STOP! Ok so do me a favor, before you read this post, watch the video below. I know its like 3 minuets, but trust me, you're gonna wanna see this:)
Ya awesome right! The video is of a Young Life camp called Creekside, And a couple of weeks ago I got to spend one amazing and wyld week there with kids from Singapore.
And before you think am an even worse speller that I am, I should explain that Young life calls their middle school program Wyld Life... reason being, middle school kids are literally wild. Ok so quick side story.....
When I first started volunteering with youth, which is about 9 yrs ago now, I found pretty quickly that I really enjoyed working with teens and God really begun to grow in me a passion for ministering to them. I knew even then that youth ministry would be a big part of my life. So I told God I was willing to do whatever he asked of me. Well, except for this one thing. I would not, repeat would NOT ever work with Middle school kids. I found them way too crazy and yes, wyld for my taste. I stayed away from them like the plague, I even put it on my Young life application. really, I did. Well He must have thought I was joking because guess what age group I have been at camp with the last two summers? Ya the wyld ones. Man plans...God Laughs. Moral of the story, telling the creator of the universe what He can and cant do with you, not a good idea. In fact, he pretty much delights in working the exact opposite way. "Hey Abraham kill your long awaited son for me.... Esther go up to the king uninvited and risk your life....Joseph marry that pregnant girl..." I bet you anything that's not the story any of those people would have chosen. And not that my issue was nearly big as those above, but it frightened me.
Now back to the story about my trip to Creekside, you remember, the video we watched at the beginning? Yes that awesome place. Ok so, I went last year to the same camp and was asked to help with middle school girls. It was a great time, I mostly assisted the main leader at the time so my Job was very easy:) Camp was camp, fun was fun, and by Gods grace, kids met Jesus. But even with all that great stuff, secretly I was so glad I worked with High school kids. But as fate would have it, the girl who ran the middle school program in Singapore left (she finished out her 3 yrs) so when the group came to camp this year, guess who the middle school trip leader was? This girl. Hahaha, funny Jesus:)
We had a cabin of 9 girls and 2 leaders, plus a full cabin of boys with their leader as well. We spent the first night in a hotel because most of the kids had to fly in from all over. And then the next day, we took the 3 hr bus ride to the camp. And I can honestly say that by the time we got off the bus I was already in love with every single kid God had on that trip. Through out the week God broke my heart for middle school kids. They are at such a vulnerable age. Still very much children, but often dealing with a complex and emotionally taxing world. I felt their pain about having to live life so far removed from family in a strange country. I felt for them when the described the issues they face at school or with ever changing and equally hormonal friends. But more than anything, my heart broke when I saw the overwhelming need for love in their lives. A love that cant be bought... a love that never changes or leaves...a love that heals all brokenness... a love that comes only from Christ.
By the end of the week, 3 kids made decisions to follow Christ. It was so humbling to see God work. He is doing great things in Singapore and I am so ready to be there, like today:) Being with these kids brought a realness to Singapore for me, no longer is it just a place on a map am moving to, its my future home with friends and stories. And being at a place where everything and everyone exists so that kids can hear about God in a Bod AKA Jesus literally makes Creekside one of my absolute favorite places on Earth. I left that magical camp knowing 3 things for sure:
1. God is unbelievably, unmatchable, beyond powerful, ever loving God.
2. He is calling me to work with Singapore middle school students.
3. I couldn't be more excited to join him on this Wyld adventure.
I know this is a long post so thank you so much for reading it all. I will try to update more frequently and ramble less :)
Here are some pictures from the week
Beautiful Creekside #nofilter
Its not YL camp without crazy games and ridiculous costumes
Alex and I celebrating 1yr of being friends:) I will be living with her family when I first get to Sing.
Lots of amazing conversations happened while the girls taught me how to make bracelets.
These cool cats :)
Crazy girls
Thank you so much for all your support and prayers that made this week of camp possible. If you are feeling inspired to join me on this wyld adventure, just click on the Join my team tab above.
Love you for reading.
XOXO
