Wednesday: Today was carnival day, an annual SOAR activity where all the youth groups put on a carnival for the kids at each of our ministries. From 1 till 3 we were each assigned to one or two kids from ICYA to walk around and play games, eat popcorn, and collect candy and balloon animals. This was an awesome opportunity to spend time one on one and get to know our kids better. The day was cold and windy, but we still had lots of fun!
Thursday: We went back to our regular VBS schedule today at ICYA. There were less kids than usual, but there was still a lot of energy from the group. Today was a good day to practice patience, and love on the kids even when we feel frustrated. Something we learned today multiple times was that kids are listening and paying attention more than it may seem. There were a lot of great responses to the bible story, which as really encouraging. This evening we were able to serve each other in foot washing. This gave us the opportunity to pray, encourage and pour into each member of our group.
Catherine: These two days and the days leading up were the most encouraging and cheerful. I felt tired most of the time but I had Gods strength to keep me going. The children at ICYA kept me on my feet! I entertained them with games and I found cheer in their smiles!
Bri: After a few restless nights of being sick and feverish, I was so encouraged to be filled with energy from the Holy Spirit. At no point did I feel tired or weak while spending time with the kids on Thursdays VBS, which was a huge answer to prayer. I've been working with kids from the ages 5-7, and I cannot tell you how much I've enjoyed spending time with each and everyone of them. These children may seem rough around the edges, but they're true diamonds when you have an opportunity to spend time with them. Each one is so precious, and I feel blessed to get to share Gods unfailing love with them.
