Eyes of Hope & Purpose

Our family of three just returned from a relaxing, fun, and memorable few days in Hilton Head and Beaufort, SC. While there was some time for surf, sand, and family fun, the real purpose for going was to spend time with and encourage the summer missionaries who are sharing these few months of their lives with Lowcountry residents and visitors.

In Hilton Head, we had the opportunity to spend some time with the SummerLink team of 30+ students. Most of them are from Clemson, so that was a bonus for us, since Ken & I are both Clemson alumnae! The best part, though, was to see and hear their obvious delight at being able to work in normal summer jobs, all the while with the clear and distinct purpose of sharing the love and hope of Jesus with those they meet on a day-to-day basis. It's really what ALL of us should be doing, but these students are learning this so much sooner than I ever did. In their eyes, it was evident that they had purpose, direction, peace, and most of all, HOPE.

I found myself wondering what people saw in my eyes when I was their age. Most likely, it was a sense of searching, of false pride, and of confusion. What an amazing thing to once again see the certainty of Christ in their just-beginning adult lives.

As we moved on to Beaufort, we had an absolutely delightful time being with 5 young women who are serving with Lowcountry Ministries. Three are with Kids' Connexion, and two are with a sports ministry. All of them are part of a larger team working with children in churches, Boys' & Girls' Clubs, and other ministries all over the Beaufort, Hilton Head, and Bluffton areas. We went with the intention of giving them a night off to rest, relax, and enjoy some good food. After a wonderful meal at a local restaurant, we took them down to the kickoff event for the Beaufort Water Festival. It was a gorgeous evening on the waterfront, with the Marine band playing some great music and the promise of fireworks as soon as it turned dark. As we wandered, every few minutes a child would run up to one of the young women and greet her with a huge smile and hug. It was unreal how many of the kids knew and loved them, after only 4 weeks of ministry so far!

We ended up near the waterfront playground, which was teeming with children. My first thought was that the girls would want to go the other way, since this was to be their night to spend time the way they wanted to. Instead, they took our son and went straight into the playground. Within minutes, they were leading games, playing with kids, and pushing them on the whirl-a-gig. So much JOY filled the faces of these young women, and their laughter was contagious. Rather than "take time off", they continued to do what came so naturally to them: to show the love of Christ through their actions. So many hugs were given to them that night, and so much of Jesus was shared with the children.

We went to the Lowcountry with the purpose of encouraging, and instead, we came back as the ones who were blessed. What a beautiful thing to see what it looks like for this next generation to LIVE OUT what they believe. They were not half-hearted or double-minded in anything they did, but instead, exuded that steady sense of love, joy, purpose, peace, and HOPE.

May those I come in contact with see the same thing in me.