Today was the last full day in Jackson, Mississippi, and we spent it by taking a tour of Jackson and Mendenhall. Mendenhall was the hometown John M. Perkins where he grew up, started his ministries, and was beaten up and imprisoned for standing up for a bus of wrongly convicted African American teenagers. Taking a tour of Jackson was really cool because it allowed me the chance to see what Jackson used to look like and what it looks like now. I found it to be interesting when I saw Confederate flags waving outside buildings or when I saw the eagle on the old capitol building facing south (it’s suppose face toward Washington D.C.) because it showed me how the effects of racism and white supremacy were still prevalent today. I’ve always considered racism a thing of the past for the most part. But this revealed to me firsthand racism in modern society, and I realized that I could, and should stick up for what was right. However, the thing that affected me the most was how Dr. Perkins and the early church underwent brutality, beatings, and persecution for what they believed in. During our Bible studies with Dr. Perkins, we looked at the first several chapters of Acts which talk about the beginning and establishment of the early church. The twelve disciples went out into the four corners of the earth preaching and spreading the Word in the name of Jesus. They were put in prison, they were beaten, and they were killed, and yet they never lost their faith, their courage, or their steadfast devoutness in Christ. Similarly, when we toured Mendenhall, I saw the same dedication, courage, and faith in Dr. Perkins and his family and friends. This really challenged me because it’s one thing to say I’m a Christian, but it’s another to say I’m a Christian if it means I’m going to lose my life. Will I take the blow for Him? Will I take the bullet for Him? These were questions that made me realize first what if means to be a true disciple and second who examples of true disciples are. I am really glad I had the chance to go to Mendenhall with the team today; it was a great way to end the week.


Tyler

One thing that John Perkins talked about during one of his devotion times was saying how he valued people because he knows that what they have to say and hearing about their lives will enrich him and his life. This is one thing that I’ve seen as our trip is coming to a close. The relationships and friendships that have formed on this trip have enriched me as a person. From the talks I’ve had with all the girls in our room, the long van-ride talks, the regular conversations, and the times that we’ve had reflection and devotions as a group. The group of kids and leaders that have been on this trip have blessed my life and they have each individually taught me something, most without them even realizing it.


~Carly

On Thursday we took a tour of Jackson, but in our morning devotions with John Perkins; he talked about something that I will never forget. He said the words, “God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.” That really stuck out to me and encouraged me greatly. It just reminded me that even when I am weak and feel as though I can’t keep going, that God is strong all the time. I don’t have to worry about feeling weak or helpless because God is always there and will always be my strength. JP also said to us, “Know God and make Him known.” I pray that God will use me even after this trip. I am going to faithfully seek Him until I can make Him known in our broken world. This world desperately needs a savior.


In our tour, we visited Menden Hall. We got to see where JP lived with his wife and kids. The town was very small and didn’t really have anything in it. They had no roller rinks, bowling allies, or movie theatres. I feel very fortunate to have all of these things in my city. I think it would be a challenge to live in such a small town, but I guess you would learn to adjust. We also got to visit a small part of the town that is still segregated today. The white people live on one side of the railroad tracks and the black people live on the other side. I could never imagine living like that, because I am very compassionate and kind. I do not care about people’s color of skin or the way they talk or look. I accept others for who they are and do not discriminate.

I think our team has bonded tremendously over this past week. Having last night be our last night was bittersweet. I am going to miss Jackson a lot, but I now have so many new and great things to take with me in life. I have enjoyed building the relationships that I have now with the people around me. It is a trip that I will never forget and I cannot express how thankful I am to God for calling me and sending me. :)

~with love, Cassandra

Hello family and friends! It is our last night in Jackson and this week has been amazing. I have learned so much not only about myself but about community and learning about my purpose in the world. During a devotion with Mr. Perkins he talked about our reason for being here. He went over the typical answer, "to give back", however, why shouldn't we give back?? What makes us so much better than everyone else that we don't have to give back to the community? Our reasoning for being here should not only be to give back but to take our experiences back to our own community and build it up there. Our experience should encourage others to want and desire to serve. From this trip I have learned to seek out information about myself and also others in order to grow as a leader among my peers and also as a servant for Christ.
Love,
Maxine

Wednesday: Trip to Memphis

Hey Families and Friends!

