Amazing servants

I hope some of you read our church newsletter the Evangel. In it for next month I wrote about our junior high youth. I believe it is tough to be a junior high youth. Not only is your life changing, but there is so much to learn about being and becoming a teen. Being in junior high means going through some awkward stages, you enter small, and you exit much taller, or most of us do. Junior high youth can be some of the most entertaining, awkward, genuine, sporadic, random, laughable, or lovable people I know. I certainly know that the group that I got to take down the mighty Mississippi this summer were.

Now our time on the river wasn't too tough. We had a great tail wind most of the time, and except for a brief shower the first night, good weather too. We all had to paddle, but there were a good amount of rests taken. And only one of us got blisters on their hands. Our time down the river was a blast from the past, living like the Voyagers did back when the fir trade was big. But it wasn't all we did. We rode horses up and down a bluff, looked at Saturn, cooked most of our meals ourselves, slept on the sand, in tents, on the ground, and even a few in our canoe. We saw wildlife, experienced the itchiness that comes from mosquitoes and possibly other things. We participated in a hunger simulation, at a meager meal, packaged the same meals for over 600 children, loved Fjords, completed challenge courses, and participated in the Chirst Hike. We worshiped, prayed, worked out while we prayed, had Bible study, and devotions. And then these youth did more. All of these things were what was expected to happen on our trip. What our youth did that was different was something that makes me so proud of them.

Our youth cleaned toilets! Not only that but our youth ASKED to do it! Ok ok so not all of them begged to clean toilets, but it started with asking them a question. Would they be willing to help a father be able to see his son on his birthday. The fact was that due to health issues the kitchen was under staffed for the summer. That meant that the camp cook had to work the jobs of not just himself but his help too. That meant he didn't have much time if any to see his son if people didn't step up and help him. When asked that question there was no hesitation, no debate, no question. Our youth jumped up and shouted that they would do it. I saw not one bit not wanting to help in these kids. They cleaned two dining halls, swept, mopped, cleaned toilets, and beat mats. And then the next day I heard this question: "can we help clean the bathrooms?" Our youth wanted to help clean some more bathrooms at camp. It was amazing!

Not only am I proud of our youth for this but there was also definite leadership in several of our youth. They worked together to accomplished their goals and are eager to fight oppression in our town, schools, and anywhere else. I know that this trip served it's purpose: to bond our youth together, to prepare them for the mission trips of senior high, and to make disciples.