hey everybody, and good morning!!!
just wanted to let everyone know that these past couple of days have been so amazing for me seeing these kids who don’t really know Christ, or kind of know, or do but don’t really care that much. and i don’t know if i said this in my last blog, but I’m the small group leader for kids from 3rd to 5th grade and i only have about four kids. but even though, its easier to focus on each of them compared to a larger group. there crazy but fun and i have an awesome time with them. and even though its not exactly the last day YET, I’m still sad to be leaving tomorrow, and I’m gonna miss each and everyone of them. and i just wanted to share about my day. when we first got there, my group just hung out and did last minute prep for today. when we got started, Jon Turner, who is this amazing person, did an absolute great job teaching the lesson like a professional youth pastor or something. then we broke up into our small groups and talked about the ten commandments. The two girls i had today, Megan and Stephanie, were CRAZY but funny. and Darian was talking to me which was pretty cool, because the first day he was real shy but i got him to talk to me. We had a quick lesson and then did crafts with Steven, wordless bracelets. they had six beads with different colors and different meanings. Black stands for sin, red for the blood shed of Jesus, white is for royalty, green for growth in faith, blue for baptism, and finally, yellow, for heaven. and the highlight of MY day was when the older kids went outside to play when the little kids in 2nd grade and younger did their game and snack time. Ashley Haddad and Ashlee Santos, two other amazing people i care about a lot, did awesome.
Ashley Haddad did green light red light with all the kids except for one. Ashlee Santos took care of one little two year old kid who was causing trouble for everyone else. So they went near the kitchen door where i was standing and said that it was my turn to watch him. I decided to help out and played with him. One of our leaders, Sprae, brought two toy guns and this two year old i was watching whos name was Dillon, had them and started to shoot me going “BANG BANG!”. it was so cute to watch and i had to play along. i acted like i was getting hurt and holding my arms and stuff, then i started shouting random things, like, “OW! my pancreas!”, or liver. i also used “spinal cavity” and “medulla oblongata”. then i pretended to be dead. so he walked up to me and i went, “BOO!” and he got scared. it was that scared look but like he was having fun and laughing. i did this for awhile and this was the first time i actually got exhausted playing with a kid. He was so cute and funny and full of energy. then, after everyone left, me and my teammates got ready for a fun day tomorrow. We filled up water balloons and water guns for a water day friday. we are also gonna have a barbecue for them which they don’t know about. should be a fun surprise! then when we got back to goldfield in the gym were staying at, we hung out and did soaps, and ate. we then did a holy huddle. one of the things we talked about was really making a difference in someones life. We talked about the people who were “the loners” and stayed to themselves, just wishing for someone to come and talk to them. Darius told us about one in our very own church whos name is Tyler Santoyo who just finished his sophomore year of high school. i thought WOW. no one even realizes it. thats why when i go back, i’m gonna hunt this kid down and talk to him. i know what it feels like to be that person. i always used to be that person in 6th, 7th, AND 8th grade. then that changed when one person in this year, my freshman year, started to talk to me. shes here now on go, and a graduate. Her names Miriam Poush. she is my most favorite person here because she was the first person who actually cared to talk to me and made a real difference in my life. now, i’m still kind of shy but not as much. i’m, as people say, “coming out of my shell”. and its fun. i just need to show this Tyler guy you just need to start communicating to people and getting out there. and not just him, but every kid, shy or not, to just talk to them and make them feel great and that church really is a great place to be, and i’m also choosing to get baptized the next time palm valley is having one. i just want to be there for those people who i used to be like and make an impact in their life. i know that thats what i wanted, was a friend to talk to and have fun, but it wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Miriam. i would have probably hated church and wanted nothing to do with it, but now i do. so thanks everyone on the go trip, and all you readers. So good night!
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