Well, rather than the usual spring break (SB) I've had for the past 8 years of my life, this year I had an SP (service project) during the Semana Santa (holy week) that they're out of school in Costa Rica. And what an SP12 is was! Service project is a trip designed by YoungLife for international schools that acts as what's comparable to a camp experience with an aspect of service. For one week, our group of 12 went to Oachaupan, El Salvador to build Habitat for Humanity homes. After building during the day, we had YoungLife club and a speaker each night after the restaurant downstairs in our hotel closed. Will Hopkins joined us from Mesa, Arizona to speak at club and serve alongside us each day, and Nicki and I were blessed with another sweet opportunity to do program. Prayers were answered in a major way as every student that joined us expressed that they were closer to Jesus or considering Him more seriously.
This being my first ever service project experience after several YoungLife camping experiences, one of the things that caught my attention was how different the project was from typical YoungLife camping (in a hilarious way at times), but how the response was so similar. I took some notes on how non-YoungLife it was while actually still doing YoungLife that some of my readers familiar with YL ministry & camping might appreciate.
-We sat through not two, but three 2-2 1/2 hour presentations put on by Habitat where at least 3 people in our group would be fast asleep
-In club, we sang songs in a circle with a speaker in the middle. It was awesome- like everyone was singing to each other...at the top of our lungs. We didn't suggest this either, it's how the students wanted to sing in that setting.
-We had a non-English speaking audience that gathered outside our "club room" each night intrigued by what those crazy gringos were doing inside.
-Ratio of students to adults; 6:6. This initially was a concern & prayer focus going into the trip, but it worked out beautifully. Oh, and girl to guy ratio of students was 1:5- also played out wonderfully.
-We had two co-ed cabin time groups led by one leader a piece and then an "adult cabin time" with the remaining 4 adults.
-The typical YL element of surprise was essentially non-existent when you're working with another organization who lays it all out day by day. Good thing little surprises were integrated in as things didn't always work out as they had planned!
-The speaker spent 24 hours of his day alongside kids including sleeping in a room with 3 of the guys.
-We had a mix of our high school international students and El Salvadorian college students on the work sites.
-I would be willing to bet that we had the loudest 15 minutes of silence post-talk ever recorded in YL history. (in a hotel parking lot, latin music kareoke night at the bar next door, dogs wandering around)
-We were able to have a more in-depth version of cardboard testimonies as leaders were able to answer speaker's questions out loud during the talk time & share with the students.
-Camp store= souvenir shopping through the streets of El Salvador
-We were able to play longer, all-inclusive games like George, Families/Empire, Mafia as a part of club
-Took a team trip to the nearest ice cream shop to find the ice cream cones with donuts on top that we kept seeing in advertisements
...and that's just to name a few of the many items on the 2 page list I compiled. Bottom line: relational ministry is relational ministry no matter the setting. YoungLife camp just happens to be an awesome place that facilitates that. We did our best!
Now you have an idea of what YoungLife service projects might look like. Again, it was a great combination of service, leader/student contact, culture, and lots of fun while sharing the gospel with our friends.
Since being back from service project, we hosted a SP12 follow-up club for pictures/Iron Chef competition. Naturally, I volunteered to judge the dishes the groups came up with, and I was blown away by what they created! We split the kids into 2 entree groups and 1 dessert group. Both entree groups had the same ingredients to choose from (tortillas, cheese, chicken, ground beef, tomato, salsa, sour cream, butter, peppers, onions, lemon), and they had to include the secret ingredient: avocado. One group made a quesadilla with baked stuffed peppers and guacamole, and the other group made tortilla cone roll-ups with fajitas. The dessert group was giving the ingredients to make brownies, but also had to incorporate the secret ingredient. They made avocado icing that wasn't half bad! Alex gave an incredible talk while the dishes were baking, and then we all sat down to enjoy the food together for dinner. When your club is roughly 15 people, this is an awesome idea!
Next big adventure: A trip to the States! Many of you know I've been exploring future opportunities with full-time YoungLife ministry, and I've been presented the opportunity to look into YoungLife in Sumter, SC! Where is Sumter? (exactly what I was thinking when the regional director told me about the job) It's 45 minutes east of Columbia and 1 hour, 15 minutes west of Myrtle Beach. Fun facts: it's Ray Allen & Bobby Ricahrdson's hometown. It has some incredible American Legion baseball. And it's home to the USC Sumter fightin' Fire Ants. I've already spoken with the area director & his wife various times, and we feel confident enough with this placement that it's time for me to see it for myself! I'll get to meet the leaders and committee and see what sweet little Sumter has to offer. (2 Chickfilas & no Target is what I've gathered so far) I'm super excited and would love if you could be praying for the visit: for clarity for both parties (myself & the YL staff/committee), for guidance, for answered questions, and for peace about whatever the outcome.
Here's our group: ready to work!
