April Burt
Why I am doing Mission Year
Passion, People, hearts, hurt, injustice, As I am sitting…in this coffee shop, seeing those around me, seeing myself…at one time I felt comfortable, at one time I felt apart of this way of living. In no way, this is a bad way.
I go to Kuyper College, here in Grand Rapids Michigan. Most people would call this strip, the beltline, the bible belt. There are many Churches, three Christian Colleges on the Beltline alone, and another is nearby. I am not comfortable anymore…After even working with Americorps and being more-so urban missionary minded, I almost feel I do not fit into this culture, many, even in this coffee shop do know of hardships, but the majority do not know there are homeless in G.R, there are kids who are not safe at night and parents who don’t give a care at all about their kids.
I have a burning passion to bring justice to those who are not given rights. I have a huge passion to reconcile race’s together, black, white, hispanic…etc. everyone should be given a rightful education, equal opportunities and a chance to succeed. Everyone should know God, but our society has even corrupted that idea.
Mission Year will give me a chance to bring justice to places where many have none. Every person deserves a chance, a choice and a better way of life. I want to build relationships and inspire people to change because I know I cannot change others, they can only change themselves, but I can present the choice. I can offer a listening ear, and offer to equip others.
I realized I want to change the world…but I cant, I want to further Gods kingdom. Only through his help…I want to help.
About Mission Year
Mission Year is a year long urban ministry program focused on Christian service and discipleship. We take teams of young people, place them in an area of need, and help them to serve people and create community. We are committed to the command of Jesus to “love God and love people,” by placing the needs of our neighbors first and developing committed disciples of Christ with a heart for the poor. Learn more about our first year program…
April Burt's Blog
Boiler room also frustrations / May 22, 01:07 PM
Seeing you on the picnic bench knocked out at 11 at night…seeing you falling asleep on the porch…cant hold your head up,seeing you, your nails painted while you were drunk the night before, living in a college world..only its not that way anymore…you have lost everything…seeing you a few days ago…sober then you’re gone. Seeing you sober for longer than that, my brother…my friend who chose the bottle and not His rest, his realism. Is this the life? Do you want, desire…more than anything to leave or to stay? You say you want to be sober…I’m not sure.
The more I see how this works, the more my heart sinks, the more I see manipulation of this addiction…the more I see Love people need but they are too scared to seek…Love is scary in and of its self and to dump a addiction in order to feel anything…I’m surprized some of these people come to the love feast. Its true, sin…self gratification leads to self destruction and death. To some extent, I truly believe we have all seen this personally but-to see a 30 year old who looks 50…to see a woman who has been beat up by gangs and pit bulls yet sings praises to a God who loves her more than she will ever know (and she probably does not know in the least bit what these words really, really mean)…to see one walk away from two men because he “believes in God, he is a polish catholic, he just does not want to be preached at” To hear “We need to smile about something” on a morning walk…or to see one who was sober for three weeks…be so lit up he cannot make it to the back yard…changes me.
More and more it makes me angry alchohol can be used as a poison the enemy entices one with, God and his word can be twisted into nothing more than a guilt trip by words spoken to me and others in order to get what they want, Love can be mis-constrewed into this addiction or drug, people taking advantage of the goodness which goes on here. More and more I get mad at the basis of religion and wish everyone knew a relationship with God is more possible than before realized…to some extent I wonder why God isn’t working faster…these people seem to be incredibly broken yet not enough to bow to God and I get a little angry…but I need to remember He is. He won’t make us into Robots…so I’m sure He is revealing himself everyday, the offer just isn’t taken.
God…help
me
Learn to
help your people…because
These are your
people.
Comment [1]
hm / May 9, 10:59 AM
welllllll alot has happened, so here we go…
1) I turned 25. Wow……..
2) I am most likely going to be in Atlanta.
3) There is alot of healing taking place in my life. I really thought this “healing” process would be easier and its….not. Its painful, molding, mournful…but there will be joy, there is. Right now, its just stretching and I didn’t think it would be this hard. There is a state of confusion but I am going to CHOOSE to keep going on through.
4) The boiler room is nothing short of a blessing. Seeing lives changed, seeing those still in their own darkness, the addictions or sickness that hinders them…seeing everything for the first time, first hand. God is working so much in all of this.
