I am in a nation full of morning people. Even the teens are early risers.
At MOH's youth retreat this past week, I was constantly shocked by the energy of the campers. By 5:20 in the morning, most of the teens were already up, screaming as they rushed to the lake to bathe. By 6, the worship band was in full swing, and within ten minutes, all 200 teenagers were dancing to the beat of the “Vision Vibration” praise team.
And that was just the morning devotions.
The four-day retreat, sponsore by First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, PA was one, high energy whirlwind of games by the lake, teaching, small groups, and “life skills” sessions. The camp gave 20-30 secondary school students from each of the centers to meet one another, listen to teaching from the Bethlehem group and from MOH staff, and hear from peers who had experienced similar challenges. And while many parts of the camp reminded me of youth retreats back home, there were some noticeable differences.
Worship, for instance, was never just mere repititon of words. It was a reggae dance party, an experience that was as much physical as it was spiritual. (see video below)
Small group discussions centered on issues like and "what to do when people come after you with a mpando knife ( a machete) when they find out you are a Christian,"and "should I still go to church even when my dad won't let me."
Despite the differences in worship style and faith challenges, it was encouraging to watch teenagers from both Malawi and the US connect with each other across. And while none of us were able to master the dance techniques below, it was humbling to just take part.
