I'm so excited to get to update you on the goings on in my life in Chambana (Champaign-Urbana) and share all the amazing ways God is and has been working in the past few months. Let's get started!
This summer I was so blessed to have gotten to spend the summer amongst 500 missionaries in Ave Maria, Florida. I had no idea what to expect even though I had heard about summer training from a multitude of missionaries before. Little did I know, it was going to be a grace-filled 5 weeks getting to grow in love with some absolutely incredible people who taught me something new about how Christ Himself loves us. Whether it was spending the day at the beach laughing, sitting in an auditorium sipping subpar coffee (that's an understatement), or smoking a cigar while talking about what true femininity and masculinity is with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I was amidst our generation of saints and martyrs this summer and I was so honored to be chosen to serve Christ and His Church with a team of soldiers who are so ready and willing to die for this mission. If that doesn't give you goosebumps then you're crazy.
On the fourth of July, I got to come home to my family for about a month and spend time with them before I left for my placement. It made me realize how grateful I am for my family and friends who will always be there to support me and love me in wherever it is that God calls me.
At the beginning of August, me and my parents packed up my jeep and the truck and headed east to Illinois. After 8 hours in the car, we arrived in Champaign-Urbana-- my new home. Little did I know how well I would adjust to the town. The University of Illinois covers two towns; Champaign is the more college-town-esque city that has an awesome downtown area comparable to the Railyard in Lincoln and Urbana (where I live) is the more hipster town that has an awesome farmer's market every Saturday and is filled with co-ops and beautiful parks.
This is me after the Farmer's market with cold press coffee, essential oils and a hand-painted card.
Before students moved in, we got to know the staff at St. John's Catholic Newman Center. There are four chaplains (Fr. Luke, Fr. Jim, Fr. Bill and Fr. Dan) and each of them brings a different personality and blessing to the church. Along with the four priests, we also have four sisters that work directly with the students and staff. I'm so blessed to have all of these men and women of God surrounding me and teaching me more about living the Catholic faith and living out my relationship with Jesus Christ.
Move In day shenanigans with Fr. Bill and some RAs (doing the macarena)
Students finally came on August 15 and Fall Outreach was in full swing. Fall Outreach is basically just the first part of the semester where we hold events almost every day/weekend to meet students and form a relationship with them in order to lead them to a deeper relationship with Christ and encounter Him through our friendship and through bible study. It was so cool to see how the Holy Spirit was working through all of these encounters and leading us to people who we needed to meet. God was definitely present and gave us the strength to persevere through our human exhaustion to be present with these students.
The reason I titled this post "all who are thirsty" goes along with a bible verse that followed me around this summer--the Woman at the Well (John 4). At training, I was reflecting on this passage a lot and I'd like to share my reflections on it with you all.
In short, this passage is about a woman who is going about her daily life (getting water from the well) and encounters Christ and in turn goes and tells her entire town about Him and many of them are converted. HOLY CRAP. It is so profound and I relate so much to this woman. Basically, she is just living her life--past wounds on her heart, her future in question, just doing what she knows how and what she needs to do. But Jesus "had to pass through Samaria" and he was there waiting for her even before she knew who He was. He asks her for a drink (one simple thing she could do for Him) and yet she questions Him. Her humanness is so apparent and so relatable. But she is longing to know who He is in a deeper way--she is coming to the well because she thirsts and she thought going to the well is what would quench that thirst. Jesus meets her where she is at, literally, and shows her that He desires to give her the Living Water. After this encounter, she can't help but drop her bucket and proclaim His name to her town and all the people around her. I've reflected a lot on this passage; seeing myself in this woman in many different ways and in many different stages in my life. But I think in a way we can all relate to this woman--especially students on a college campus. I feel so blessed to work with women who are seeking something greater than themselves and helping them have an encounter with Christ like this woman did which in turn allows them to drop their buckets- their burdens, past mistakes, future worries- and to proclaim Christ's name to everyone they meet.
I'm so blessed to be able to be on this journey with so many amazing people and walk with women who never cease to inspire me. God is so good and continues to amaze me every day by the people He puts in my life and the encounters I have with students on campus. Although this crazy journey has just begun, I'm already so incredibly content with God's will and being a part of the Great Commission.
Thank you for reading and know that I am praying for all of you. If you have specific intentions, please comment them below or email me at hannah.schinkel@focus.org. I have the great opportunity to spend time with Christ in front of the Blessed Sacrament every day and unite in His Suffering in the Mass daily so be assured your intentions will be prayed for!
Stay Beautiful kids.
hannah.marie
