Reflections from Caroline

The mission trip was a really enjoyable experience. The culture was so different from the one I am used to here in Roanoke. The people accepted us with open arms and never failed to share a smile. We as a group really helped this community. However, the best part of the week, even though the service was an amazing experience, was the youth group we went to. I remember walking in to loud, beautiful, soulful music. I felt so ‘stiff’ compared to the members of the local youth group, while we stood straight up by our chairs, the others were completely engrossed in the music. I remember looking over at one girl after I came in, she had her eyes closed and was singing her heart out to the music. Her arms never left the air during the entirety of the song. After the song the leader of the youth group said a prayer, and while I know I should have closed my eyes, I watched this girl because of the, I guess, ‘untraditionalness’ of her behavior. She wasn’t afraid to say what the prayer brought to her. After this prayer the leader, Kisha, greeted us. She then told us we came on the lucky night of the sex talk. Teenage pregnancy is an issue in this community along with pregnancy from rape, but Kisha explained how you can heal from this and be ‘whole’ in a sense for your future spouse. She also explained the difference between lust and love. I soon realized that this wasn’t a sex talk but a love talk. It was a talk of what love is and what love does. And then to end this experience they played this amazing song while Kisha prayed over the individual members of the youth group. The song was called Arms Wide Open by Misty Edwards and I invite everyone to go and listen to this and watch the video at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-QcBtMp9VI . This song brought me to tears, no song has ever done this but my favorite hymn before. And the images in this particular video just made the experience all the more real. While we went here to serve this youth group taught us more in that one night then we learn in a month at ours, no offense Elizabeth. And I will take from this one night more than the rest of the trip.