My last post was an attempt to give an overview of what went on in Argentina. For the first little while I was there I could not believe that I was in South America. It blew my mind that I was flying there and that I was going spend 2 weeks there. I had an amazing time and it was a really impactfull trip for me. After spending a week back I have really processed what happened and remember stories all the time. It is a trip that has changed me. My biggest highlight was the retreat so I want to talk a little more about what that retreat was.
To be honest I didn't know how the retreat was going to end up. We planned a little bit for it and got a general idea of what was going to happen but I just didn't know what was going to happen or what to really expect. The kids came at around 4 and we left shortly after that. At first I felt that it was going to be a gong show, but it ended up being one of the best times I have had in a long time. I had an amazing time talking with the kids and building relationships. It was just a sweet time for the kids to bond and build relationships and it was sweet to be a part of it. I gave my all that weekend and it was sweet that the kids bounced off our energy and participated in the games and activities that we had. One cool thing on the first night was start tipping. It is where you look at a star and spin in circles for a long time and then someone shines a light and the object is to run to the light. However, you get disoriented and pretty much fall down. It was a great connecting point and we were really able to befriend everyone at the retreat. The second day there was a lot of things we planned and it went sweet. We had a long period of free time and it was really sweet to hang out with the Alloy kids. One of my favourite memories was on Saturday where with a group of kids I got to know really well, we were all laying down in a circle talking about how big God is and how has made every star. We ending singing songs of praise and it was just a sweet night. I really loved hearing the stories of people and where they were coming from. I thought that moving around from country to country would be a sweet way to grow up. However, after hearing their stories I began to realize the hardships that come with moving around from place to place. It is not an easy thing. One of the girls I was talking to said she has moved to more than 5 countries and was blown away that I have lived my life growing up in one place. I began to realize how much of a blessing it was to grow up in one place. At the end of the retreat I befriended so much of the kids that came from the retreat. I called them kids at the beginning of the retreat and by the end I was calling them friends. A lot of them where really mature for their age. It was a blessing being able to be friends. They really accepted us with open arms. There was a game named stephen working as a youth pastor down there so we helped with building relationships for him so that it would be a smooth transition. He did an amazing job with the talks we had and didn't force anything on the kids. It was great because it seemed like they got something out of what we were trying to accomplish. I had a conversation with one of the kids and they said that the last retreat they were on all they did was intense bible study. We played a lot of games, but the purpose was to build relationships. Having chapel after chapel is, in my opinion, not an effective way to reach out to kids. There are many stories that will forever be etched onto my heart. It was one of the best experiences that I had working in youth ministry. It went so smoothly and I really enjoyed what we accomplished.
This mission trip was about supporting the work of Youth For Christ and I feel we experienced missionary life with the Rendles. Jordan Rendle is the head of Youth For Christ America, so we came down to support what is happening in Argentina. It was different then your typical go build a house mission trip. It was about supporting Youth For Christ and about building relationships. I could go on and on about what happened, but like I said in my previous post it wouldn't do justice to what happened.
When I came back from Argentina I was the only Kaleo at camp. I thought it would be a good chance to get rest. I didn't make plans to go anywhere. It wasn't a good place for me to be. I didn't do anything and it was hard being back and wanting to be back in Argentina. I think God really softened my heart in Argentina. This year has been filled with a lot of struggle and in Argentina I was really able to be myself amidst a year where struggle has been so prevalent. When everyone came back it got a lot better. I learned a lot about myself in Argentina and now I know I have to be more obedient in my walk with God. Going through this year has been a blessing for me. I think I needed to go through struggle this year so that it would allow me to see that I need a lot to work on in my faith. This place called Kaleo has been a chance to step out of the world in order to be put back into the world with a firm grasp of who God is. This has been a learning year for me and I am beginning to put my trust in God. I don't know fully whats happening next year, but I am excited for it. I have allowed God to be the one leading my life and I'm excited to know where that is going to lead. I am on a journey and this year of struggle has been a learning curve for me.
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