Building relationships...

I’m sitting in a local coffee shop in Alamosa taking the afternoon off from programming at the site. I’m not playing hooky; they actually told me to take a break. I’m fine in the mornings while we are at the work sites, but I have been so tired in the afternoons, my energy just gets zapped. I guess I look tired and just need a break. We are so fortunate this week to have two other staff persons here on site. Programming is just not as stressful as the next eight weeks will be. Plus, the following weeks programming will just be us and not twelve others trying to do the work of one. There will be an ownership aspect to the next eight weeks.

I was telling Tony Monday that I just was so exhausted I didn’t know how I was going to survive for the whole summer, but then a wonderful thing happen. The youth started to come in Sunday afternoon and by Sunday night I knew why I wanted to do YouthWorks again this summer. It’s all about getting to know the youth and building relationships in the Lord with the youth. To see the smiles on their faces when they accomplish a painting job, when they connect with kids who come to the kids club program, when I can call them by name and watch their faces just light up. These are the things that have brought me back this year. The youth are having fun in all aspects of the week I suspect. We are particularly enjoying 4-Square. The church where we are staying have three courts of 4-Square and there is always a game going on. I’m having a ball interacting with the youth while playing. They are such competitors and have a great time beating each other, but they also have a great sense of gamesmanship and are very gracious in letting others have chances. It’s so good to see the youth having fun and learning what it means to help out others when they are in need.

It has been a good week to get back in the grove of YouthWorks. The team is continuing to come together and really rely on each other for encouragement and inspiration. Even though we have been with nine other staff persons it is refreshing to see how the four of us are bonding. We will need that bond if we are going through this summer being the hands and feet of Christ. The only way to show unity to the participants is to have unity among ourselves as the ones leading groups into the presence of Christ. I am thankful for the team which God has placed at Cortez this summer. I expect tremendous things to happen throughout the course of the summer.