Philadelphia

In 2008 I went on my first missions’ trip to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There I was exposed to the world of poverty and homelessness like never before. We would go around to various non-profit organizations serving the least of these. I will never forget Walter, a homeless man who was willing to talk to us and tell us his story. Walter had a girlfriend and a young child before his life drastically changed. One night around Christmas time he went out to go pick up a pizza for his family. While returning home he was shot. Philadelphia is a dangerous place with high numbers of gang violence. His transportation to the hospital and the medical bills that piled up from this incident led to his girlfriend and son leaving him, no money to pay bills, and unable to live the life he once had, forcing him to live on the streets.

His story touched me. I realized that everyone has a story. It is not our place to judge them for their situations. There are people living on the streets who are war heroes, college graduates, drug addicts but they are all seeking help. They need more than just a handout, they need help getting back on their feet to start over and get off the streets.

Since my trip to Philadelphia I have had a yearning to go back to serve. I have not been there for more than a week, yet it feels like home to me. God has called me to GO!

As of now, I am currently in the application process to work with the same organization that I initially went to Philly with for a summer job. The job would be guiding youth groups around the city to serve at various non-profit organizations. This would be such a good opportunity for me to get. I would be able to learn the in’s and out’s of these non-profit’s. Gaining knowledge far more useful than I could dream of in a classroom. My passion and goals in life have to do with serving the least of these. I hope to start my own non-profit organization dealing with American poverty and homelessness upon my graduation from college. Not sure how to do it yet, but I will faithfully seek God’s voice in his plans for me.

I hope that one day I will be able to serve in the city where poverty is so evident everywhere you go. Philly is the home of brotherly love. I want to go, spread love to those who are viewed as unlovable.

Identity

This past year I have been struggling with the concept of identity. As a person we all strive to be known and our identity is what defines us. Identity can take over and rule our lives if we let it become the focus of our existence.

Who am I? What is my identity? These are questions that enter into the minds of people seeking to find who there are and what they are doing here on this earth.

"who am i?" 

My name is Matthew Gerdin. Who am I? My identity has changed throughout my life: I took an identity of “new kid”, Military brat, Soccer player. These have all been a true reflection of who I am, yet all have a season to be true and be right. I won’t be the new kid for long – there will be another coming in to replace that identity, our family is no longer bound to the moves that the typical military brat is so used and accustomed to. Although soccer played a big part in my life – high school is over – my time is done competing competitively. Now as all of these abruptly come to an end, I found myself lost, starting new in the day to day college life. Who am I? What is my identity? 

"who am i?" 

I recently watched the movie Soul Surfer, the true story of Bethany Hamilton. She tragically lost her arm from a shark attack at the age of 13 leaving her unknown of her future with surfing. So many times we hear of people who lose everything from one accident. Leaving them with an identity jeopardized and lost. The time in between them is so scary. Bethany (portrayed from the movie) thought she could not do it; she was discouraged and sad that her surfing career may be over. She went to Thailand on a mission’s trip after the devastating tsunami with her youth group. She says in the movie, while teaching a Thai boy to surf, and to not fear the water anymore, “They say the Lord works in mysterious ways, I say that is an understatement. Who would have thought teaching a boy to surf would teach me that surfing isn’t the most important thing in the world; and that something else is … love, bigger than any tidal wave, more powerful than any fear.” Her reaction to her world being turned upside down was spot on.

We are here on this earth for more. We find pleasure in things and we call it our identity, we cling to it. But when we place these higher than God we may find our situation changed. In a blink of an eye the Lord can give and the Lord can take away (Job 1:21). Where we should be finding our identity is through the Lord Jesus Christ. When we do that, life as we know it ceases to be the same.

So who am I? What is my identity? I find my identity in Christ. You should too, think about it.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17