Kansas City Update: Flexibility, Hands, Feet, and Voice

I was hoping to write a blog post yesterday evening, but our group got caught up in a rousing game of dodgeball. There’s not much better than seeing an elder of our church and his wife pegging students left and right, making them drop like flies! It’s was quite entertaining, and the students loved it! I just simply couldn’t pull myself away.
So thus, I’m writing this to you now. Our trip is winding down, and I wish I had more opportunities to have written you all through the week. It seems our trip has been non-stop since the moment we left the church early Saturday morning.

Flexibility

When we arrived on Saturday evening and had our first gathering to share our goals for the week, what we’d be doing, and how to be preparing for it, the first subject addressed was: “Be Flexible”. I’ve been on many youth trips in my life, and I have to admit this one takes the “most flexible award.”

We’ve been practicing dependency on the Holy Spirit much this week. We leaned on Him in giving us direction in how to speak to those who need prayer. We leaned on the Him to guide us in our daily schedule (which changed often!). There were even moments where it came down to the Holy Spirit telling us when to turn left or right. It’s been a major stretch for many of us, but a stretch that has produced much fruit!

We have seen many of our students who began this trip in a state of timidity, turn in to followers of Christ who are bold and courageous. in their efforts to have conversations with anyone willing to have one.

Hands, Feet, and Voice of God

One of our trip leaders (Mattias Gutendorf — and if you’re wondering; yes, he’s from Germany), talked on Sunday night about our theme for the week: Everyone Deserves a Conversations. He shared he would add a tagline to that phrase, though: Everyone Deserves a Conversations, & Everyone Desires a Conversation.

We have been met with so many people open to hearing about Jesus. So many we’ve interacted with have asked for prayer or at least willing accepted prayer when we asked if they wanted it. We’ve had 12 year-old praying for 72 year-olds. We’ve had different races holding hands and lifting up the name of Christ. We’ve had student leaders rise up to teach younger ones how to be the hands, feet, and voice of Christ to a world that so desperately needs Him.

I couldn’t be more proud of our students and how God has used them to minister to so many different kinds of people: poor, wealthy, black, white, hispanic, young, old, homeless or those with a home. For these kids, it didn’t matter… they just saw the need and gave to it, and I can’t wait until they begin sharing stories with you in a few weeks.

How you can pray for us:

• Today is our last day. Pray for us to have an incredible night of music, and sharing as we talk through the week and investigate what God has done in our lives.
• Pray for Grace Point Baptist Church who hosted us this week. They’ve been so wonderful by providing us with food, shelter, and direction in places to go in the week.
• Praise God for Becky Still, who was our amazing trip leader from Adventures in Missions. And praise God for Mattias Gutendorf who was our trip leader from Grace Point.
• Pray for us tomorrow as we leave Kansas City to head home at 8am (9am Eaton Time). It has been a long week, and our leaders/drivers are tired.