Today was the day we got to visit Memphis and more importantly the Civil Rights Museum and Underground Railroad site.  Aside from the car rides, the whole thing was a very moving and learning experience which really made me aware firsthand of the brutality and injustice African Americans went through during the 19th and 20th centuries in the US.  We first stopped off at the Civil Rights Museum.  The thing that hit me first was the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot.  I felt weird being in the same spot where one of the greatest advocates for African Americans, equality, and liberty was shot, and it made me question myself as to if I was living the kind of life that represents one standing up for equality, freedom, and Christ.  In the museum, we took a tour through time as we started with the introduction of slavery into the US, ended with MLK Jr.'s assassination, and included all the affects of it in between.  We also watched a short documentary on MLK Jr. and his last moments, and it really impacted and challenged me because it had a simple but sensational saying: "You can kill the dreamer, but you cannot kill the dream."  I found it very powerful, especially when I related it to Christ and Easter.  They may have killed Christ, but they definitely did not kill Christianity or the Word or the Church.  These live on just as Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and all that he stood for lives on today.  It takes more than a bullet or a cross to stop something like that.

Tyler

On Wednesday, we all took the long three hour car ride to Memphis Tennessee to visit the Civil Rights Museum and a Safe Haven house. It was an incredible experience for me because I learned and saw things that I had never known or heard. I learned details about Martin Luther King's death that I had never known before. The day was an adventure and an experience that I know I will never forget. In the Safe Haven house, there was this cellar that Noah, Ms. Vandenberg, and I went down into. The cellar had almost an eerie feeling to it because of how small and tight it was. I could never imagine having to hide in there every day while being scared every moment about whether I was going to live through it or not. I am assured though that God had his hand upon them every step of the way. I am so thankful that our God is a God of peace, love, and kindness. I am so glad that I was able to have the opportunity to see these historical sites and to learn from them. The day and the experience is something that I will never ever forget.
~Cassandra :)

Working in Community

Hello Everyone :)

I hope you are all having a good week.  I am!!!!! :) Well I was suppost to post this a few days ago, but I lost track of time hanging out with my team.  On Monday, It was our first work day.  I worked with Mr. Schaap(one of my teachers), Tyler, and Noah.  Together we built a gate and cleaned up the house of an older lady in the community. None of us had true gate building experience so it was very nice to work together to make something good come out of it.  This lady also had other tasks for us todo as well.  We wanted to help her out as much as we could.  She truly appreciated it.  Helping at this house made me realize how much the community needs help, and how much the John Perkins Center does for the community.  I liked the interaction that I got with the community while serving.  The people in the neighborhood were very friendly.  People said hello as they walked by and they sat it their yards and talked with us as we worked.  One neighbor watched Tyler and I mow the hill if the lawn. (Well Tyler TRYING to mow and Jamie standing there laughing) (Typical Jamie-encouraging I know :) ).  This lady that sat and watched was supportive and was trying to give us (Tyler) advice, and at the same time laughing along with us.  I could really feel love the and joy being spread throughout the community just by doing something little.  This was truly an amazing feeling.  I realized that we could do little things around our community at home as well.  I am loving seeing God move in my own life, in the lives of my teammates, and in the lives of those in the community as well.  Can't wait to see you all soon!!

                 Love you all,
                 Jamie Jacob

On Tuesday we had our second and last work day. the group that I was in was in charge of the house we were staying in and me and Emily were in charge of raking all of the leaves around the house which at first seemed like a ton but it actually wasn’t that bad and we got done with it before our work day was ever over. The whole group had such a positive attitude and I think that’s why we got done so fast. it was a fun time working and getting to know the teachers and other kids in our group even more. When we had finished out lawn we went to the house across the street and began helping in their yard.  As we were working one of the kids in the house next door came out of his house and started taking pictures of us because he hadn’t seem people do that before. We began talking to him and just learned more and more about him. It was a lot of fun to talk to the people in the community and not just the people in our group, we were truly building community.

Dominique

Tuesday: Work Day

On Tuesday, we had a work day. We racked leaves, trimmed trees and bushes, got twines off of the fence, etc. We had a lot to do but we worked together and got a lot done. I had a lot of fun working together with the team.  We got to know each other better in the process of cleaning up. We ended up going to help another group around the corner. As we were working one of the neighbors came over and starting talking to us. We got to know him a little better and talked to him for a little bit. He was interested with what we were doing and why we were helping clean the community. I really enjoyed helping out the community and seeing how much we can get done when we work together.

