Mission Year- The next step

Well, in May I’m going to be done. Graduation is coming so quickly and that means I’ve got to take the next step. It’s time to actually do what I’ve been talking, learning, and thinking about for so long. It is time to dive in, get dirty, and make a difference.

I heard about Mission Year a few years ago when Shane Claiborne came to Asbury University and talked about simplicity, social justice, and the importance of living in a community and loving your neighbors. I still have the sticker of their motto on my laptop- “Love God. Love people. Nothing else matters.” I have really been challenged by all of those ideas since then. What do I need and what can I get rid of? How am I being called to help those less fortunate around me? Aren’t we all called to something more than going with the flow of materialism and allowing society to control our desires? While spending last summer in Mexico City serving at a street kid ministry, my eyes were opened even wider to the reality of poverty and how much I have that I could really live without.

I’ve felt called to the inner city since high school and have wanted to work and be a part of breaking the cycle of poverty. With this calling, I decided to double major in Social Work and Spanish. During my experiences working inner city camps, in social work practicums, and in Mexico, my passion for these issues has continued to grow. Now I am just ready to live it out.

So, what next? That’s where Mission Year fits perfectly. It combines my passions for reaching the inner city and advocating for justice. I will be living, serving, and investing in a community while building relationships with both people in the community and my Mission Year team as we grow together and challenge each other.

Starting next September I’ll be in Atlanta and I’m so excited to see what God has for me there.

I will be raising $12,000 of support for the program over the next year so if you'd like to help go to- https://www.missionyear.org/support/jenellemcclean. Anything would be a huge help and greatly appreciated.

I will be continuing to blog but will be doing it through the Mission Year site at http://www.missionyear.org/blog/jenellemcclean