Seth Caldwell
The Basic Story
Hey everyone! The Gospel is starting to take effect in my life! As many of you know I have grown up in the church, with a marvelous Christian family who sent me to a great Christian high school, which led me to graduating with a degree in communication studies at a wonderful Christian college. Now I am left wondering, what did it all teach me? The truth is that it taught me who Christ was, but I have only by the Grace of God learned that he truly loves me. God is wonderful, and Christ died for me and you so that we could see how munch love he really has for us. Recently graduated I have had to think about where I am going and what I will be doing in light of this reality. It is tempting to try and find a job that pays well, a woman to love and marry, or a nice place to stay, but I have felt for a long time that God has been calling me to something different. I thought this meant that I would be a missionary to some place overseas, but I was wrong. I got the feeling that I didn’t have to go that far to love people. All I had to do was Love God and Love people, and that nothing else mattered. Those are the words I read as I looked for more information about an organization called Mission Year. I applied to this organization and was accepted to join them for a year of service to the inner city. I have been placed in Philadelphia with the goal of loving the people around me. Something I know I could do anywhere else, but with mission year I get to do it with others who are seeking out the kingdom of God here on earth. The city is full of injustice and poverty and hurting people, who need someone to be there for them. I want to be there and I want to learn how to stop injustice, to feed poverty the richness of the spirit and to speak truth to those who are hurting. Through Mission Year my housemates and I will partner with a local church in our neighborhood, I don’t know what denomination it is, but I know that I will find people there who love Jesus. We also volunteer out time and energy to local service sites in hopes to help the community around us and to build relationships with others who are committed to serving. This is exciting to talk about but sobering to realize. Much of what I will face in the next year will not be easy and I Thank the Lord that I do not need to depend on myself, but that I get to depend on Him. I am also depending on Him for support; Mission Year coast way too much for me to provide all the support on my own, although I am giving what little I do earn this summer. It’s exciting to go through this whole process and I hope to share more of it with you as the year goes by. Please pray for me this year, because I don’t think it will be easy. I hope that though the difficulty God will continue to show himself to me in new ways.
Praise the Lord, I’m gonna be in Philly!
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…
Seth Caldwell's Blog
The meaning of life. / Apr 28, 02:04 PM
I apologize for not updating as much as i would have liked to.
anyway, i was thinking through some things today and i came across a profound idea. maybe you have heard it before.
Love God Love People…
okay, so maybe it is not a new idea, but it is profound especially the way i came across it today.
I was reading this passage as love god love people, to ensure salvation. That’s not the point y’all. love God love people to bring his kingdom here and now. if you are worried about what the right thing to do in life is and you are motivated to love people, and God more because that is what you are supposed to do, then you like me have been motivated by the wrong idea of love.
Love God Love people…. do not look at it as a way to find favor with God, look at at because you do love God. the Kingdom is at hand… repent ye… repent and live in his kingdom. the kingdom that is now at hand, where the hope of his full glory is aching to be fulfilled on Earth as it is in heaven.
Because of what Christ did for you and me we now get to live to fullest as humans. ‘For each other.’ that’s what it means to live.
Religion aside, and rules be broken… we are fallen and only saved by Jesus. now he beckons us to live in his kingdom with Him forever. Love God and Love one another, you will find in doing this you will be totally dependent oh Him, which is just how we should be.
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The weekend. / Feb 14, 11:11 AM
Friday I did nothing… so good.
Saturday… ohcay (okay) I tried to visit Chris, but that ended up not working out, i knocked at his door like 8 times and then decided to move on and try to find something else to do. It was hard thinking about him and knowing that he needs help, but not always knowing how to help him. Anyway, i went home and Rori and Claire were playing games with one of Cliare’s students, She is in her late twenties, but is super shy and very timid with her english. We played apples to apples, for a while and it was good.
later we all went to Mrs. G’s house and got to talking about politics and religion and other topics that stir emotions. But i feel like my relationship with her has reached a bit further… I feel like a good friend now, just coming over to watch TV and talk… Its nice.
But later that night, we were invited to watch a movie with the Vineyard church that just started in west Philly. We watched Blood Diamond. I have seen it before, but the purpose of this viewing was to talk about some of the issues that the movie dealt with. they invited a few people from Sierra Leone, who have personally gone through almost everything the movie presented as far as their countrie’s people are concerned.
I was able to talk to a man from the country who talked about his personal pain, and the hopes that he has for his country. He talked about the struggle that His country has gone through and of the neighboring countries.
It was very encourging to talk with him since i have been in contact with a few people here in philly who have come from Liberia, and Guinea, and I was worried about how to relate to them. He told me to be strong, and keep trying. It is very important for someone who is from America to help them to relate to their new surroundings.
