Samantha Herod
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…
Samantha Herod's Blog
I made it!!! / Sep 25, 11:29 AM
So I made it to Chicago about three weeks ago and have been so busy its just crazy right now. But I love it i couldnt have asked for a better team and a better city to be in. Its still not cold yet its kinda hot but hey im used to hot. There are just so many things going on right now that I dont really know how to tell you about it. Just know that I am having the time of my life here and Im happy. Everything just feels right. Also I sent out newsletters the other day so those a little bit more information. well when I can figure out how to put my feelings into words ill get back to ya.
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Our week with everyone in Atlanta, GA! / Sep 25, 08:39 AM
So, the Sunday after we all got to Chicago, we all piled up in a borrowed 15-passenger van and set off bright (dark) and early to get to Atlanta. I didn’t even know we were going (must check email more often!) until Jen told me at the airport, so it felt really spur-of-the-moment. I love road trips, so that in itself was good for me. Anyway, we got to this farm just outside of Atlanta, called God’s Farm, and met all the other teams from everywhere else. The farm was really cool, because there was an annoying little dog, and mini goats, and horses, and a Great Dane who was very affectionate and VERY dirty! So that was good for me too, getting my animal fix. And being able to fellowship with everybody and meet all 60 MY volunteers, plus all the other city directors, Leroy Barber (the president), and the rest of the guest speakers for the week. Kind of funny that we were learning about urban outreach on a farm, but it’s all good. So we had amazing worship and lots of interesting speakers and really good food and there was even a pool that we could swim in and play basketball and stuff. So our days were full of everything and it was an intense week. I’m so glad we had the opportunity to do that! And that also really helped with Chicago team bonding, because we got to know each other pretty well, instead of just seeing each other for training and Citywides and needing to become friends that way. So that was cool for us, I think. But by the end of the week, I was ready to go back and put all that they had told us into practice, so I was glad to go back. Chicago is already starting to feel like home and all my teammates are so great and I am so excited about this year, and being able to grow in my faith while doing practical things for other people. And doing that alongside 14 others is fantastic to me and I am feeling very optimistic right now about this whole thing. Good choices.
The first few days... / Sep 25, 08:30 AM
Hi everyone! I’m sure you all have been breathlessly awaiting this day, esp. you, Sigrid! It’s been a while since I last wrote in this, so I’m not exactly sure where I left off. So I will just start with arriving in Chicago. I flew into Midway airport on the 7th, and met Jen Casselberry, the wife of Shawn Casselberry, my city director. Another one of my teammates, Andrea, was arriving at the same time too, so she just picked both of us up and took us to Lou Malnati’s, a pizza place, where the rest of the Chicago people were waiting for us. I had forgotten how good Chicago pizza is, and I was really hungry, so that was a good dinner! And so I met my team captain, Ashley, and the other two girls on the Lawndale team, Melissa and Sam(antha). We all get along really well, so that makes things easier. So after dinner, we loaded everybody’s stuff up and took all the teams (there are three teams of five in Chicago) to their respective houses. The North Lawndale apartment is the smallest out of all of them, but we all love it. It makes it easier to look homey and lived-in without accumulating too much stuff. We’ve been doing lots of rummage sale-ing and stuff, though, so we’ve been getting a lot of new things. Just the other day we got a new chair for our living room and a bookshelf, so we don’t have to use milk crates on the floor anymore. The kitchen is fun too, because in order to be able to be hooked into the wall, the stove is practically in the middle of the floor. So funny things like that that make the apartment ours. So far this community living thing is working out really well, but we’ll see how it goes over the next few months!;) Next entry: Week in Hotlanta…
Time Draws Near / Aug 30, 03:35 PM
I have only 3 days left at home. I am going to Mexico tomorrow for a last little trip with my mother and when I get home there will only be 2 days to get everything ready and I am freaking out. I have most of my things packed but there is always those last minute things that you have to get done so those 2 days are going to be crazy. Im also getting really excited about the move as well. I mean how often does God let you move across the country to serve Him. Its so cool. And I cant wait to met all of my house mate cause they seem pretty rock’n so thats going to be cool. Hurray pointless blogs!
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I Love Bake Sales / Aug 16, 11:43 AM
I did my first real fundraiser last Sunday and it went great! I spent 3 days baking and then on Sunday I talked at church and had a bake sale after the service and it went great, some people paid like $20 for a cupcake, its probably ‘cause I make the best cupcakes in the world, after all of the baked goods were sold I had over $800 in a big bowl, it was great.
Also a little side note: Two weeks ago I quit my job (finally) and on my last day the guy was moving out of the RV park and I was telling him about Mission Year and everything and he just sold his RV so he had a bunch of cash in his pocket and he gave my $100 and turns out his wife and him were missionaries in China when they were younger, so that was really cool.
