If we had a theme verse for the day, perhaps it would be James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (New International Version). Why you might ask? Well, today would be a day of testing how well and how many times we would be lifted up.
You see, the Sandy family has very little exposure to cold weather. I grew up near the beaches of Southern California where snow was almost always something you would go to visit. Chris grew up in California’s central valley, which, although closer to the mountains, also is not known for its extreme weather. Our children are true products of Arizona.
Imagine my reaction when I heard that yesterday’s ministry event was ice skating. — long pause, deep breath — The draw for the students – see how well a bunch of warm-landers can actually skate (if they could even stand) on the ice. I had visions of myself lying flat on the rink while our Czech friends circled around me. I am thankful to say, however, that my visions didn’t come true. There were no broken bones, concussions, or even sprained ankles.
This isn’t to say that we were great on skates. We certainly fulfilled our roles as Arizona stereotypes. We were slow, we were awkward, and we had our share of falls. Our gracious Czech hosts, however, were gentle and patient with us. At one point, Noah was surround by older boys, most of them skilled hockey players, all giving him encouragement and tips. Chris regularly had a stabilizing arm to hold on to, and I often had a welcome escort who would provide a helping hand when needed.
So why is this important? From my perspective it was a great time of bonding between the youth and the Sandy family. When we are at camp, we have come to teach and lead. But this event turned the tables. It provided a place for us to be the learners and for us to receive help.
After ice skating was a low-key time of fellowship back at the youth building. It is always a blessing to spend time with the youth, and the highlight of my day were some of the spiritual conversations that I had during that time.
Please pray for:
- Safe travels for those who will be coming here
- Final preparations for camp
- Health for the entire team (Czech and American)