the way she is. Building relationships and tearing walls down one by one, we now have a new friendship. Confused, Nancy asked why we were doing this. “Because Jesus told us to. We’re to love you and care for you just like Jesus loves us and cares for us,” I said. She smiled.

Nancy’s story through Mission U-Too is not finished yet!

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Meet a Volunteer: Molly

Molly serves every week at our Giddings location. Here is her story about the impact her life has had from building relationships through Mission U-Too.

Serving at Mission U-Too has been one of the best things to happen to me since moving to Texas almost 2 years ago. I remember so clearly the first night I was able to go, I ended up playing with all the kids that were there, chasing them around and laughing with them, giving them hugs and loving them. My heart had been aching for “little people” time and interaction, and God was so faithful to bring it at just the right time.

As I continued serving the people of Giddings, God began to stir my heart for them in a way I didn’t expect. So many of them were searching, I could see it in their eyes and the conversations I would have. Most of our prayer times at the end would leave me in tears because of stories I heard or just a desire for the people of my city to know the love of God through Jesus.

This past year I started going to Mission U-Too more frequently, being able to build relationships with the people there. God gave me opportunities to pray for people, love on the kids and even bring my guitar and play and sing while our guests came through the line.

Meet a Volunteer: Molly

In October of 2015, I met the Garcia family, a mom with four kids. They would come and get food and then go home, but eventually the three oldest kids would come and jump on the line to help serve while the mom would sit on the side with her 1 year-old son and just watch.

She was beautiful and her little boy was so precious. I felt an instant love for all of them and as I began talking with the mother, my heart swelled even more. She only spoke Spanish, but by the grace of God, I was able to hold conversations with her and sometimes her kids jumped in to help translate.

Meet a Volunteer: Molly

Meeting the Garcia family was a divine appointment. She immediately invited me to her home and I was able to go and visit and spend an afternoon with them, and have some of the most delicious food! Their life is not easy, but the strength God has given to them is astounding. They are so faithful to come and serve every Sunday, and now even the mother serves on the line! It’s so beautiful to see how God has put us together. He has loved me through them and I am so grateful for their friendship.

Serving at Mission U-Too Giddings has given me new eyes and perspective to see people through the lens of Jesus. God has broken my heart for the people of my community and has provided an avenue for me to take action and love them. I am forever grateful to be a part of this ministry. To God be the glory.

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Meet a Volunteer: Josh

Did you know that Mission U-Too allows children to come and serve? We have families ask us if they are able to bring their children to serve at our sites or during a disaster relief trip. The answer is YES! We have found that in order to reach the children in the neighborhoods, it’s best to have someone their own age they can relate too.

Hungry little children run around their communities night and day. Some don’t know when their next meal is coming. We have children that ask for a burger for every day of the week, so they have something to eat at home. We are blessed to be a ministry that can fill children’s bellies and to teach them Christ’s love. At some of our locations, the children are the only ones from their families that come and get food to take back home. Eventually the families will join their children once trust is built and consistency is proven.

MEET A VOLUNTEER: JOSH | Mission U-Too

Josh Farquhar is 11 years old and has been serving with Mission U-Too for 4 years. He heard about Mission U-Too through his mom and from their local church. His sister Hannah heard about Mission U-Too from a classmate who wore a Mission U-Too t-shirt to school almost every day. Now Josh says that his sister’s classmate is his best friend.

Josh has been learning how to put others first and himself last. Just like what Jesus did for us. Jesus had to prove to so many in order for them to trust in Him, He had to live a selfless life and serve those before himself, and then sacrificed his life for us. Teaching children like Josh to be more and more like Jesus is necessary in today’s world.

A great story that Josh has about Mission U-Too is at the Bastrop North site where his family served consistently: “We pulled up Sunday afternoon and there were girls and moms in the street yelling and cussing each other out. We almost had to call the cops until my mom broke it up. She started talking to the girls and then their moms until everyone was calmed down. After a couple years we haven’t seen any of that because of our impact in their lives. That’s important because that shows us that spreading the word of God and meeting the need physically and spiritually is important.”

He also said “The difference now is that it is totally different than before and I can’t believe our impact in their lives is so powerful. I use to feel very uncomfortable and I chose to never leave my parents side because I was so scared of my surroundings and now I am not scared to talk to people or meet kids. I even get on the mic and read scripture.”

Mission U-Too has helped Josh figure out his future. He said “I want to go all around the world and be a Pastor and preach at different churches.”

Children like Josh are going to be our next leaders. Why not get them involved by serving others and teaching them that everyone is loved by Jesus?

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New Site Location: Stony Point

We’re excited to announce the start of a new location at Stony Point in Del Valle, Texas! This has been a site we have desired to start for a number of years, as it is an area that’s impoverished and has great needs.

Stony Point is located on the border of Bastrop and Travis Counties and is a neighborhood in Del Valle, however it is a somewhat forgotten community with lots of poverty and several gangs who call this area home.

After lots of prayer and God leading the right people to use to cultivate relationships, the ground is fertile and the community is ready to receive us. The Mission U-Too Stony Point site officially started 4 weeks ago and has been growing ever since.

New Site Location: Stony Point | Mission U-Too

Gang members in their mid teens are even stopping by to get a hot meal. They enjoyed the meal so much they came through the line three times! They asked before leaving “are you really going to be here every Monday night?”

A local that runs and owns a little convenient store on the corner in Stony Point has said “we’ve been needing this for a number of years. I’ve tried helping people out but I can’t do it by myself.” He’s grateful that we are there to help his community. Even with the little resources this store has, the owner has a huge heart to help. Every week he gives Mission U-Too bags of ice to keep our drinks cold.

New Site Location: Stony Point | Mission U-Too

Steven, a young boy who serves at this new location, waits for our arrival on Monday evenings. He serves until feeding time is over and then will take food back to his family. If there are any leftovers more food is sent to his family and he shares it with his neighbors as well. Steven has found a place that he can make a difference in his community.

Another volunteer, Gabriel, started cutting the grass and helps keep the area cleaned up. The grass has been overgrown and the park hasn’t been taken care of. It’s great to see the community coming out and helping serve with Mission U-Too but also shows care and respect of their community.

Persistence and consistency are key to our sites. Serving each location the same day every week at the same time builds trust and grows relationships. Larry White, one of our volunteers, said, “It’s been a great blessing and has refreshed my spirit to be able to serve in Stony Point. People are so grateful there and are surprised that we have kept our promise to be there.”

We are so excited to now be serving hot meals to the people who call Stony Point home. Mission U-Too will continue using the body of Christ to come together to serve communities across the country.

Stony Point meets every Monday night.

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