Kelly Edgington
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…
Kelly Edgington's Blog
Ballad / Sep 26, 12:34 PM
I was terrified to go out on Saturday, our outreach day. I didn’t know where to go or what to do. I am not a small talk person or a sports person. Two team members said I could go with them so we went and decided to deliver diapers to a neighbor which were from our pastor. We knocked and there was no response except for the door around the corner creaking open every time we knocked on this door. We decided to meet the curious neighbor and to see if they knew where our friend was. We knocked and the door was opened by an older woman with beautiful draped clothing and a jewel on her forehead. Her son came to the door and introduced himself. Ballad is his name and they are from Butan. Soon we were invited inside and chairs were pulled up for us to sit and tea was made. Ballad, his wife, daughter, and mother had come to America 7 days prior. They lived in Nepal 17 years before coming over. They were very kind and spoke english very well. I don’t know why that family has been on our hearts so much but meeting them really impacted us. Maybe it was because they were so new to America, but I think there is more to it. I hope to see them again soon. They are home all day until a job is found for him by the refugee agency-this could take months. So there is much opportunity there.
We are meeting so many people. Beautiful and wonderful people. God is opening up doors all around to start really getting to know people and build up relationships.
I guess I want to ask that you pray for that family, and for us. We need strength of faith in our team. We just need God, His guidance, power, and love.
Comment [1]
Living Love out Loud / Sep 22, 10:22 AM
I have just begun this huge adventure to seek and follow Christ’s example of loving people. What I am doing here is something bigger than just me, I am a part of something, a message is being sent to my neighbors and to other believers. We can make a difference in peoples’ lives. In fact, we are called to make a difference. I am excited to see what this year does in my life and with my life.
Comment [1]
Newsletter 2 / Sep 22, 10:21 AM
Hello to my friends,
To fill you in a little bit I arrived September 5th and have been in training for the majority of the days here. I have 6 teammates: Zach, Stephen, Matthew, Kelley, Stephanie, and Katherine. We all have such different personalities, which I can see really helping us to grow from each other-and it is also something you can pray for. I will begin volunteering at a site by the end of September but am now in the process of choosing one. I am in Clarkston GA (on the E edge of Atlanta). I am not in the deep inner city as expected, but I am in an area of refugees. These people have fled their countries for various reasons and have been sent here. NY times claims Clarkston as the most diverse square mile in the world and over 120 languages are spoken here. Next door my neighbors are from Russia, then Sudan, then Somalia, and close by are also people from Burma, India, Afghanistan, and many other places. I feel like I am not even in America here, there are so many cultures and together they have produced a kind of culture of their own. People are very welcoming here, our neighbors made tea and a foreign bread for us the first night we were here. Children are always playing outside and adults are around talking. It feels like a wonderful place to be. I can’t wait for relationships to really get formed.
There are many needs here as well. Most of the people here have gone from their homes to a United Nations refugee camp. Then they were assigned to America and placed here with a case worker who helps them get acquainted with an American city for about 3 months. Many speak very little English and have to work very long hours. Along with not speaking the language and having to adjust to a very different lifestyle, there are many other issues and injustices going on here. Many organizations have been started like after school programs for the kids and classes teaching English. Our team will be splitting up and each of us will choose where to spend the majority of our week working. I am so honored to get to be a part of helping with the lives of my friends and neighbors here.
I want to tell you more as I understand more of what this year is about. Most of all it is about loving in its purest of senses. We are reaching out in places that may not know the love of Christ and we are just loving people. We are building friendships with people, setting examples, and just helping them out. I just want to love these people by building relationships and by serving them. I wish I could really portray it in words what we are doing here, but I know I am part of something bigger than myself. These people deserve more help than they are getting and I am so glad to be a part of something that is reaching out to people in need. We are loving how we can, and learning to live love out loud.
Love Kelly
Comment [1]
- 1
