Anyway…
This weekend my team and I ministered at a youth camp. I love being able to pour truth into young adults and just kick it with them in general. There is so much young people face these days and it’s often hard to stay on track without a community of believers to keep one accountable and encouraged to stay grounded in The Word. Back home, I co-taught Bible Study with the teens at my church so getting the opportunity to be around young people gets me pumped! I’ve always enjoyed talking specifically to the young girls and pouring truth into them, however, at this camp I was drawn to the young men. The men to women ratio was easily 5 to 1 (which is most often unheard of in US churches). Furthermore, the men especially hungered for God… and for older female role models to look up to.
All throughout the camp, I was reminded of a song I love by India.Arie entitled ‘My Brother’s Keeper’. She is talking about how men need women to love them through their mess and hold them accountable for things in their lives (even as their sisters in Christ). In churches here, I rarely see women leading or even present most of the time. These young men have few women in the church to look up to. I was surprised when the young men at that camp got extremely excited for group discussions with my team and me (all women) about what the Bible states about vision, gender roles, relationships, guarding our hearts and living a purpose driven life. It was a genuine excitement I truly admired.
There were young men at the camp who had major issues with women and thought all women were the same. We had a confession session and some of the men confessed hard things to their brothers in Christ and to us. In fact, one in particular hated and despised women to say the least. Stacie and I were able to speak truth into him, pray with him and be a positive example to him in the way we interacted with him and others.Toward the end of the camp, the same young man asked to speak to us privately and without revealing too much of our conversation, told us we were angels from the Lord, have changed his heart about women and he would never be the same (Stacie is writing a blog about that amazing God moment).
All in all, I’m remembered that women are a mighty force in the kingdom! We need to continue to not only lift up our sisters, but our brothers as well. It’s important to guard their hearts as well but know they need us.Don’t turn your back on them when they do wrong or when they are struggling. Men look to us without us even knowing it… not just the young men here in Malawi, but all young men all over the world.
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“Will I walk what I talk? Will I open my heart, can he trust me when I give him my word? Will I judge him or love him put nothing above him and help him to see what he’s worth?
“When he’s pushed the edge when he’s out on a ledge can I help him to think with his heart? When he is wrong, when he’s right, I’ll be there to remind him he’s made in the image of God. When he struggles with troubles, he needs to know that his mistakes don’t define his life. I’m a living example that there is a chance for redemption on the other side.”
“Am I my brother’s keeper? Yes I am. Am I my brother’s teacher? Yes I am. Am I the one to reach him? Yes I can. Am I my brother’s Keeper? Yes I am” ….and you are too.
XOXO,
Belle
