Let it Be

(Sorry, no video today...my computer died right after these were finished!  Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers!  We head home tomorrow! )


While this week has been exhausting both mentally and physically, I'm pretty bummed  that it's over. This week I have come to know and love all my fellow missioners in ways I never previously imagined possible. Early wake-up calls followed by hours upon hours of back-breaking work combined with the sun's unyielding strength does wonders to bond people.
Today started out just like our past few days; up at 5:45AM, breakfast at 6:15, load the bus, etc. Our main task today that we set out to do was finishing putting the plywood on the half of the roof with rafters, and starting the skeleton of the other half of the roof. Right off the bat today's weather was different that any other day. The winds had already started to pick up by the time we got to the site at 7:45, which is great for keeping everyone cool but not so great for roof work.
We split up into our teams to tackle the looming day ahead, and all ran smoothly for a few hours. But by lunch, the winds were gaining strength, and by 1PM we had collectively decided that it was time to go. We all tried to help in order to organize the site in the hopes that the materials can be used at a later time to finish the hogan. Pretty soon, the gusts were up to around 35 mph, and we could barely see our hands in front of our faces due to all the dust.
In our nightly spiritual discussions, one point brought up has been to just let it be. I personally have been working extra hard to relax and learn to trust God's process. Today was a perfect example of this concept. Although not finishing the house as much as we wanted to wasn't the outcome any of us wanted, we have to recognize that this is all part of the process. There is no use worrying about something you can't change, such as the weather. What matters is finding the joy in every moment God grants us with. Therefore, as the trip comes to a close, I am going to try to relish in every second I am blessed with, surrounded by a wonderful group of people.
Laila Drury




Dear Friends, Family, and Followers of YMO Hinsdale:


As I am typing this, I am in my final hours of being the youth representative of this chapter. Although bittersweet, I try not to dwell on what I will be missing but rather what I have left behind. I am forever grateful of the opportunity that Father Pierce, as well as the Grace Community, granted me two summers ago when asking me to lead this group. The initial questions were simply whether I would be hanging out with the Pierce family every Sunday night, or a larger group. The answer wasn't clear until we traveled to Virginia for our fall retreat. The answer was a committed nucleus dedicated to building our community stronger and stronger. We were content with the numbers we had, but it was exciting to see the amount of people grow and grow at each meeting, as new faces would pop up from time to time. Although they wouldn't always stay, we knew that YMO was spreading. In anticipation of the mission trip, a sense of pioneering came over the group, as Father Pierce continuously reminded us of what history we were making within our own church. Needless to say, it did not go as planned. The first mission trip was far short of a disaster, but the variability and uncertainty regarding each day took its toll on everyone's psyche. This trip, the community has grown stronger than ever. Great work has been done, skills have been realized, many connections have been made, many friendships have been strengthened, and I hope everyone is in agreement when I say that our spirituality has been taken to new heights. I have been challenged, fatigued, angered, disappointed, encouraged, enlightened, and overjoyed at different times throughout my journey with these people. Above all, I have been humbled. Humbled that I have been allowed to lead such a great group of individuals and such a wonderful community. Humbled by the Lord, as his power was on display with multiple full moons this week. Humbled by everyone around me, who knew that I would be a failure when trying to do this alone, but instead of letting me fall on my face, pushing me forward and inspiring me to be the leader that I wanted to be. I love each and every one of you, and I pray that I have left this group better than I found it, and hope that the torch that I am passing down will be passed down for many years to come. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for letting me be a part of something much bigger than myself.


Love Always,
Henry Hostettler