~Emily

Today, me and the fellow team members and our new friends (The Bostonians) all went on a tour around Jackson and Mendenhall. This was a great experience seeing how the different communities live and how much help that they really need. It really shocked me seeing how they had to separate the neighborhood by the colored and white people. What I really noticed was that it seemed like the community was missing something. It looked like that they were missing the love from others. They need acceptance of love from others to make them feel significant in this world we all live in. On our journey today, we looked at the Medgar Evers memorial home and saw where he had got shot in front of his family. It really broke my heart learning how they couldn’t even spend time in the front of their house because they weren’t safe. Normally you should feel safe in your home, but for the Ever’s family it was the complete opposite. They weren’t safe, they are to eat dinner and spend time together in the back of their house. While continuing on our tour, it shattered my heart seeing all the poverty around. Seeing most of the house’s burnt down, not fully taken care of makes me feel really blessed for the stuff that I have today. In my life, I have never seen a place so broken and really made me think of how as Christians we can help them. A quote from Dr. John M Perkins popped in my heart seeing all this devastation, “Christianity is all about helping others.” As Christians, We need to use all of our power to help others and to fully serve them. We have to reassure that God’s love is stronger than hatred. We need to embrace others with His love and give it off to others who truly need it. God’s strength is proven in our weakness. Over this trip, I saw many signs of hope from all the foundations Dr. John M. Perkins has offered over the years. He is offering hope for all the children and education that they need in life. Love has to be given, but we also need to give love. As Christians that’s what we need to do, we need to be like John Perkins and offer love to anyone who needs it. If we believe in him and accept him, we can grow in his grace and build each other up in community.


-Kayla Grigsby :)

Work Days

Devotions with John Perkins

We have been having morning devotions with John Perkins every morning before we went out and started our days this week. He always tells us how excited he is that we are here with him and that we can help serve the community here in Jackson. One of the first things that he talked about was gifts that God had given us. He said that we are going to go around the room and say one thing that we like about ourselves. I was challenged and pushed a little out of my comfort zone because I don’t usually tell people what I like about myself. Mr. Perkins told us that it’s okay that it may seem prideful because it has a deeper meaning behind it. He wanted us to find and realize the gifts that God has blessed us with. He told us that everyone has special and diverse gifts that are given to us by God so that we can learn to use those gifts to glorify the Lord. Doing this really opened my eyes up to see what gifts the Lord has blessed me with and I can use my gifts to glorify him every day through my actions.

- Jake Landreth

Easter Sunday

A few days ago we went to church.  We went to New Horizon Church International. I really enjoyed the service.  I really liked how the people were welcoming and gave us hugs. They were very happy that we came. I also liked how everyone really wanted to be there and how they seemed very passionate. I liked how the service as a whole was very involving and was very interesting. It was a longer church service but it didn’t seem like it. It was very involving and the pastor really kept us paying attention. He was funny and passionate. Occasionally he would yell but I really liked his style of teaching. He taught about the women at the well. I have heard this story but I liked having a new perspective and learning more about it. I liked how in the beginning of the service there was interpretive dancing. As a whole it showed me that there is more than one way to worship God. I like how we aren’t limited to worshiping God a certain way.

~Emily Hauptman

Hey everyone. So this morning Dr. Perkins said something during our devotion time that stuck out to me and I continued to think about it throughout the day. JP was talking about how the burden of God is for his people to hear what he is saying then for us to carry that into our lives. The JP said that at 81, almost 82, he is still wanting to do something for God. When I heard this I was instantly thinking of the things he's done in his lifetime in this community, other places around Mississippi, and then the other things he's done around the nation. To be 81 years of age, lived a life clearly devoted God's will, and still having a burning passion to do something for God really presented a challenge to me. This made me start to think about how I do things in my life and sometimes I get content crossing off my once-a-year-service-project and then I just give myself excuses after, saying I'm too busy or I don't have time. After the life JP has lived and he doesn't settle for the endless list of things he has done but still has the passion to do God's will really is challenge to me and I hope and pray that I will soon gain that passion to do God's will daily and not just be satisfied with things of the past or things I make time for once a year.
                                                                                              ~Carly

A few days ago we went to New Horizon Church International for their Easter service. The church was very different than what I am used to but I thought it was nice to have something different for a change. I really enjoyed all the different styles of their worship, it seemed very genuine and passionate and I greatly took pleasure in it. Another thing that stood out to me at the church was the pastor; I also loved they was he was so passionate about what he was preaching about and how he kept the audience so entertained and enthralled. The people at the church were so welcoming and they made us feel like they wanted us there, they all gave us hugs and were truly glad we were there. I was very glad that we chose that church to attend to for Easter.

