Brooks Schollmeyer, Helias Class of 2012

Brooks Schollmeyer is a Helias graduate from the Class of 2012.  His first mission trip was to Memphis as a chaperon.  He hopes to become a Heart's Home missionary and has even traveled to their U.S. headquarters in Brooklyn for a Come and See Weekend.  This blog is about his mission to Memphis.

Brooks Schollmeyer, Class of 2012

Luke 9:23 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

            That decent anxious feeling was running through me as I sat on the bus headed to Memphis on November 28^th.  Being my first mission trip, as well as being a chaperone, all that I was capable of doing was begging to God to send his wisdom into my thoughts, actions, and words, due to my lack of experience.

            Arriving in Memphis, we ate at an Italian restaurant called Coletta’s.  Ian Thompson who was also a chaperone, sat at my table while we ate.  I was very blessed to have had a conversation with him as he encouraged me in the right direction starting the week off, along with being much help with any advice I needed throughout the trip.

            I came to realize very quickly that his Helias group was selfless towards one another, unloading bags and equipment into the gymnasium, and lending a hand until everyone was situated.

Holy Names Catholic School

When my group and I first arrived at Holy Names Thursday morning, certainly the environment was consisted of heavy poverty.  As we were walking towards the school, Mr. Aur pointed to a couple of houses nearby saying, “That one used to be a crack house, and this one two young boys were shot to death in.”  Keeping this in mind I walked into the school.  Two of my students helped sixth grade math, the other two went to seventh grade English, as I went back and forth between the two.  I must say we didn’t have as many activities to engage/help the students as hoped for, but this didn’t take away the amount of love we received and gave.  They quickly invited us into their discussions and made us feel right at home.  Each one of the students in English class introduced themselves by saying what their hobbies were and what they wanted to be when they grew up.  During their responses, I was hearing their heart cry out.  With hope, they were determined to live a better life than what their parents have chosen and to make them proud.  From wanting to be a doctor, artist, engineer, etc.  They were joyfully thankful to be in school to receive an education, thus they could pursue their dreams.  The teachers were on a mission to give them all they offered.  With infinite love, they were genuine and heart driven to help these kids enjoy school and succeed.  As I walked in for lunch, they all screamed at me to hurry over and sit with them!  They were so excited to be in my presence along with their friends, just giving and receiving love.

Brooks & his team at Holy Names

            Looking up at this big cross in the school with no arms, Mr. Aur tells us about history and the meaning behind it.  “We are the arms of God in this world.”  We are all here to help each other grow with God’s love.

            On Friday, my group and I went to a school named New Hope.  I helped organize school work with Liz Myers.  At first, I thought I wasn’t doing too much help.  She specified to me, “Being with the kids is great because you really sense the good you are doing, but they are grateful for everything you do for them.”  Which made me realize helping in any sort of way is of equal cause.

            The St. Jude Marathon was truly a memorable experience.  Each person was running for their own cause.  In the minds of many, “Let’s punch cancer in the face!”  Many were nowhere near in shape for this journey.  Out of straight willpower, they pushed themselves.  How grateful they were of our action in this event by just handing out water, cheering them on.  This kept me baffled for quite some time as they were my idol.

            This mission trip bears immeasurable fruits that I know I’ll never fully understand.  I have experienced the need of fellowship.  Rich or poor, whichever way life has taken you.  We all long for love by one another and without it, loneliness will take over which will rob us of the true beauty in life.  It is through one another that we see the face of Christ.

            As everyone knows who has been on a mission trip before, it’s a life changing experience.  I do believe, however, it is after your experience that you must take the gifts God has given to you and use it in your everyday life; otherwise you lose the value of it.  My mission simply doesn’t end here.  Jesus invites me to take up my cross daily.  Every day I must die to myself and live for Christ, which is challenging but well worth it.  I encourage others to do the same.  Luke 9:24 “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will save it.”

