This past week we got to experience God moving in so many ways. We were able to go and share the love of Jesus with kids that may not have the opportunity to hear it as much as they should. I think a lot of us went into this week thinking that it was going to be like all the other mission trips, but I feel like it was different. We were able to go to a place that we knew very little about and spend a week letting these children know that they are loved and that they are enough no matter what they’re going through at home. I’m coming back home with a changed heart and an even greater love for our God. I’m forever grateful for this experience and can’t wait to continue sharing Gods love for us with the people back home. – Mikayla
I’ve been on a lot of mission trips during my time in the youth group and all of them were impactful in some way or another; however, I am glad that Toronto is my last mission trip. Lately, I’ve been disconnected from my faith, I have gotten into video games recently and with that I had gained long distance friendships that I hope last a lifetime; but I also realized that I had started to isolate myself from God. I wanted to socialize and play games with my online friends more than going to church or go to youth events that would help me earn mission bucks to pay for this trip. It was bad. But during my time in Toronto and working with kids-which I’m not good at-made me realize something, and this ‘something’ happened when we were worshiping with the kids and I noticed a girl sitting off by herself, crying. I was later told she was in time out for not listening, but it seemed that she was more upset about something else. I’m not one to go up to people and talk, so I wondered would I be able to cheer up a child, or even converse with one. Inside I felt a feeling that I just needed to do it, and it was like I was pushed because the next thing I knew I was walking toward that little girl and I was trying to talk to her. I asked her only a few questions: did she like to dance? Did she like to sing? Did she like the songs? What was her favorite song? These questions were all I could think off and these seemed to help her stop crying, but not enough to join the others yet so I just sat with her. Soon she did join the others and I don’t know if what I did made any impact on her, but it meant something to me because it was the first time I listened to a voice-that I think was God-telling me to sit with that girl and at least talk to her. I then started thinking about something that was revealed to me this week and that is when I discovered that I had been disconnecting from God and putting something else before him and isolating myself and making no time for him. I now wish to reconnect with him and love him as he loves me and love others as he loves because that’s important to me. – Calista
