Youth ministry

Well, one of the great ministries that I have been blessed to be a part of this year is working with the youth group onboard the Africa Mercy. The youth are kids of the long-term crew who attend the academy we have on the ship. This semester, we had nearly twenty kids in Junior High or High School in the youth group. Every tuesday night, we met with the kids in our youth room to have fun with a variety of activities, including games, testimonies, music, and sharing time. Over the last few months, we've been reading through a book called Bruchko. It is a true story about a teenage boy who feels called to work in South America. He packs up and moves there without any formal training or missions organization and sees God do amazing things through his obedience. It was a very inspirational book and it was great to read it with the kids and discuss it together.

Outside of Tuesday night youth group, we've had fun with movie nights and beach trips with the kids. We also served together at a local youth center called "Don Bosco" and offered that ministry every other Saturday to encourage the youth to connect with the locals in Freetown. Many of the kids who live at the youth center had problems at home or came in from the streets, so it was great to see our youth connecting and being positive role models to them.

       Attempting to stay hidden during a game of "sardines"

One of our beach days with some of the older youth



It's crazy to think that the semester is already over and it's now "summer break." Many of the kids are leaving this week to go home with their families for a much needed vacation. Other families are ending their term with Mercy Ships and won't be returning. While it is sad to see them go, I am so thankful for the opportunity to be their youth leader and get to know them this year. It has been great to build relationships with them and to see them grow over the past few months. I know that God has big things in store for each one of them and I'm excited to see all the ways that He chooses to use them. 

A few of the youth leaders decided to dress up and bring ice cream to the kids' cabins for

a study break during finals week...they were all pleasantly surprised :)

Youth group starts back up in the fall, but for now we're all having "summer break" and most of the kids will be home on vacation. Until then, I guess I'll have to be a grown-up (after all, isn't that why being a youth leader is so much fun...you kind of get to be a kid again)!