1983 - The Last Part

I was reminiscing the last couple of days about the Youth Work Camp to Alamosa in 1983 because I've known for a few months now that God was leading me into new pastures (so to speak). I decided at the start of this Youth year that it was going to be my last as a Youth Leader. I think there is an inherent risk of burnout in this type of work and I wanted to go out on my own terms before I resented the kids and the church and while I could still look everyone in the eye as a friend and fellow Christian. But over the last couple of weeks, one thing has been nagging me - one last bit of unfinished business. I realized that there was one thing that could make me stay on as a youth leader for one more year - a youth work camp. And as I realized that, I also realized that this was something God wanted me to do. So, when I see the youth next (they're on a ski trip this weekend), I am going to propose the project to them with a time frame at least a year out (Next spring or summer) so that they have time to raise the necessary funds for such a trip. One way or the other, I'm still going to find new pastures, but I might be leaving on God's time and not my own.

The reason I'm thinking I need this much time is that I want to raise the funds the same way we did back in 1983 when, ironically, we had a much richer church. There are plenty of individuals who could donate the money for us to make the trip (and indeed we already have quite a coffer of funds for a mission trip dating back since before I arrived) but part of the experience of 1983 that sticks out in my mind was the fact that we earned the trip and that in the earning of the trip, we bonded as a group.

There were many fund raisers over the year from September until July when we left. Out biggest fund raisers were the Ice Cream Social (the first time we'd had one - it is still going strong) and the sale of Trip Stock. These stock certificates were the equivalent of one mile of the journey, and we sold hundreds and hundreds of shares to our congregation. But ice cream and stock aside, for the most part, we raised the funds with the sweat of our brow and the muscles in our backs.

We did lawn maintenance (mowing lawns, watering gardens, and weeding). We built a new retaining wall in a backyard (digging a ditch first and then hammering in a frame and pouring cement). We completely leveled an overgrown jungle (yard) and hauled tons of trees, plants, weeds, and other assorted garden garbage out to a giant dumpster. We tore down a garden shed/garage (now, that was FUN!) and hauled the remains to the trash. We did so many different fund raisers that by the time we arrived in Alamosa, we were an experienced work crew. If anything, the work we did in Alamosa was almost anti-climactic (though we did get to do roofing, which was cool when you're a teen).

To be honest, we never worked that hard again on any of the subsequent fund-raising efforts for any of the work camps. But that one year had a great impact on us, on our youth group, and on our church. To this day, I still hear from adults at the church asking me if we're going to be doing any "fund-raising" anytime soon because they have a yard that needs cleaning. They remember it as a good investment, but also as a community event that brought the whole church a little bit closer.

And that's what I want to bring to Lakeside once again before I "retire" and move on to whatever God has in store for me next. Of course, ultimately, its up to the youth. I'm not about to clear a yard myself. But I have a sneaky suspicion that He will have some input into their decision. We shall soon know.