"They Are All My Brothers and Sisters"

Mission always transforms us.  That’s a certainty we have in the Mercy Mission program, a certainty powerfully confirmed last week, when two groups of college students, one from WSU-Pullman and another from Montana State joined the Mercy Missionaries for a spring break mission. 

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, in groups of four that divided into teams of two, we hit the streets of Portland, seeking out those suffering on the streets of Portland, armed with nothing more than a carafe of hot coffee and the Word of God.  Throughout the downtown area of the city, the students encountered those living on the streets, heard the stories of those living on the streets, shared testimonies, and prayed with them. 

While it’s hard to measure the impact this mission had on the lives of our friends on the streets, the students shared the impact it had on them.  We share here, in their own words, what they said.

“Seeing myself in those living on the streets is not something I expected, but I realized they are just like me.”

“These past few days totally challenged how I view them – the Lord allowed me to see through His eyes.”

“This person, this beloved child of God, is just like me.”

“It’s easy for me to pity and to judge, but once I started to focus on love, I realized they are all my brothers and sisters.”

“Being able to shine just the tiniest bit of hope into their lives has been really transformative for me.”

“I came out thinking I need to protect my mission group from them, and ended up realizing I’m not supposed to protect myself or anyone; I’m supposed to make a gift of my life to them.”

“It woke me up and gave me an interior view of myself.”

“I learned the power of even just a short, simple prayer for others.”

“Every encounter we’ve had this week is for a reason.”

“I realized here that I just have to proclaim the name of Jesus and His love, and he will do the rest, here on the streets, and when I get back to campus.”