Ruth Will
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…
Ruth Will's Blog
I see people! / May 18, 12:56 PM
I think I have struggled alot this year. One of those areas has been in looking past the stereotypes and generalizations associated with people groups. When I look at people, alot of times I will see what I want to see— a particular culture, attitude, behavior. This isn’t fair to people. Or me.
But something is changing… I just noticed it today, looking at the people here at the fitness center. These are peoplepeoplepeople that are working hard, that live the life given to them. They might look different than me, and live their life differently from me. But they are people of such a kind you won’t find anywhere else in the universe. Just like you, just like me.
"you don't know what you have served me, thank you." / Mar 2, 10:25 AM
Say that with a Nigerian accent, and it is probably the most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard (this actually has nothing to do with this entry, it was said in a conversation happening nearby).
I have heard the gospel described as many things: salvation, “good news”, and I believe those are true descriptions, but these have not left me satisfied as to the picture of what “the gospel” really is. I know it means good news, but good news for me is I have the next year planned out and in the works. Good news for my neighbor would mean that her husband gets out of prison, or her children stay out of drugs, gangs, and sex at least before they’re 18. If I could, I would gladly replace all the messed up, unjust systems that cause so many people pain and suffering that is not right. What is “the gospel”, or the good news for everyone? Does it look the same for everyone?
Leroy continues to share good insight into things…he came to do our training, and talked about different “streams”— streams of injustice like race, slavery, immigration, whiteness, housing, and wealth and then streams of justice. This he emphasized was achieved in “neighboring”. When Jesus was asked what does it mean to be a neighbor, he told the story of the Samaritan on the road, who identified with the helpless guy on the side of the road (from the other ethnic group). Then he said, “Go, and do likewise.” When you make your life with other people around you (neighboring), and those around you are at the mercy of unjust systems, the people and problems around you don’t become “them” and “their” problems, they become our people and our problems. And this is the good news and truth of the gospel: “When our problems became Jesus’ problems.” Our inability to live in shalom (wholeness) with each other, the world, himself, and even ourselves, he came to relate to the problem. This made it not, “that human race’s problem” but ours and HIS problems. Now he can relate, and now he speaks on my behalf. That changes my life every day… and I know I’m not the only one (I believe I could say, “Can I get a witness!?” =) ). So, I think this is what the gospel is all about… being a neighbor. Sharing life with people… sharing problems with people… working through problems together. Making people that aren’t yours, yours, and problems that aren’t yours, yours too. Taking on the systems together, one child of God at a time.
small things, poking up through the ground. / Jan 29, 11:07 AM
I was talking with a doctor that works at LCHC about Chicago winters. She’s from Philadelphia and explained that she knew what cold winters were like… until she came here. “It’s quite a singular sensation to breathe through your nose and have all your nose hairs freeze.”
The winter season is hard to break new ground, and not just for farmers. No one, including me, wants to be outside to socialize for longer than they need to. It’s just the way it is. We were given a heads up about the rough Jan-Feb-part of March stretch. I prayed that despite the cold expectations, that God would bring some fruit from this season, some sort of hope or encouragement.
I’ve been focusing on my efforts at the fitness center, because I love it there. Even though I mention it often, I don’t know if I’ve talked about it enough to convey its friendliness, challenges, provision, encouragement, and opportunity. It’s every story that people share that makes a dull day into an excellent day. A woman at the end of her first circuit training class who is beaming (not just from sweat), who shares the news that since beginning working out she has not only lost weight, but also lost points off her blood sugar levels—by half, and it hasn’t stopped. Another man, who gives God the glory for the 60 pounds he’s lost. The woman who is a bus driver and comes in every day during her break to work out. We don’t have personal trainers —it would up the cost of the $15/month membership. They might be clueless at first, but they’re not afraid to ask questions, and we heartily and excitedly give them answers (I have to try not to overwhelm with too much information…).
I met a new friend too (at the Fitness center of course)! She showed me her stepping skills, and I showed her my bosu ball skills.
They’re small things, but sometimes that’s all ya got, and that’s what ya gotta work with. Thank you Jesus!
attempts at bushwhacking, thought style. / Jan 6, 10:31 AM
Sometimes in life, the neurons in my brain encounter alot of thought traffic, and it turns into a thought jungle, and it requires alot of time and hard work and mental machetes to sort if all out. Usually that happens in some sort of journal, and not online, because I am no writer or storyteller, especially in regards to thought jungles.
Major discoveries recently included rather shameful things about myself, like how living simply and in community with people is so good, but I am SO bad at it, as much as I highly esteem such a lifestyle. I put myself here in this mode of life for a year to kindof force myself to live it. But I’ve realized that I can’t force myself into these lifestyle changes… I must gently accept where I’m at, make one REALLY big decision to change, and then lots of (or maybe just a few) small decisions every day towards living better (more simply, and wholistically). (But we all know I’m bad at decisions so, stuff like patience and graciousness even is necessary, which, I think, is where the holy spirit comes in to play)(because I think he plays a stellar human transformation game).
One of these highly esteemed lifestyle changes involves the imagination: picture, if you will, the image of a cat with its back and hair raised and hissing in defense of perceived threat. Sometimes it’s just the really nice dog down the street and all that noise and turmoil is really unnecessary. Sometimes, it is a threatening tomcat ready to invade their territorial rights and privileges, and such actions might really be necessary (unless you look at the context of the situation and realize that cat 1 was the initial antagonizer). …I think my analogy is becoming more complicated than it needs to be. What I’m trying to say is, the way I internally view alot of people in our neighborhood when I pass them on the street is like a hackle-backed scaredy cat. Readiness to distrust needs to be replaced by a readiness to see a fellow human being, created in the image of God. I can never know what interaction or conversation goes unexperienced just because I didn’t say hello, or be at least a little friendly.
I am looking forward to continue working at the the fitness center. One of my goals is to read more from the personal trainer certification manual… to get personal trainer certified (maybe by the end of the year!)
When it comes to speaking, or writing, or the exchange of ideas, all I really do is try… sometimes I succeed. At least I can think a bit more clearly now.
shalom, friends.
