Last weekend I had the opportunity to be a part of a new youth retreat with my church, First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville. This retreat, Launch, was started as an attempt for the youth to gain momentum at the beginning of the fall semester of school. The youth was divided by age and gender, and each group stayed at a local host home of someone within the church for the weekend. On Saturday, the groups went out to different locations within the community to participate in a day of service.
I was one of the lucky counselors for the 9th and 10th grade girls, which happens to be the group I work with on Wednesday nights. We were placed at the Lawrenceville co-op, a ministry that provides food and emergency financial assistance to those in the Lawrenceville and Dacula communities. The girls helped out by greeting families with snacks and smiles, sorting through supplies, completing office work, and entertaining children while their parents were provided assistance.
It’s hard to imagine how much of an impact a few hours of community service can truly have on someone. I was so impressed by the way my girls gave up a weekend and joyfully jumped into serving others. I could see the impact they were having on the people who came to the co-op as well as the impact God was having on them. During our small group time that evening, the girls commented on how easy and important it was to make a positive difference in our community. A few even expressed interest in making a commitment to continue volunteering at the co-op.
This retreat was so amazing in multiple ways. I got to spend time with the girls I have spent a year investing in and see how much they’ve grown personally and spiritually. It showed them the importance of community and gave them a real and practical way to serve. It also ignited a flame within a few of them that was easily taken home with them after the retreat, since we never left our hometown.
The growth within the girls was inspirational and reminded me of the importance of local missions. God calls us to proclaim His name throughout the nations, a job I do not take lightly. Although I am about to embark on a crazy journey across the world to do this, I was given a humble reminder that the people who I live in community with on a daily basis need Him just as much. It’s easy to think of foreign countries as a mission field, but in reality, we have a much more accessible mission field in our own backyards. Every time we step outside, we’ve entered this field. As a Christian, it’s my duty to share Christ through my actions and words everywhere I go.
Even though this retreat was designed for the youth, I learned so many lessons thought it. I am so thankful that I had the chance to work with these girls and my community and am more ready than ever to continue serving God during these last few months in the states.
For more information about the Lawrenceville co-op:
