Kids Impressive on Mission Trip

Picture of my group (code-named BRAVO) during my week at Mission Serve. Back row: Me, Garrett, AJ, Kristina, and Melba. Front row: Veronica (whose house we worked on), Cody, Kelsey, Rebecca, and Shelly.

Just as promised- or threatened- this week’s edition is a continuation of last week’s recounting of a recent mission trip I took with a local youth group. As you may remember, we went to upgrade homes of those less fortunate in Macon, Georgia. The week includes hard work, awesome praise and worship experiences, and opportunities to bond with folks from other churches.

Aside from sleep deprivation, 100 degree heat, and the dessert being laced with nuts a couple times (I’m allergic you may remember), it was an incredible experience. I shared a few with you last week and now, for your reading pleasure- or to kill a few minutes of your life, I now present some additional highlights:

UNDIGNIFIED- Based on a verse in the Bible where King David danced in the street during a celebration, one of the praise songs of the week encouraged followers to become even more undignified for the Lord. Inhibitions erased, the kids (and yes, we adults) shouted, jumped, sang, lifted hands, and celebrated the praises of a risen Savior, while the members of the local church in Macon looked on approvingly. The sincerity of these kids and their worship and praise astonished and inspired all in attendance. Worship styles are often the objects of great debate, but I was convinced during these moments that God was well pleased and properly glorified.

LUNCH CLUB- The work group I led consisted of six kids (four girls and two boys) who we all agreed would never have sat together at lunch in the school cafeteria. But as we shared our bag lunches on the work site each day, I noticed these kids warming up to each other. They worked together, laughed together, cried together, and formed deep spiritual and emotional bonds. Like in the movie Breakfast Club, they departed at the end of the week realizing that each person is expressly unique and worthy of respect regardless of their social status or inherent challenges in life.

AMAZING- One of my most memorable moments occurred on a shaded front porch in the process of being given a colorful facelift. Two of the kids in my group- an autistic boy and a young lady- began singing praise songs while they painted. When they started into Amazing Grace, I was suddenly overcome with the realization that I was experiencing a holy moment. A.J. and Kristina sang four verses of the classic, not missing a line. Their duo rendition would never top the billboard charts, but to me it was some of the most beautiful harmony my ears had ever been privileged to hear.

That’s one of the many reasons why you won’t hear me bashing this younger generation. It’s easy to complain about them and criticize them for being lazy, incompetent, and disrespectful. They’re easy targets because they can’t easily defend themselves. Adults control most of the information outlets. Television commentators, writers, teachers, and such are grown-ups. So I’ll take up for the younger generation- at least the ones I served with in Macon- in the space that I have been allotted this week. They’re not perfect and certainly they are undignified at times, but after spending a week watching them in action, I think they’re pretty amazing.