I have wanted to reach out more, but i didn’t know how. He told me that it didn’t matter if I knew how or not, but it mattered that i tried. That i should just be as intentional as i can about showing love to these people. Alot has gone on in these countries that i know too little about. I hope to share more with my friends from Africa, and to learn more from them as well.
Yeah, so sunday i went to the museum with Clair and our friend Carmen, we had a good time… I saw alot of good paintings. Monet, Renior, and Picasso… I love art… It was a good weekend.
I miss you all, sorry it has been so long wince my last update
Love you,
Bye
I'm at home soone to be at home / Jan 7, 09:22 AM
It is the night before i return to Philly and I am realizing that i am actually going home. Claire made us each a wonderful Photo album of the all the pictures we have taken from our neighborhood. As I looked through it for the first time felt like i had invested a bit of myself in southwest. I am so reminded that i am going home because of all the stuff i want to take back with me. Home is where you take the most stuff eh?
its weird to think that I do have so much stuff. I was reminded last week at a buffet that I have been given so much opportunity and have been surrounded by so many people who love me. I was with my friends from college and we all ate so much food and shared our stories and our lives with each other while being within earshot of many people of Huntington county who have not been given the same chance.
Yes I was back in the Midwest and I was away from the City, but I could see that it was no less hurting. Many people around us are hurting, and we forget because we see them everyday, and we don’t actually acknowledge them as people by asking them how they are, or by actually trying to get to know who they are.
A man at the buffet approached me with questions about life choices I had made and i felt scared to answer him. I saw that he wanted t prove himself better than a college student, and in many ways he was. He was more determined and harder working than i was. He was making tones of money working a factory job. He was a wonderful man, a loving Husband and nice enough to engage in a conversation with me. Why then was i so afraid?
I was afraid because i saw that loving my neighbor meant loving this man. I didn’t want to. But this is what Christ has called us to. It is so hard to engage in conversation with people when you don’t want to (I was eating at a buffet; I was not wanting to talk with locals). is it about what i want? This mane wanted someone to talk to, sure it was awkward at first, but only because I made it that way.
I won’t get too hung up on all the things I could have done to show greater love, but I Do want to remember that loving Christ and love people is a command that doesn’t hold up for comfort. Love all the time… even if its uncomfortable.
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I'm almost home for the break / Dec 20, 11:26 AM
I leave this saturday to come home to ‘Sunny, Maaansfield!’
Since thanks giving, a feel like I have been really busy, but when I look back at it all I realize that I wasn’t doing all that much. I guess it is just extra tiering living in the city.
This week is full of parties and fun activities as we get ready to go home, but I have to remember to keep focused on what needs to get done instead of just looking forward to being at home. Working at the Center for Literacy always brings a challenge, but i have been up to it. It is difficult to come up with ways to teach lessons, or ways to help my students understand what I’m trying to say.
I have been learning to not think of my students as students only. I’m trying to see them as peers, and to learn from them as much as they are learning from me. ever since i started volunteering I noticed that the style they wanted to see me teach in, was different from what i have been used to. Now I’m starting to understand it a bit better. I like helping out at CFL because it is all about meeting the goals of the students, and it is awesome to see my students work hard at understanding language. It is a real testimony to me, to see how willing my students are to learn more. Its Very encouraging.
Anyway, i can tell most of you more abut working there and life in general in a few days.
Can’t wait to see ya!
Seth.
DAY'S for the best since 1946 Peach soda / Nov 26, 02:49 PM
I recently discovered my favorite carbonated beverage. It is Day’s Peach Soda. So good. Not to be confused with Nestea’s peach tea. I love Nestea’s peach tea, but as far as carbonated beverages are concerned… I’m all bout Day’s Peach Soda!
also, thanks giving was incredible! I have always heard of two thanksgivings in one day, but i have never experienced it for myself until last Thursday. My team and I went to Mrs. G’s house at 1:00 and then to the Clark’s house at 4 and I was stuffed. We also had Ribs, which I loved. I love all food…
Also the other day I fell off my Bike… it was about a week before Thanksgiving on Friday. I smashed my face up pretty good. Got some stitches near my eye, But it’s almost all healed up now.
Praise the Lord it was not worse than it was.
Okay, I’ll keeping updating…
so I protested Black Friday and celebrated Buy Nothing Day! I dressed up as Coat Boy! A U.S. ANTI hero and gave people free coats. and protested with Shane and a crew from the Simple Way. It was a glorious time of celebration with free tea and hot cocoa. I gave away all my coats (about7). if you want more info on the U.S. antiheroes then check it out. http://www.usantiheroes.com/
so i think that’s about all i can remember at this point.
I love you all so much!
I miss ya too!
I come home the 22 of December, I think I’ll be in Huntington for a few days. I go back the 6th of January.
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