OASIS bowls through summer

Today, the OASIS summer program took a field trip to Paradise Lanes in South Jackson. The summer participants and volunteers enjoyed an afternoon of fun, food and bowling.

First Baptist Church, Jackson Mississippi

Kenneth Pickett
First Baptist Jackson, Mississippi
Age 15

When I heard the word around church about Mission First I was a bit skeptical. “Go move dirt and work with people from church? Really?” But after getting here and experiencing it for myself, I’ve learned a bit about what God can do with his hands - people making up the hands. Ground Zero, our work site, was a bit daunting at first. Dirt, brick, mud, trash and a nifty little burned out looking building characterized the location.
However, after a LOT of work from other groups who had already served with Mission First, it was slowly turning into something amazing.

HOT AND SWEATY. Our guide Eric kept shouting it. Before I came here, I didn’t really understood the phrase. But you see, I learned it isn’t about the heat or about the sweat its about honoring God in everything you do - everyday. Not some of the time. All the time.

What I think is the greatest thing is that Mission First is not just a “Church thing.” It’s a community and a God thing.

Work throughout the entire week was one thing - HOT AND SWEATY. That was okay. Once you set your mind to the fact that your doing something for God first the community second things just sort of go forward almost like watching a movie. The last morning was an average morning I guess, but something odd happened the day before. In the honest sense I was a blind Christian. Everyone talks about hearing God talk, but I had never heard it. This day was something different, I felt something weird in the back of my head and I knew I had a message from God popping into the back of my head. All I could feel was a message of change. Then I looked around and I saw change. People were becoming friends who on an average day never would have been otherwise. I saw a crummy old little pile of bricks slowly become something beautiful for Gods glory and the community’s benefit. Sweat brings people together I guess?

I guess all I can say is that God works in weird ways. In everyone’s life whether you know he is or not. So. HOT AND SWEATY! Mission First is a experience that you cant miss out on.