Today I returned from a high energy, sleep deprived, physically and emotionally demanding week in Detroit, and it was awesome. It was less the returning home and more the week in city that was awesome.
Every year the church I attend sends a group of about 75 high school students and volunteers to downtown Detroit to partner with a local church to run VBS for the surrounding community. I was fortunate enough to be one of the leaders this year. I’ve done some VBS stuff before, and I’ve also been working with the high school youth for a year, but I could not have predicted what an impact those combined forces might have on me.
It was a bittersweet week filled with the joys of loving the VBS kids side by side with the high school students, knowing that this would be my last volunteer opportunity with them before I leave to “take on the world”. I was so happy to be a part of the project, but was also sad that soon I won’t be able to spend time with the high schoolers for a year. I am eager for what the year holds, but will miss them dearly.
On one hand our adventures in D-town confirmed where my heart truly is. I love working with people toward the common goal of service. It almost doesn’t matter what the actual activity is, it’s the combined effort to positively impact people’s lives that is so gripping. So, this was an indication that I am headed in the right direction while pursuing a year of this “side by side service” sort of thing. On the other hand, I have grown to love the high school students that I’ve worked with, and spending a week working and playing with them has taken it’s toll on the ole heart strings.
As I skip off into the great unknown that the next year holds, I can only hope that I have helped impact the lives of the students as much as they have impacted mine. It has truly been a pleasure.
