Josh Macha
why I became a missionary
I am Joshua David Macha and as a Senior in high school the question people most often ask of me is, what are you doing after you graduate? In essence they are asking, in which direction will your life take as you step into manhood, I have chosen to offer the first and most defining part of my life to Christ as a living sacrifice. Rather than conform to the ways of the world I wish to be transformed, I want for a brief time, before I continue on with my formal education, to jump out of context, to break the proverbial mold. If only to shake off the bonds of apathy and gain a greater perspective of God’s love and grace by serving people out of the love that Christ has vested in me. Since I was small I was told I had the potential to do anything I wanted, I struggled with that power, to find some meaningful way to live, I found this in a passionate man by the name of Jesus, he asks for each of us to take up our crosses and follow him, which I intend to do by serving in Mission Year. To gather together with other passionate lovers of Christ in the poorest areas of urban America, and love our neighbors as ourselves. I personally will be serving in Camden, New Jersey, considered the most dangerous city in America! Perhaps I am a naive little country kid from some fruit farming town who has no sense of reality, but that excites me beyond belief! I have always been keen on adventure, and it seems risk is something that goes hand in hand with Love. I will walk in the boldness and confidence of Jesus, yet also remember the wise words he gave to his disciples before he sent them to the people, be as wise as serpents, but as harmless as doves. I must be wise and wary for this is a brutal and violent world, eager to take advantage of my every shortcoming.
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…
Josh Macha's Blog
Blood, sweat, and tears / Jan 8, 10:23 AM
Trash from the Christmas craze has built up into an unmanagable mound since the Christmas craze at the homeless shelter I work at and the local waste management company has refused to take all that we have in their truck. In fact, they left it all to rot and mold. We rented a large dumpster to get rid of all the trash, but one major part in the plan still needed doing. Actually putting the colossal pile of rubbish into the rented dumpster. “We need able men to help outside with the trash!” Excited by the idea physical labour and doing work alongside a brother I rushed downstairs. As I emerged into the sunlight I smiled for once again these men I have come to love were once again spitting in the face of the stereotypes held against them. “Homeless are homeless because they are lazy.” I could hear the mocking tone of our society. Yet I heard also the whisper of my creator saying “these are my beloved, see how they toil, and know that I knew what I mean when I say they are good.” I joined the exertion, throwing bags sweeping, and folding boxes. It is good for a man to be working with his brothers. In the sweat of our work and the encouragement of our lips we sealed a bond together today. During my work a woman pulled me aside and asked me how I enjoyed the holidays. I gave her the courteous “Why yes of course it was! Now how was yours?” She smiled at me with a bright gleam in her eyes and went on to tell me all about how she found a good place to stay and won her kids back from the courts. She told me how much of a blessing I was. She told me that she was on the brink of suicide, but she remembered how I smiled at her every day and showed her kindness. A gloss came over her eyes as the dam of her eyelashes failed her and tears began to pour down her face. She told me that she was alive because the kindness I show reminded her of her son, her most precious son, and how she loved him. She thanked my for my work and wished me well. We embraced and now I think to myself, it is moments like these where we stand on holy ground, where we humans become forever changed. I saw my Jesus in her as she saw in me. God I thank you for this precious life that you have given me, for with it I am able to take part in and enrich the lives of others.
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Pre Missionyear Video / Nov 10, 09:59 AM
Broken Glass / Oct 2, 09:32 AM
Dear Jesus,
We have shoved six very different people into a house, in a place we are not used to with only your love and grace to bind us together. I can think of not one of us who has lived in such close quarters for any extended period of time. We are not used to being accountable or considerate to the extent of servitude. We are like broken glass cast into the sea, our rough edges cut and leave wounds we do not even intend to inflict. Our very nature brings pain to others, yet the waves keep beating us into the sand, rolling us over and over. I am so disoriented, I cannot see my destination, I only know that grain by grain my edges are being dulled and soon i will be smooth enough to hold and I can express fully the love of my savior and creator. So God give me the strength to bear the waves and the cuts, give me the endurance to see my goal and press on in this race God. Help me to reconcile myself to my neighbors, as well as to yourself. For God I am merely broken glass, hoping to have your light pass through me and your hands hold me.
Love,
Joshua
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Joshua's September Newsletter / Sep 11, 11:23 AM
As you may already know I have taken a path that most folks do not often take, I have chosen to radically change myself, and radically love “The Least of These.” I have chosen to become a part of an organization called Mission Year which gathers together young men and women like myself who have chosen an alternative lifestyle. We are all part of specific and unique groups that settle into the poorest neighborhoods of the country. We seek to build relationships that reflect the love and grace of Jesus to those around us. My adventures have brought me from working in a shed packing fruit into boxes in the sweltering dry heat of central California to the very unfamiliar almost alien region of Camden County, New Jersey. My Journey thus far has been full of surprises. Where I expected there to be absolute darkness and depression, I have found hope. As these few short days have progressed I have seen what seemed to me to be cold hard stares, to what have become warm welcomes and new neighbors. My first couple days on the east coast consisted of exploring both Philly and Camden and I met a few strangers who have now become my beloved teammates. After meeting my new roommates we left for a thirteen hour road trip to Atlanta, Georgia where we had our orientation, or in the words of my new friend Chris Lahr “boot camp”, in the wilderness outside of the city. I learned from experienced staff members about important topics such as community, justice, dying to self, grace, and fundraising, finding exactly how to honor God through all of these things. Since returning from our orientation we are beginning to settle more fully into our neighborhood. I have eaten a most fascinating and amazing thing here that is called water ice, a fantastic concoction that could be explained as a mix between sherbet and a snow cone. I have attended a church which is to be my home for the following year. I heard there about the girls of Camden and how we so often in our society like to point the finger of accusation, but so unknowingly realize that all this world really needs is the grace of Jesus to set us free. This is why I write to you today, it has become my responsibility to ask for your help in the ministry of my team here in Camden, that we may extend grace to the people in our community. Our team wishes very much to live among the people here, we do not wish to beat a Bible over their head, and we have found that a soap box is a rather unstable place to stand. We wish to love them as Jesus loves them. No matter your particular means, I wish for you to know that I handwrote your addresses with the knowledge of your personal situation, I would also like to bring to your attention that Jesus the man I serve placed much more weight on the intention of the giver than the amount the person was able to give. For instance, Jesus and his disciples were attending a service at a particular church, and when the tithe and offering was taken, rich men gave lavish amounts to the amazement of all the people, yet a meek widow put two copper coins into the plate that would these days amount to less than a penny. After the service Jesus spoke to his disciples saying that this woman found more of God’s favor for she gave all that she had out of her poverty while the other men gave lavishly of their excess. So now I ask you my friends, that if you feel that God is leading your heart to support the ministry of my team, please do so and know that I will be most grateful of every gift no matter how large or small. All donations will go directly to the ministry fund of my specific team. You may donate either by the envelope enclosed or online my acount is 09-0030. I will list the website below. If you would like to receive my monthly newsletters over this year I would be glad to let you know what all I have and will be doing here in this all but forgotten place.
With Much Love, www.missionyear.org/launch/joshmacha
Joshua
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2 Thessalonians 3:10 / Jun 18, 11:44 AM
“For even when we were with you we commanded you this: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat”
I began work yesterday at a local fruit packing house, this is my very first Job. Something about coming home hungry and having a reason to shower does a man good. something in the simplicity of working pleases my soul. How much work did God intend for a man to do?
I am working this whole summer so that I may raise support for the upcoming year, then i will proceed to do the work of Christ!
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