Melissa Scott

mel for mission year

HI! My name is Melissa Scott and I am thrilled to be apart of MY!!! So you may ask why?? I know my parents did. I would love to say that I choose MY through much research and persistence(WHICH IS TRUE). However I can’t take credit, I believe G-d choose it for me. Those of you that know me know that I have been looking for a better way of life through loving people and living small. I am so excited to meet other people dedicated in their faith and love. I choose mission year for the following reasons

.I want to go to MY because I believe they share a vision of mine. One where all people are vauled and not because of what they have, but because G-d created them and there is love in all of us.
.Another vision we share is one where things/ possessions don’t amount to our happiness. And certainly don’t make us who we are.
.That there are people and or good organizations that need our time and support.
.I read a quote from Ghandi ,“My life is my message.” If thats true I want my message to be that I love god above all else and I love people. And I am willing to love them in their homes and on their terms, even if that means leaving all I have behind.All I have is G-d’s may he do what he pleases.

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…

Melissa Scott's Blog

sight / Jul 14, 12:54 PM

you are 8
there is no physical refuge
your friend is dead
in front of your house
he bled out
your eyes have witnessed horrific things
and I am so sorry you had to
see this

Comment [2]

beauty / Jun 24, 02:53 PM

Dear Family of friends, I am so blessed to be writing you. I am so thankful for your ongoing continued support. I am so thankful that in a time of such darkness you would read my letters. In this letter I would like to talk about the beauty of blessings. I would also like to share some of mine.

Beauty has been something I’ve struggled with my whole life and on many levels. I have a really hard time finding value as a woman beyond my physical appearance. I am trying to practice patience during this transformational process. Our culture lies to us and tells us our worth is only skin deep. That of course is a billion dollar industry based on lies. We are not of worth because of what we have or look like. We are valued because of who we are; children of the king of kings our Lord and savior! Beauty is an abstract thing at times and I don’t think most of it rests in the eye of the beholder as much as it rests in the heart of the beholder. Beauty is not something that can be bought, even though many things bought are beautiful. Beauty can not be sold, it’s priceless. However, beauty can be given and received. I have been on both ends, both are remarkable. Thanks be to God.

The photo above is a picture of Quinn (one of my kids) with me on the stairs of a house in our neighborhood. Many people may say that this house, this neighborhood, these streets are not beautiful. I think maybe they were looking with only their eyes. Look with your heart and you’ll find, it’s covered, saturated with beauty. These streets where the sidewalks end, where there is violence and drugs. There is also beauty! For every yell there is an equal amount of laughter. For every act of violence there is an act of love. For every loss there is a gain. Not to say things are perfect(I speak as if I know what perfect is…I don’t), but God is good.

The other day was one of those blessings and a day filled with beauty. I saw my friend Levon on the steps of a church, which ironically enough is where a lot of homeless folk hang, outside the church. Levon saw me walking up and pretended to get bashful until I yelled,“ Hey Levon!” He jumped up and hugged me. We talked about me not being able to find him and how a cop bashed in his eye and broke his nose. I am not saying all cops are bad. I am not even saying this cop was bad, however that is hard to say when the only picture I see of him is in my friends broken face. In the end Levon was still beautiful and God is Good! Levon is like one of those prophets sometimes you wish you were like. Someone who speaks the truth gets hit in the face and lovingly speaks the truth again. Levon and I talked for a while. We discussed many things. Toward the end of our conversation I asked Levon if I could buy him dinner. I insisted because he was not much more than bones. (keep in mind Levon hates hand outs and will not beg for anything.) He said well….if you’d really like to help me I’d love to buy a shirt cause all I have is this inside out stained shirt. I knew I only had a few dollars cash. I began thinking, my mom had put money in my account for me to go to the doctor. “Okay!” I said. “ Let me go to the ATM” I got money out and gave it to Levon. I trust him deeply, I would trust him with my life if I needed to. He almost wouldn’t take my money even after we had cried about how much we love each other. I looked him in the face while holding money and said, “ this means nothing between friends.” He smiled and hugged me. What a blessing! My parents in California just clothed a homeless man in Atlanta. Friendship, what a deep blessing! Money to lose all relevance, a blessing! Me to walk away empty in pocket and full in heart what a blessing!!!

God is beautiful and comes in many forms. Sometimes God is in the trees that dance. Sometimes God is in your homeless friends. Sometimes God is in your gifts toward others. Sometimes God is in loss. Sometimes God is in a broken beaten face. Sometimes God is hidden in a person who broke your friends face. Sometimes God is in tears and brokenness. One thing is certain God is always Good!

Comment

in this moment / Jun 10, 10:42 AM

Hi!
I was writing my lovely friend Timbre a letter and this is a small portion of it. I wanted to post it in hopes that others who feel this way know they are not alone.

It’s a very weird paradox living here in Atlanta. I am so deeply close to people and so intentionally loved. Yet I have never felt so alone and unloved. I think it’s in part to the realization that God can only love me perfectly, we are all humans and imperfect, maybe I’ve had false expectations all along. It can be incredibly depressing though. For example almost nothing makes me happy anymore, nothing. Everything that used to fill me up and make me “feel loved” is now exposed and seen for what it is; a lie. And what am I to do with that? Everything I used to feel happy or loved is a lie.( noticed how I correlated happiness with love, I don’t actually believe the two to be one in the same) I can’t keep living in false love. I can no longer block out the truth, and when I live without I am too miserable and possibly more judgmental! I hate everything I am, everything I want. I’ve always disliked liars and now I see I am too one! I am afraid of that and I don’t even know how to rid myself of it. I guess I should just be grateful for the humbling attitude God has given me and the ease in forgiving liars such as myself. I possibly should be more clear, it’s not that nothing makes me happy there are plenty of things that give me fleeting happiness, for example my neighbors all yelling hi when I walk by, or a bird singing in a puddle, and really cute random acts of kindness. It’s just nothing that I previously believed makes me happy. In fact it leaves me empty.

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when friendships end will you still love her / Jun 9, 11:32 AM

You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

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