“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14

Five days into youth camp and I’m getting tired but I can keep going. These kids have a lot of issues which makes for a spiritually heavy atmosphere and there have definitely been attitudes to deal with. They are so talented and fun but so broken. Discipling young people is truly one of my passions and I’m so glad I get to do this in Jamaica. To be honest, the view of Montego Bay has become more beautiful since they arrived. Each one of these kids is so unique and loveable and they remind me that even though this is the Caribbean, the beauty of this nation is really in its people (I tried to explain that at Emerge when I was home and I think I ended up sounding kind of flaky).

This group of youth is unlike any I’ve ever worked with. In Jamaica, it is far too common for a child to grow up with an aunt or grandmother or neighbour instead of his parents. A large majority are born out of wedlock and don’t know their father. Earlier this week, my friend Nick taught on how God has the heart of a good father. At the end of the class we all stood in a circle to pray about our parents and ask the Lord to help those who weren’t taken care of to forgive their parents for neglect, abandonment and abuse. Kid after kid started weeping as they dealt with the pain in their hearts. A 16-year-old boy sobbing in Nick’s arms, a 17-year-old girl crying on my shoulder as she faced the fact that she’s hardly had a childhood; taking care of her siblings and cousins because their parents weren’t around enough. What does a 14-year-old turn to when her mother is dead and her father who moved abroad long ago doesn’t even call her on her birthday? Another girl shared how her abusive grandfather shot himself twice and died 3 days later, a week before she came to camp. These are just glimpses into the lives of a few of the youth with us and they all come from regular Jamaican neighbourhoods. These kids are so hungry for affection and some barely know how to receive it. And I can see that their pain is deep, it’s so deep.

But I am hopeful because they are here and for 2 weeks they’ll receive love and discipline that they desperately need. And as they learn that it’s possible to have a relationship with Jesus, who will never abandon them, this handful of youth can choose to be a different generation.

Thanks for your prayers! Please continue to pray for us and praise God that the camp leadership team is great and for the healing that has been happening so far.

PS. I taught the kids how to play ultimate Frisbee during early morning exercises! –Thanks for the suggestion, Sabrina!