Rosebud Mission Trip
Rosebud was one of the best experiences
of my life. I had never been on a mission trip to a place with as much poverty
as Rosebud. I went into this mission trip with a very open mind and I wanted to
be able to experience everything God wanted me to experience on this trip.
The bus ride down was super fun! Lots of
sleep, which was very needed, and getting to spend quality time with classmates
that in a month I won’t be able to see as much. Arriving in Mission, I knew
what to expect but I also wasn’t 100% positive that I knew. I was very happy
that I got to go to the Rosebud boys and girls club because it was smaller and
more intimate with the kids. Seeing kids with scares and bruises and unclean
clothes made my heart shatter. I could never be prepared for that no matter how
much I tried to be. I was able to read with a five year old girl named Kate.
She reminded me so much of my niece Ireland who is the same age. My heart was
immediately attached to her, she was so timid and shy but she seemed to have a
precious and caring heart and that drew me to her.
I was very excited to go to the Mission
Boys and Girls Club and get to see what the inside of their club looked like! I
was expecting it to look very similar to the Rosebud club but it was much
bigger and nicer than I had expected it to be. Although cleaning and organizing
that storage room wasn’t the most fun job it felt so good to know that we were
able to help them with such a large project. When we got back to Rosebud I was
sitting at a table when the kids got there and once they were dismissed to go
to their first station a girl named Mya came up to me and asked me to be her
friend. She was one of the most precious girls I have ever seen in my life. Her
and I bonded over the time spent at Rosebud on Friday afternoon. My heart very
quickly got attached to her, and hers to mine. When it came time for them to go
home she took my hand and stood in line. She kept hugging me and I started
crying. I didn’t think I would but just the thought that I probably won’t see
her again broke my heart. I want her to know Jesus and pursue him with her
whole heart. She is such a precious gift. She kept asking if I could just come
home with her and move in with her and when the next time she could see me
would be. And having to say “no I can’t” and “I’m not sure” were some of the
hardest things I’ve ever said in my life.
As we went back to Mission I was excited
to continue our projects from Friday. I went down with the group that was
painting the big room downstairs and it was such a fun group and such a good
day! Although, painting the ceilings was NOT an easy task. I am pretty sure I
still have paint in my hair and on my arms, but all worth it. Church that night
was a night I will never forget. It honestly changed me from the inside-out. I
was able to pray for a lady named Kathy and she was so devout in her faith. She
mentioned how the good people in Mission/Rosebud are scared to share their
faith or go out because the bad people will literally hurt them and they are
very scared of them. I was able to pray over her and ask for God to fill her
with his spirit and have the courage to share this wonderful gift she has in
Jesus. Her mom was also there sitting in the row behind us, Kathy leaned over
to me and asked me to take her mom up to the stage to get prayer from the
pastor, so I went back and brought her mom Lou up to the stage. It was one of
the most powerful moments of prayer I have ever been a part of.
One wish at a time,
Paris Arnhalt
Miss Teen North Dakota International 2018
