Fun to have Spokane, North Idaho and Ellensburg here. KJ, our program director, also Gonzaga YL College Director, was in his groove this week with his 'former' area. Tanya and I certain loved being with our new Inland NW YL people.
A few handfuls of highlights:
The Amazing adults guests from Coeur D'Alene/Post Falls.
The fire alarm sounded after too many boys sprayed Axe deodorant.
Ellensburg leaders were blown away before cabin time. When the kids started cabin time, the leaders asked what the highlight of the day was. The 'toughest' kid answered first: "Highlight? Well I just prayed and gave my life to God. I mean, coming in, I didn't believe in God and always HATED talking about God. But not anymore, I actually started a relationship with him and that's my highlight." Are you kidding me? Unreal!
One of our leaders brought a girl with muscular dystrophy. She is a 'normal' girl with all the same thoughts and feelings of everyone else, yet needed help thought the ropes course, to walk to the outer dock, and help balancing. She decided to go on the ropes course. Her Spokane leader, Gina, walked alongside of her, helping her weak legs step across thin a cable 40 feet up from the ground. The whole group of onlooking campers swarmed beneath her, cheering. At each element she made it to with her leader helping carry her, she was greeted with cheers and encouragements. This was a beautiful picture of what it looks like to be leaders, supporters and pray-ers in YL. Everyone's part helper her across the obstacle course.
One particular girl from Spokane processed the week through her lens of logic and skepticism. Each message Kent gave was picked apart in cabin time, and any invitation towards faith in God was picked apart using theories and philosophical arguments against God that the leaders couldn't even intellectually follow. Apathy ruled cabin times. Yet...and I love that God is the King of 'yet', the Hol;y Spirit broke through. Our musician Tyson Motsenbocker played a song, written by Brandon Heath (who was in the room) called 'Reaching Out' that describes God's heart for us in the midst of our brokenness. She felt her heart break over the hurt in others' lives and in her own life, and realized there is no logic that could reason itself out of the pain she had been fighting back. During her 15 minute quiet time, she had her first ever conversation with God. She opened her life to God in cabin time...and her leader's jaw remained dropped the whole time. Her leader admitted "I was 100% sure this kid was NOT going to experience God this week. I am still in shock."
On the second day of camp, a leader felt like it would be good to have an early week 'one on one' with a kid who had seemed far from God, without any background of faith or even YL attendance. When the leader asked 'coming into this week, where are you at in your faith?' He asked a few questions about why Jesus came, why he died, how come he feels so far from God, and even asked how he can start a relationship with God. As they talked, the kid asked "can I pray and start a relationship with God now?" Anthony dove in and prayed with him...on day 2! Wow.
One of my teammates, Jeffrey, made himself available to talk and even pray with kids after sharing his story this morn. A group of kids stuck around during free time and opened up to him.
One was a kid who's parent took their own life and how it has wrecked them.
One was a kid who's parent has been in prison.
One was a kid who lost a parent and a sibling in a short amount of time.
Two of these kids, after talking, crying, and reading Psalm 40 with him, took Jeffrey's invitation to 'give ALL this to God. Forgive those who have hurt them, pour out their hurt to God, and commit to follow him even in the midst of the pain they have been walking through.' Amazing.
Keep praying for day 6. There will be lots of conversations with life changing implications! -jeff-
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