I Believe God Is Teaching Me To Learn How To Soften My Heart

Hope Worldwide • November 15, 2016

Justin Schrenk has just come back from South Africa, where he served on the HWW Singles Corps. It is so heartwarming to see young men share the compassionate heart of God!

Serving the poor internationally through HOPE worldwide has quickly become a major highlight in my 8.5 years since becoming a Christian. It is a program I have come to believe in, as I have seen the impact firsthand in Guatemala, Nepal, and most recently, South Africa. HOPE worldwide is truly shining as a light in these communities. It is bringing more than just financial means. They are bringing full hearts and faces the community has learned to love and trust.

Speaking to men at the South African Conference was also a gift. Little did I know signing up last minute, I would have so much responsibility. It appears as if God had this planned all along, and I was playing catch up.

As amazing as it all was, I struggled emotionally with the home visits the most. Walking into a metal shack, seeing a mother of four holding a one week year old baby, seeing hundreds of flies landing on the kids, the mother, and me, rocked my world. I listened as she talked about how unsafe her life was, and how she worries daily that her oldest may get raped. I literally didn't know how to react. All I kept saying to myself was stop worrying about the flies landing on you, don't look privileged, don't look American. Try to understand what a day would look like here.

I found my heart actually numbing out. I wanted to run. To not see this. To pretend it wasn't real. How do we as people allow these circumstances to exist? Why do they exist? I found myself flooded with thoughts I didn't want to keep asking or research. I left that day feeling defeated and helpless, and not even knowing that is what I was feeling or how to express it.

I believe God is teaching me to learn how to soften my heart. The only way to do that is to keep going back in to those uncomfortable situations. I am capable of compassion for sure, but to truly feel as compassionate as Jesus did, day in and day out, is extremely challenging and daunting. To drop everything and help someone is not a strength of mine, as I am a selfish person. I wake up thinking about me, and I fall asleep thinking about me.

I am however, inspired by men such as Marc Aguirre and Mark Ottenweller who have embraced this challenge and dedicated their lives to helping the poor. I pray I can grow to have a heart like theirs, and ultimately a heart like Jesus. You can most certainly bet you will see my name signed up for another HOPE worldwide service trip in the future as I truly need these experiences to stay faithful: to continue to let God refine me into the man I am supposed to become.

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I recently traveled to the United Nations in New York to represent HOPE worldwide at the United Nations. Seeing all of the flags at the UN captured something meaningful for me: nearly 193 nations represented in one place, each with its own history, challenges, and hopes for the future. It was a powerful reminder that the needs confronting our world are global—and that addressing them requires partnership across nations, organizations, businesses, faith communities, and local leaders. HOPE worldwide holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ( ECOSOC ). This designation recognizes our organization's expertise and enables us to contribute to UN discussions and initiatives related to our mission and areas of impact. This status gives HOPE worldwide an opportunity to contribute to global conversations concerning poverty, health, education, clean water, food security, economic opportunity, disaster response, and sustainable development. These priorities closely align with both the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the focused areas of impact of HOPE worldwide 's program globally. The visit was important because HOPE worldwide already serves vulnerable communities across nearly 60 countries. Our presence at the United Nations allows us to bring the experience, perspective, and needs of those communities into a broader global conversation. It also creates opportunities to learn from other organizations, form strategic partnerships, and identify resources that can strengthen our work. One of my greatest takeaways was that no single organization—or nation—can solve these challenges alone. I was surrounded by representatives from approximately 90 nations, all discussing issues that cross geographic and political boundaries. The experience reinforced our belief in pursuing partnerships. We must be willing to learn from others, share what we have learned, and work together wherever our missions align. I was also reminded that global goals must ultimately become local action. The Sustainable Development Goals provide a helpful framework, but their true value is realized when a child receives an education, a family gains access to clean water, a community becomes better prepared for disaster, or someone acquires the skills necessary to support a family. That is where HOPE worldwide can make a distinctive contribution: connecting global priorities with trusted relationships and practical service in local communities. Going forward, this experience will help us more intentionally align and communicate our work within a globally recognized framework. It can also strengthen our credibility with governments, foundations, corporations, and nonprofit partners seeking experienced organizations capable of translating resources into measurable community impact. The visit was not simply about the United Nations. It was about HOPE worldwide taking its appropriate place in a global community committed to improving lives. Our status opens a door. Our responsibility is to walk through it with humility, clarity, and a commitment to meaningful partnership. Thank you, Dr. Ben Barnett HOPE worldwide CEO & President 
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