Tuesday: First Day of Two-Day Projects

Hello Saint Barnabas Family! This is Connor Blunt.

Today is the third day of our Mountain T.O.P. experience, and the second day of helping the community of Cumberland Pines. As this is my first year here, things are quite different from my normal camping adventures.

For starters, the camp is based around helping others and learning through God, rather than in Boy Scouts where it’s mostly about learning new skills and about nature. This means that there is less free time than I am used to at camp.

Secondly, what we all have in common isn’t that easy to find. In Boy Scouts, it’s that you’re a Boy Scout. At Mountain T.O.P., it’s that you’re a God-loving person that just wants to help people. This is an improvement from Boy Scouts because it means that everyone works together to get the project done.

Today in my YRG group, we were tasked with building a deck, a railing, and a roof. We got done with the deck by the end of the day. I saw God today at the end of the project, as we were driving back to the Mountain. We are an eight-person YRG (youth renewal group) , so not all of us were working on the deck all of the time. When we were driving back, I felt like I had made everyone pull my weight when I had not been. Shannon told us on the ride back that it was alright and that not all of of us could work on the deck at the same time, because the deck was too small for us to do it all together at one time. This made me feel better about what had happened during the day, and this is where I felt I saw God today.

I would like to thank the Fatih Partners for helping to fund this amazing trip and experience. I have learned that I love helping other people and that I want to do more of it. MUCH more of it.

Prayer For Wednesday:  O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son:  Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unites us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.