Memphis 2012 Chaperons

            I decided to go on this mission trip because I feel a heavy calling by God to pursue one, called Hearts Home, that Mr. Aur’s son and daughter have chosen to become a part of.  If this is what the Lord has down his path for me, I will be sure to partake on this mission.

            Thanks to the Helias Catholic students, and chaperones.  I would like to give special thanks to Mr. Aur.  Thank you so much for not only letting me come on this trip, but believing in me as a chaperone with no experience.  I can only hope I met your expectations.  I owe you one.

Grace to you, and Peace,

Brooks Schollmeyer

Tyler Seabaugh, Helias Class of 2009

Tyler Seabaugh is a 2009 graduate of Helias Catholic High School.  He is currently at Avila University with plans to attend dental school.  He was on the first ever Helias mission trip which was to Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico back in 2008.  He went on a total of three Helias mission trips; two to Mexico and one to Springfield.  The this blog is about his mission work in Okolona, Mississippi.

Tyler on the 2009 Mexico Mission Trip

            A little background on the town, Okolona Mississippi use to be one of the most booming towns in Mississippi.  There were around 25 furniture factories and a lot of people.  White people ran the town, and everybody knew it.  The whites would go to school until high school and then, if they could afford it move on to a community or regular four-year college. The blacks of the town were only allowed to go as far as seventh grade.  They would then begin working at the furniture factories.  People often asked why they would not continue further with their education.  The answer, why, is because uneducated individuals made for good cheap labor and educated people ran the town.  Racism was very high in this town and still has some issues with strong racism.  Things have turned around for the better, but very slowly.

            Avila University is a partner with the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet and those sisters are called CSJ’s.  A CSJ sister is in charge of a program called Excel in Okolona.  This program provides many services such as GED programs and some other learning and exercising opportunities; the program also sponsors an after-school program for the children of the local school system.  This after-school opportunity keeps a lot of these children in school who would not normally continue with their education.  The ages range from first grade to high school aged students.  So the service to this community is huge for not only breaking boundaries between people and reaching out to those people of the town and their children to educate themselves to help them do things from going on to college to getting a full-time job to support their families.

2008 Mexico Mission: Tyler is on the 1st row at the very right

            I have been on this trip three times and the trips have been different each time.  The excel program also owns a resale store to help people who can not afford expensive clothing by receiving donations and selling the items at next to nothing compared to what it could resale for.  This year’s trip involved clean up from a tornado, two years ago, which devastated a neighboring town and some of the habitants of Okolona.  We helped clean up around the local church, repair homes that had been destroyed, and cleared a lot and fixed up the yard of an abandoned house so a near homeless elderly woman could have a place to live.  The home belongs to Orlando Snow.  Mr. Snow has also been fighting cancer for a number of years.  Orlando was actually hit by the tornado twice in the same day.  The first time he was struck he was at his home in the morning and was hit by an F3 tornado.  After that tornado struck, they moved to his mother-in-law’s house for safety for the present time.  Later that day, an F5 came through the area again and he was picked up and thrown under a car.  He is a very giving individual and clearly cares about others more than himself.  Mr. Snow has also been fighting cancer for a number of years.

Starting his dental practice on the 2009 Springfield Mission Trip

            In the afternoons we would tutor the children from the local school system and help them with their homework.  The children in the after-school program are very bright children, but they require a little extra attention to keep focused and work through their problems one by one.  This one on one time helps the children keep focused and our stories of making it through school and having a dream kept a dream alive for them.  This trip is an eye opening experience for everyone who goes on it.  Some people are still overcoming racism that is still present in the town.  It’s shocking to people because they either believe that there is no more racism or they believe that it’s over in the United States.  It is good to have a reality check on things and the meaning of small actions to people mean the most to them.  I would encourage anyone to go on any mission trip that might challenge their social and economical norm to see how others live to understand that everyone lives differently and to have a social consciousness about people’s background or current situations.