About 2 weeks ago I was given an opportunity to hang out with my youth group from CBC I help lead on their trip to Camp Willow Run for something called a “super high retreat.” (Basically kind of like Joint retreat except younger and a lot more people!)
My name for the weekend was "Lomingo" which was AWESOME!
There wasn’t a second where boredom ever set in, something was always happening….
For starters, little did we know when we loaded up on the church bus that it would be breaking down and leaving us at a gas station for a couple of hours. Now typically this is not what most teens considered to be a great way to start of a trip, but this is not your ordinary youth. Nope they are pretty flexible people! My favorite time passer was when I “encouraged” them to go hunting for four leaf clovers in a field nearby. I told them if they found one I would give them a quarter…I lost $1.75 haha
Some of them tried to cheat (admittedly I was impressed by that!)
After wards while there was some discouragement on the adult side from being rejected from Lord knows how many rental places, the kids got in a circle and prayed, and turns out the luck they found in the field and praying (although we all know it really was the prayer) we managed to find 2 great people to let us borrow their vehicles for the weekend. When we got there we made it just in time for the message part of worship.
chillin after their time of prayer
I have never seen a tow truck that big before
These ladies love spending hours in a car...I think
Nothing like worshiping with other believers!
Uh, I loved getting to know these guys even better, along with going canoeing , hanging out on the dock on Lake Gaston, and watching some pretty intense games of “ninja.”
My Spoon is too big!
Camp Willow Run has such great taste in cereal!
Dude can't blame him grilled cheese is delicious
My favorite meal of the weekend
These ladies are very serious about volleyball
My first leaders meeting (I never felt so cool before)
Very intense game of "ninja"...still have no clue how to play
Uh I love being out on the dock!
Got to hang out with a chick who also shares my love for water :)
But there was one thing that blew everything else out of the water of all the things I was a part of…
One of the kids who came along wasn’t crazy about the idea of going on the trip. They didn’t like the fact it was a Christian event because they didn’t like Christianity. After begging them to come, they caved and ended up going. When we had to take two separate cars I found out that in the car I wasn’t in there was some hardcore witnessing to that kid by a few of the other youth. I was shocked and amazed! These guys are less than 16 years old and are already doing the will of God! There are adults way older who don’t even do that! I loved watching them having a good time, and also interact with the other youth. But what I loved the most was watching them accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior! I had NEVER witnessed that before and let me tell you, nothing is as beautiful of an experience as that!
I will never forget that weekend…and how could I!
