I felt very moved and convicted by the experience of going to the HOPE Youth Corps in India this past Christmas. I had the opportunity to serve in the HOPE school, HOPE orphanage where Blood Brother was filmed, and a leprosy colony. I just wanted to stay in India forever and help people. But like all HYC’s, it was time to go back home…When I arrived at LAX, I just felt somewhat lost. A couple of weeks after being at home, I just thought, “Wow… What am I doing here? Why am I living among the luxuries of life while HIV orphans in India are suffering from a lack of emotional support, or the kids are living in huts while I lay on my comfortable, warm bed?” I just felt so spoiled. I started getting frustrated at having to be in the place I am in, and not out there in a third world country helping people. I felt very purposeless and helpless; I wasn’t doing anything to help others. I was stuck in this place… I couldn’t escape.
I realized how selfish I was being and how blind I was to what God really wanted to show me., I realized that we need to take the experience back with us regardless of where we are physically and spiritually. Moses’ face literally glowed (Ex 34:30) because he was with God. We should be able to glow in the same way Moses glowed after such an awesome experience serving people and being with God. So here are a few points I have been learning through this journey of taking the HYC experience back home:
Love your family and others around you as though they were the ones whom you were loving back in HYCIn the HOPE Youth Corp, you learn to love the unloveable. In India I got to hug and spend time with patients who had leprosy. They shared with me how their families had abandoned them and how society looks down on them. I showered them with hugs and encouraging words. Why can’t I, or you, do the same at home? Or in the ministry? They may not be the orphans you laughed with or the leprosy patients you sympathized with, but they are the people God has put in your life. They are your neighbors who need your love as much as the Indian kids did or the HIV orphans did.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you much love one another.” -- John 13:34
Serve with zeal as though you were going to help someone out today, the way you did in HYC
You never know, you might encourage someone through your service, whether it’s someone in school or your sibling. That person may not be suffering from sickness or homeless, but he/she could be suffering emotionally. They need people like you who learned to be serving and encouraging, to touch their lives in order to see the glory of God.
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” -- Hebrews 6:10
Share what you did, how it impacted you, and be grateful for the experience itself
Our Father gave you this amazing experience. Don’t keep it all inside, SHARE IT!! Tell people the things you’ve done and the things you learned. It will help you be grateful and remember the awesomeness of God.
“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me” -- Ps 66:16
Don’t be caught up too much in the past
It is normal to have withdrawal, but to be depressed because of it is a whole other story. Your time in HYC was great and should never be forgotten, but it shouldn’t be a memory that causes you grief; rather, it should be a memory which motivates and inspires you towards godly goals… Goals such as the ones above and growing in unconditional love and service. God is going to give you other amazing moments and if you are still caught up with the past, you are going to miss those moments.
“The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger” -- Job 17:9 (NLT)
Realize that God has you at the place you are right now for a reason
I know it is a struggle being back, feeling useless, and feeling like you are not making much of an impact as how you felt in HYC, but God put you where you are for a reason. When you look at the life of Jesus, he lived in Nazareth and stayed in Israel for all of his life. I live in California, and when you compare Israel to CA, Israel only makes 5% of California. If Jesus can make a world impact in a small place, born from a ghetto part of that place, then you can make an impact in your own home. Despite where you are, God is going to use you in AMAZING ways. Tell yourself that right now. Look in the mirror and say, “God is going to use me in amazing ways regardless where I am.” You have to choose whether or not you are on board with making that impact with God.
“For I know the plans I have for you’ says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” -- Jeremiah 29:11
Ultimately, don’t let HYC go to waste. I know we are back from an amazing experience and it can be hard to be where you are right now, but the time you had isn’t supposed to discourage you, but to inspire and motivate you to do more for God. It is supposed to raise your spirituality in order for others around you to feel the exact love, encouragement, passion, and conviction you felt when you were in HYC. It goes without saying that after HYC, you need to have deep quiet times. When you start drifting away and doing your own thing, you start losing the impact HYC gave you. Then you start back to square one, as though HYC never happened. My friend, that is the last place you want to be in. So dream, be inspired, love, and encourage. Feed others the glorious radiance of God.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you much love one another.” -- John 13:34
Serve with zeal as though you were going to help someone out today, the way you did in HYC
You never know, you might encourage someone through your service, whether it’s someone in school or your sibling. That person may not be suffering from sickness or homeless, but he/she could be suffering emotionally. They need people like you who learned to be serving and encouraging, to touch their lives in order to see the glory of God.
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” -- Hebrews 6:10
Share what you did, how it impacted you, and be grateful for the experience itself Our Father gave you this amazing experience. Don’t keep it all inside, SHARE IT!! Tell people the things you’ve done and the things you learned. It will help you be grateful and remember the awesomeness of God.
“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me” -- Ps 66:16
Don’t be caught up too much in the past
It is normal to have withdrawal, but to be depressed because of it is a whole other story. Your time in HYC was great and should never be forgotten, but it shouldn’t be a memory that causes you grief; rather, it should be a memory which motivates and inspires you towards godly goals… Goals such as the ones above and growing in unconditional love and service. God is going to give you other amazing moments and if you are still caught up with the past, you are going to miss those moments.
“The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger” -- Job 17:9 (NLT)
Realize that God has you at the place you are right now for a reason
I know it is a struggle being back, feeling useless, and feeling like you are not making much of an impact as how you felt in HYC, but God put you where you are for a reason. When you look at the life of Jesus, he lived in Nazareth and stayed in Israel for all of his life. I live in California, and when you compare Israel to CA, Israel only makes 5% of California. If Jesus can make a world impact in a small place, born from a ghetto part of that place, then you can make an impact in your own home. Despite where you are, God is going to use you in AMAZING ways. Tell yourself that right now. Look in the mirror and say, “God is going to use me in amazing ways regardless where I am.” You have to choose whether or not you are on board with making that impact with God. “For I know the plans I have for you’ says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” -- Jeremiah 29:11
Ultimately, don’t let HYC go to waste. I know we are back from an amazing experience and it can be hard to be where you are right now, but the time you had isn’t supposed to discourage you, but to inspire and motivate you to do more for God. It is supposed to raise your spirituality in order for others around you to feel the exact love, encouragement, passion, and conviction you felt when you were in HYC. It goes without saying that after HYC, you need to have deep quiet times. When you start drifting away and doing your own thing, you start losing the impact HYC gave you. Then you start back to square one, as though HYC never happened. My friend, that is the last place you want to be in. So dream, be inspired, love, and encourage. Feed others the glorious radiance of God.