In a little under 24 hours, I will be embarking on a rather large endeavor. I, along with 85 other teens and adults, will squish into 10 large vans, and make the drive down to Harlan, Kentucky, for a nine-day service trip. It is our Capuchin Appalachian Mission, and it's the biggest (and final) event of the year. We've been preparing for it for months now, and at this point, I just want to GO! I'm sitting here on my last office day, with an hour left, listening to the rain downpour outside, and I'm just anxiously awaiting tomorrow morning where we will pack up the vans and leave. It's something that we've all been looking forward to (albeit anxiously) for a long time, now.
My specific ministry down in Harlan is outreach. I, along with our resident priest, work with a group of ten or so other teenagers, and we go from neighborhood to neighborhood, passing out clothing, school supplies, and children's books to individuals and families in need. I did outreach once in high school on this exact same trip, and it's an experience that has stuck with me for years. As a natural introvert, I struggle with making conversation and getting over my fear of not being relateable to the people we meet. But, I just need to place the whole experience in God's hands and let Him work through me. I've been doing that this whole year, especially when I've lacked confidence in my own abilities. I'm anxious about all the details that need to be taken care of once we're down there, but I know that the priest with whom I am working is competent and has been doing this trip for a long time, so I really don't need to worry.
This is our last event at Capuchin Youth and Family Ministries. Four days after we get home from the mission trip, we have our Send-Off, which is an even prayer service and reception dedicated to thanking the volunteers for the work they did. It's always a beautiful service and a lot of people show up to see us off, but it's so strange that we're already at that point in the year. We've been having so many conversations lately about closure, and praying our goodbyes (an excellent book!), and learning how to transition out of this experience and into the next one, and it be honest, there's too much in my head right now to have any clarity about it all. Maybe in a month from now, when I'm home and enjoying a few weeks of summer vacation, I'll be able to process the year a little better. When I think about this entire year, it blows my mind that we made it through. I'm proud of the work we did, and I'm grateful for the many, many opportunities for growth that I have experienced.
So, now, I need to stay present and attentive to this one, last experience. It's our biggest one, and it's going to take the most energy. But I'm ready for it. We're going out with a bang, and it only seems fitting because youth ministry is always a little chaotic!
Whoever reads this, I ask you for your prayers. Pray for traveling mercies as we drive down to Kentucky, as well as to and from our work sites every day. Pray that the community we foster will be uplifting and affirming and light-giving, both to the teens and to ourselves. Pray that God works through us to share His light and His love to the people of Harlan, and pray that we may be bold enough to love them, even when it's uncomfortable or difficult to do so. Just pray! :-)
See you on the other side! Peace.
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