better term, because after being here almost 2 years on staff, so many people come and go and it becomes a fact of life. It really is hard on the emotions to get to know people deeply and to pour into their lives, just to have them leave a few months later. Sometimes it just seems like it would be easier to numb down the emotions so it doesn't hurt so much to have people constantly torn from my life. I know that is not the perspective or attitude the Lord wants me to have however, so I am going to try to walk out in the opposite spirit!!!The student's first week here is full of exciting surprises that are truly packed with significant purpose; not merely for the enjoyable shock value for us as staff to witness! We begin this amazing journey for the students with, well - Opening Night as we call it. This year we set it up a bit differently in an attempt to help the students get better acquainted with how all of our departments are set up and so they can get to know the people in these deparments quicker! :) It had a coffee house theme to it and the students would rotate from table to table and talk for several minutes before moving on to the next. Other events of the evening included the traditional Hawaiian welcome where we presented each student with a lei and our base director and school directors spoke to the students about the program that are entering into. We ended the evening with an amazing time of worship altogether as this new, larger family! Then the students were promptly informed that they will be heading off onto an Exodus of their own early the next morning. They are provided with a very short packing list and were told they were leaving at 6 a.m. - other than that, they are not sure what journey marks their paths ahead.
For those of you who have not heard my own personal stories about Exodus, to sum it up - they spend time away camping in the wilderness of Maui, eating Ramen noodles and Oatmeal, away from shower facilities where they end up getting really smelly and dirty. You may be wondering - What on earth is the purpose behind this? While it may just sound like a terrible form of
hazing, let me assure you that this is just one of the most crucial and beneficial parts of our program. The students come here generally quite nervous, not knowing anyone or really what to expect. This Exodus has proven time after time to accelerate the process of breaking down walls, opening up hearts and building up amazing friendships very quickly. As they are away from all the comforts that this world offers us, they have an opportunity to share their testimonies with each other, worship together and really get to know each other from the start. Once we see the students at our Love feast, they already seem like totally different people who are now excited and anxious to see what the Lord has in store for their lives during this time!So I mentioned the term Love feast above; this is such a fun event! All of the staff spend most of the day prepping for this by decorating, setting up, tearing down and cooking a delicious feast for these students to enjoy after consuming only ramen and oatmeal! How this goes down is the students "stop" at a church en route to their next camping spot to use the restrooms, only to be surprised by all of the staff jumping out and cheering for them, leading them to the amazing set up we had prepared for them! We quickly cut right to the chase and allow them to start digging in to this meal that they cannot wait for! Afterwards, the staff is dismissed and our Base Director shares a short message on foot washing and then we file in, finding the students/new staff/mission builders that we have spent time praying for; getting an encouraging word for. We wash their very dirty feet (as you can see from the picture!) and then we spend time praying over them. It is such a special time and for those who have never experienced this before, they are generally very moved by this act of love and humility.
We had a great time of worship afterwards. I personally was very moved because I realized that it has been over 3 years ago already that I decided to come out here and go through the D-
School. I was one of those students who really didn't know why they were here, but I knew that I wanted a change in my life. I could do nothing else but thank the Lord for how far He has brought me and for all of the many blessings He has abundantly gifted me with. I feel like I really don't know the person that I used to be, I currently feel such amazing joy and freedom in my life and it is the Lord who receives ALL of the glory for this victory! Ahhh. I can't even explain the magnitude of grace He has extended to me in my life, He is so good. I can confidently say that I will never go back to who I was before, I have been transformed and I have come to know the Lord in a very real and personal relationship - what I was lacking before!May this be a year where we all experience more of this personal intimacy with Christ! :)
"If we have been united with him like this in this death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucifed with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." - Romans 6:5-7