5) God is also showing me the work of The Spirit in me. Again things first experienced but good. wow, I didn’t know he could move so much.
I know there is a revival coming….I know it. I sense it, I see it, I hear from others about this revival. Get ready.
Comment [2]
Nothing? / Apr 25, 09:13 AM
1)
“If I give all my possessions to feed the poor…But have no Love I am nothing”
This woman was sitting on a bench as I was driving to the boiler room tonight. I saw her..at the park alone. Its gloomy outside. I get out of my car and walk over…thinking this might not be a good idea but there is something about her.
I say hi, ask to sit. Her son watching the boys play BBall at the boiler room, the new basket ball hoop we just got donated. Her husband is at home, they lived in Grand Rapids for 8 years. Blue eyes…She knows about the boiler room…I wonder if she has friends, who this husband is and why her son is intently watching the guys play BBall but doesn’t want to go over there. There is nothing else I can do but tell her to come by sometime if she wants. Its fun. Bright blue eyes…broken. I wait, God told me I did what he wanted. So I went back, hoping to see her again.
“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat”—Mother Teresa
2) God blessed me today! To hang out with Marie and to feel sooo loved…We had a fun filled day. When I left for work and when I came back…I got a hug with…“You left and didn’t tell me!” I will leave her a note the next time I leave and she is sleeping.
3) God is teaching me so much. I am so blessed to be in this community.
In Chelsea’s words, this is God’s way.
Something about the name Jesus / Apr 14, 04:00 PM
Yesterday was a sunday. I worked till one then took a nap. I went to the Boiler room and hung out with everyone. Sat in the sun with Brad, saw Marv and Steve come back from a bike ride, Sarah going to a healing service, Saw Brooke, Marie (who is fighting, but has a wonderful smile) and Chelsea. Proud of Joe, who filled out his FASFA probably faster than I would have ever done it, Roger mocking me about Monkey man, Jen and Tony taking a walk with the family, Chip popping up here and there…Don curious about what is going to be cooked. Dave, I see a brightness in him, its priceless.
I wasn’t going to go but though some encouragement-indirect-I did. I’m glad because this is my GR family, I want to see them and they encourage my spirit. Every person there. I was privileged to assist brooke in making food and it was really really good and I hope to do this more, as long as she is down with it. There was no corporate Worship or prayer at nine…its a sabbath and everyone together was enough. Simple, peace…It’s something I cant explain. I felt good to serve the residents here, almost giving back what they give to me.
Being here is something I cant simply explain, although its so simple in thought. God is here, in the movie us girls watched after eating, in the alley so many are still in, in the desire for these people to change in their eyes of hope. Even in the eyes of the hopeless, who come trying to figure out whats difference in the friends who are now sober.
In a realization of God…I don’t know how people see this and yet pass it by. I see this change in others, almost in myself and its unexplainable, it’s God.
Update / Mar 28, 10:40 AM
Hey all!
I know I am not a team member till september. Alot has happened in my life lately I want to share with you. If you want to really keep up on my daily life-aprilburt.blogspot.com
God is preparing me for MY. He has introduced me to The boiler room, the west side of GR. I have grew…well I don’t know if grew is the right word, maybe struggle, so much with God in so little time ever in my life. I have seen those who are recovering addicts, those who have been in prison and those who just want to change their lives around pray…cling to God. I have never seen Gods power more evident than in these people’s lives, the change in them is awesome, in fact a bigger word should be used here.
God is teaching me to cling to him…through this community. We are all beautifully broken and waiting for God to put us together. There are people at the boiler room from all walks of life, college, teens, older, parents…and even a kids ministry Tues and thursdays. There is a hope brought to the community…the house the boiler room is at used to be a crack house. I’m telling you…this area will be God’s.
He is working a spirit in me, I struggle with my thoughts and who I am in Christ. I struggle with the idea that I am not good enough and to stop trying. I hang over my head my failures and slowly God wants it…There is this block between me and him that he wants, a surrender.
Thank you for a preparedness before Mission year. thank you…I may not be completely whole by then but I am experiencing a real, fleshy Jesus that cares….Love God, Love people…nothing else matters. Help me God…
Pray for me in this.
