This past summer we ran two trips for girls: a Service Adventure Trip in Winston-Salem North Carolina and the Sylvania Wilderness Canoe Trip.
In mid-June we drove a van of 9th and 10th grade girls to North Carolina and met up with our brothers and sisters from the People of Joy, a new community associated with our Sword of the Spirit network. We camped at Pilot Mountain State Park and had some days of retreat and preparation for our 2 services:
The first was to put on a day retreat for the junior high girls of People of Joy – focused on life in the Holy Spirit. Our Kairos girls did a wonderful job MCing the time, leading games, giving testimonies, leading the small groups, assisting worship, and praying over the girls to receive more of the Holy Spirit. Each of the girls took on a significant role of service leadership for this retreat, and they each shone in a unique and beautiful way through their contribution,
The second service was to cook meals and provide childcare for the community retreat. Our goal was to make nourishing & scrumptious meals, and free up the leaders and parents to engage the retreat content and men’s and women’s group time well, caring for collective 11 children. The team did an excellent job making delicious food, cleaning up, leading prayer times and activities with the children, and exploring the nearby creek. It was a whirlwind and the girls really stretched themselves to give generously. It was a great joy to be on this retreat, this community truly lives up to its name – the people of Joy!
At the end of June, we took 7th and 8th grade girls to Sylvania Wilderness in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a canoe trip. The girls learned how to strategically pack their gear, put up and take down camp, they honed in their paddling and portaging skills, and they each got to serve the others in many ways throughout the week. You learn to work together as a pack on a canoe trip, everyone sharing the work until it’s done, everyone both giving and receiving service, everyone watching out for one another.
Thank you for your support of our youth trips – where Jesus is Lord, friendship in Christ is built and nourished, virtue and character are drawn forth, and God is worshiped as our wonderful Creator and Giver of all good things!