This being my first ever service project experience after several YoungLife camping experiences, one of the things that caught my attention was how different the project was from typical YoungLife camping (in a hilarious way at times), but how the response was so similar. I took some notes on how non-YoungLife it was while actually still doing YoungLife that some of my readers familiar with YL ministry & camping might appreciate.
-We sat through not two, but three 2-2 1/2 hour presentations put on by Habitat where at least 3 people in our group would be fast asleep
-In club, we sang songs in a circle with a speaker in the middle. It was awesome- like everyone was singing to each other...at the top of our lungs. We didn't suggest this either, it's how the students wanted to sing in that setting.
-We had a non-English speaking audience that gathered outside our "club room" each night intrigued by what those crazy gringos were doing inside.
-Ratio of students to adults; 6:6. This initially was a concern & prayer focus going into the trip, but it worked out beautifully. Oh, and girl to guy ratio of students was 1:5- also played out wonderfully.
-We had two co-ed cabin time groups led by one leader a piece and then an "adult cabin time" with the remaining 4 adults.
-The typical YL element of surprise was essentially non-existent when you're working with another organization who lays it all out day by day. Good thing little surprises were integrated in as things didn't always work out as they had planned!
-The speaker spent 24 hours of his day alongside kids including sleeping in a room with 3 of the guys.
-We had a mix of our high school international students and El Salvadorian college students on the work sites.
-I would be willing to bet that we had the loudest 15 minutes of silence post-talk ever recorded in YL history. (in a hotel parking lot, latin music kareoke night at the bar next door, dogs wandering around)
-We were able to have a more in-depth version of cardboard testimonies as leaders were able to answer speaker's questions out loud during the talk time & share with the students.
-Camp store= souvenir shopping through the streets of El Salvador
-We were able to play longer, all-inclusive games like George, Families/Empire, Mafia as a part of club
-Took a team trip to the nearest ice cream shop to find the ice cream cones with donuts on top that we kept seeing in advertisements
...and that's just to name a few of the many items on the 2 page list I compiled. Bottom line: relational ministry is relational ministry no matter the setting. YoungLife camp just happens to be an awesome place that facilitates that. We did our best!
You better believe we found those donut-topped ice cream cones!
The yo-yo masters of the world (YYMOW) rehearsing for their competiton
This is what songs in club looked like: Awesome.
Hard work, long winded speakers & heat is a rough combo for staying awake
Yo-yo Masters at it agian. Yoyo-ing with their toes!
We layed a ridiculous amount of cinder block. Masonry was a trade we picked up on the trip.
Always traveling in style while singing "She Will be Loved" by Maroon 5.
The roads & people in the village we were building in
Like I said, lots of masonry...
Sitting down for a nice break & meal between building
On Good Friday, they covered the streets in salts & sands for a holy procession
Now you have an idea of what YoungLife service projects might look like. Again, it was a great combination of service, leader/student contact, culture, and lots of fun while sharing the gospel with our friends.
Since being back from service project, we hosted a SP12 follow-up club for pictures/Iron Chef competition. Naturally, I volunteered to judge the dishes the groups came up with, and I was blown away by what they created! We split the kids into 2 entree groups and 1 dessert group. Both entree groups had the same ingredients to choose from (tortillas, cheese, chicken, ground beef, tomato, salsa, sour cream, butter, peppers, onions, lemon), and they had to include the secret ingredient: avocado. One group made a quesadilla with baked stuffed peppers and guacamole, and the other group made tortilla cone roll-ups with fajitas. The dessert group was giving the ingredients to make brownies, but also had to incorporate the secret ingredient. They made avocado icing that wasn't half bad! Alex gave an incredible talk while the dishes were baking, and then we all sat down to enjoy the food together for dinner. When your club is roughly 15 people, this is an awesome idea!
The expert judges & food critics
The host getting comments from the judge
Group prep work!
Of course, what's 20 kids cooking without a kitchen full of smoke?
Plating the food for the judges
Skyler & Will posed and danced better than they cooked.
Key ingredient to any dish: butter
Next big adventure: A trip to the States! Many of you know I've been exploring future opportunities with full-time YoungLife ministry, and I've been presented the opportunity to look into YoungLife in Sumter, SC! Where is Sumter? (exactly what I was thinking when the regional director told me about the job) It's 45 minutes east of Columbia and 1 hour, 15 minutes west of Myrtle Beach. Fun facts: it's Ray Allen & Bobby Ricahrdson's hometown. It has some incredible American Legion baseball. And it's home to the USC Sumter fightin' Fire Ants. I've already spoken with the area director & his wife various times, and we feel confident enough with this placement that it's time for me to see it for myself! I'll get to meet the leaders and committee and see what sweet little Sumter has to offer. (2 Chickfilas & no Target is what I've gathered so far) I'm super excited and would love if you could be praying for the visit: for clarity for both parties (myself & the YL staff/committee), for guidance, for answered questions, and for peace about whatever the outcome.