~ Dominique

Hey guys!
So today was our second and last service day and it was our job to clean up and clear up a vacant lot a block away from the Foundation. We worked with Mr. Schaap raking leaves, picking up trash, pulling weeds, and cutting grass. It was a lot of hard work considering the awfully messy condition of the depraved lot. But with the support of others (and our much needed lunch break), despite the hardwork and mess, we were able to fix it all. We commenced by raking leaves and picking up scattered debris along with other trash around the lot. Then as Mr. Schaap mowed, we put leaves into multiple black trash bags and loaded them into the bed of the truck, heading off towards a landfill. We finished our day across the street helping to beautify a burned, empty, overgrown, and unloved house. This resulted in Tyler making a friend....a baby lizard...named Jackie (short for Jackson). This concluded our work days at about five p.m. with the fulfilling satisfaction of service righteously done.
Love,
T-Swizzle, Jamie Jamie, and Noah's Ark

Easter Service

Hi Family and Supporters,

Yesterday we had our Easter Service at the church John Perkins attends, New Horizon Church International. I wished I had gotten to hear Pastor Steve speak now having been there for a year, but the service was a really good change. We began with worship reminded me of our worship at Calvin during the Symposium because everyone wanted to be there and were humbled to praise the One who is deserving of it. It felt like a real celebration. After worship we saw a few different videos, one being a clip from The Passion of the Christ which was touching. The sermon was about acceptance and how that was a huge part of Easter and its message. I had never thought about Easter as nothing more than a day that celebrated Jesus' victory over Satan and where our sins were completely forgiven. The service showed me how Jesus's ministry was made complete and He, along with God the Father, accepted us. Jesus accepted us before we were forgiven of our wrongs, because of His indescribable love and God's plan. He knew He had to accept everyone because it was in God's plan, so in the same way we should too.

The pastor also mentioned 1 John 4, which is about God and love, and one passage in particular which says "we love because He first loved us". I had thought it refered to God's love coming when we were created and then forgiven by Christ's sacrifice. The pastor taught how it actually means in all circumstances, when we need to love and accept others the love we need will come from God. The pastor also showed how the phrase "when you take one step towards God, He takes two towards you" is realistically switched. God takes the first step out of our relationship and we only need to do all we can; He'll do whatever we can't. It was a very joyful message to hear on the day of Redemption.

In Love,
Noah

Our first workday

Today we had a workday in the community. We started off our day with devotions with JP and it really got me motivated to want to make a positive difference in the community and to have a heart to serve. We started working and I was part of the team that cleaned houses around the foundation and even our own house we are staying in. It was a long day of weed wacking, weed pulling, mowing lawns, and some lizard catching but it was rewarding in the end. I tried to focus on putting forth all my effort and energy into making the house look great, and being told to clean as if it was my own house made a difference in the way I went about my day. Cleaning the houses in the community really made me feel like I was making a positive difference in bettering Jackson. 

Love,

Maxine

A few days ago we helped with the Easter carnival at the Perkins Foundation. It was a very rewarding experience working with the kids and being involved in making their day fun. I helped out around the bouncys and face painting. It was a rewarding experience for me because I was part of encouraging and just talking and getting to know the kids of the community. It made my day to know that I played a special role in making their day great. It was great to see the smiles and laughs of all the kids when I would do simple things like give them a high five or make them laugh. It was a fulfilling day of community building and not only bonding with the kids but also with my team.

Love,

Maxine

Easter Sunday Service

Dear Family & Friends

Today we went to New Horizon Church International for our Easter service. It was an amazing service mixed with great southern worship and a very meaningful message. The message was called "I Accept You" and was based off of the story of Jesus with the Samaritain woman at the well. It really openned my eyes to see how Jesus accepted her even thought he was a Jew and she was a Samaritain. He choose her to be the first person to tell that he was the Messiah. Because he did this, she became one of the most influential people in her town to bring people to faith. I think that we can learn from this massage and learn to accept people no matter what race or religion they are because Jesus choose to accept us.

- Jake Landreth

Ready for church - Happy Easter!

Just hanging out.

Playing some cards.

On Saturday, we had a huge East Bash carnival for all of the children in the neighborhood. I helped with the obstacle course and bounce house. The kids were really fun, they all had smiles on their faces and were grateful for everything. The bigger children would help the little ones in and out of the bounce houses. I saw God giving me patience with the kids, even when I had to be firm. God's spirit was definitely active and alive in all of us today. He provided all of us with strength, patience, and kindness. I can see that God is going to do something special and powerful in all of us this week. I pray that God fills us and sends us out. As we remember Easter this week, the significance is so important. I hope that we never forget about Christ's sacrifice. Philippians 2:8 "...He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point death, even the death of the cross."  I pray that in the rest of this week, God will grant us; humility, grace and obedience.

