Standing Strong Youth Conference: Day 1

It's funny the difference that 24 hours makes. 24 hours ago, I was basically sitting right where I am right now basically having an anxiety attack about the event that was kicked off today. Tonight, as I'm sitting here, having just finally washed all of the jelly, flour, and dirt off of me, I'm able to wrap my mind around the day that has passed.

The day began bright and early at 4:30. I started to get everything lined out so that when my leaders arrived we could just go to town on set up. One thing I always make sure to do is hook my leaders up with some good coffee as we start preparing. So after my guys arrived (most of them actually on time) we had coffee and met about the upcoming day. I really am so blessed by the group of guys who volunteer to help me lead small groups. They really are stand up guys and I'm just so thankful I can rely on them and that they really do work so unbelievably hard during these conferences.

After banners had been put up, benches set out, and the music was bumping, it was time for the students to come. By 9:30 we had about 50 or so students and it was time to begin. We had an awesome worship set from our CC Jinja worship team. Then I taught about how Nehemiah was broken over hearing the condition of the wall and how we should be broken over both the condition of our personal walks as well as our youth group. It was then small group time. During this time I, with the help of my special helpers who were some of the kids who are too young for the conference, poured juice for snack time.

Then we had another worship and teaching session. This time the teaching was on prayer by Danielle. Then came what was my highlight for the day as all of the students (by then the number had climbed to about 60) broke off into their small groups to pray. It was really so cool looking around the compound seeing and hearing groups of students praying.



After that, it was lunch time of beans, rice, and chapattis.

We then went into a another awesome worship session and teaching by Jess about working together. He used the examples of all the people working side by side to build the wall. The kids were challenged to get involved and take ownership and I'm really excited to see what comes of that. There was then an extended small group time as I prepared for the games.

The games were a lot of fun. It was basically each small group choosing three people from their group to play. Each of the three had to smear jelly on their faces, run and put their face in a plate of cereal to get as much stuck on it as possible, then run to a basin of water and bob for marshmallows and put them into a plate of flour and then retrieve them from there as well. In the end we were all an absolute mess. Yes, I said "we" - the students decided they needed an example and therefore I had to do what I was trying to make them do (hence what I said earlier about the caked on jelly and flour). oh, and I almost forgot, the last person from the team to do everything, then also had to drink a can of coke with a sock over it. It was really a lot of fun.

After those crazy games, we had a volleyball tournament which is always a great hit. We boom music, have funny commentary, and just have a good time. From there, we had some dinner. I got all my leaders set up to stay the night so they wouldn't have to travel so far, and took some of the students home. And now I'm absolutely exhausted, but stoked at how the day went. Tomorrow has some awesome potential too. Please just continue to lift us all up in prayer and that eyes would continue to be opened to the things in our lives and youth group that we need to change.