Love,
Cassandra :)

Our Easter Service

Hello family and friends, today we had an amazing Easter church service. For me it was a completely new experience and I'm sure it was for everyone else also. I could see everyone was involved, motivated and moved by the spirit in the church. It was refreshing to see God's presence all throughout the church and all around me. Everyone at the church was very inviting, warm, and welcoming and it made me realize that wherever you go you are always with God's family. Also that it doesn't matter what race you are, all you need is the love of Christ that unites us all together into a close knit community.

Love,
Maxine

Happy Easter!

Today at the carnival was truly amazing and a new experience that I have never been through. It was so much fun and being with little kids and making them smile was the greatest highlight of my day. Making sure that they are okay and not hurt was definitely a chore for me to handle. I had so much fun and seeing all the little kids smile definitely made my heart warm up. All the kids were so happy and not worrying of what others thought. In Jackson, I noticed a lot of people are very friendly and outgoing and are wanting to talk with me and get to know me, it's an awesome feeling. The John Perkins foundation is really strong and determined for bringing community together and wanting to be united as one. Being at the carnival on saturday was so different but so much fun, the kids had many different attitudes from shy to very outgoing! It was a blast! This was a great opportunity to be with all the kids and growing community with my fellow team members. I'm ready for what else we are going to do! :)




-Kayla Grigsby :)

Today was the first full day in Jackson and we just finished the Easter Bash. It was so much fun to see all of the little kids faces and how attached they would get to you after just a few minutes. They were all so open with us and acted like they had known us forever. One of the little girls wouldn’t even let me put her down. It was such a blast to see the whole community coming together interacting with each other. Also, throughout today I became closer to the people on the team. God is really building community between us as a team and between us and community, and it is truly a blessing! I cannot wait to see what else God has in store for us for the rest of the week and cannot wait to be used by him and be his hands and feet!

Dominique

Greetings From Jackson!!!!!!

Hi Family And Friends <3

We made it safely :) I am having great time.  I am forming close relationships with my team.  I am not sure what to expect this week.  I am looking forward to bonding with my team more and growing closer to Christ through all of this.  Yesterday, I realized how God puts us in uncomfortable positions intentionally to make something good come out of it.  I am very much out of my comfort zone.  I know and pray that something good will come out of it, and it is. :) Today was a good day.  Today, we worked the Easter Bash at the Perkins Center.  It was a really neat experience to get to work with the kids in the community.  I learned alot about the community through this.  We had a nice time working today and getting to know one another more. I had some really great conversations with people in my group that I didn't now before this trip.  I got to know that other people feel the same way I do.  It was very nice to share common beliefs and to discuss what each of us expected from this week.  Tomorrow we will be off to Easter service at the church where John Perkins attends.  Happy Easter to you all!!!! :)

       With Love,
       Jamie Jacob

We made it here to Jackson, Mississippi! I couldn’t be more excited for this week and what God has in store for us here as a team. We talked about the crucifixion since it was Good Friday. Ms. Hoekstra read us in detail the crucifixion of Jesus, and to me I have never heard it and it get to me so deep as it did tonight. We talked about how beaten he was before he was even nailed to the cross. To hear that he was whipped with whips that had bones, glass, etc. on the leather made it even more heart breaking. It shows how much he loves us. It shows me how much suffering he went through and my suffering isn’t anything compared to his. To hear that the pain that he went through makes me cringe and my stomach turn. The nails were nailed into his wrist and his feet. Before hearing the details of that pain or the “scientific” description of how that pain really was is more affective to me now. I cant imagine ever going through pain like that. The fact that God sent his one and only son to earth to save ME from my sins makes me feel beyond loved to the point where words cannot explain. With all the sins that I have done and yet Jesus died on the cross for ME I thinks is crazy. It makes me realize how loved that I am. Talking about it made me feel that my struggles are no where close to what Jesus went through. I am so excited to what else God is going to bring to the team this week. We truly are blessed.


Anyssa Medina

Welcome to Jackson!

Layover in Dallas.

Lunch.

Playing cards while waiting for the final flight to Jackson.

We made it!

SONIC....YES.

Last year, the Jackson team built this beautiful archway in front of the Antioch House on the Perkins Foundation.  Since then, it has been painted and benches have been added.  This year, one of Dr. Perkin's  projects for the team is to add the Welcome sign to give it a finishing touch! 

We are so excited to be here and looking forward to what God will show us and teach us in the week ahead! 

We made it!