Today was the day everyone fought being tired. Starting with the Project Blue 5k run in the morning after an especially long night created an experience for everyone, even if we all didn’t run or walk in the morning. If you’d like to pretend you came along the 5k imagine something like this:
600 people lined up at the bottom of a hill, the race begins and the cheers surround us, the signs on the side of the road telling water right facts start, and you must make it up the hills. the race isn’t about winning or even the course, but the cause. Your running (or walking) for the cause of bringing clean water to those in India.
The day was about more than just the 5k or being tired. In our base came of the day we were taught to supply our bodies with the right “ingredients,” water for thirst, food for hunger. Our thirst goes deeper than for the strength to make i through the day and literal thirst, our true thirst is for God. The only way to quench our thirsty souls is through Jesus. Just some words from a great speaker named Hector for you there. We were also challenged to help others to the water source, simply by saying, “Here I am, send me.”
The next place God sent us to was a Project Blue water walk. (Don’t worry I’m not mentioning the run again.) In groups of five or six we carrie a jerry jug filled with water, about 40 pounds, to scenario problem stations outside, and the only rule was to not set the jug down. Each group carried a jug with a different country/story, such as Ethiopia or Honduras. Together we carried the jug for about 20 minutes, not even long enough for someone in one of those countries to get water, and we have water in almost all the rooms of our houses. The walk literally allowed us to walk in their shoes and get just a taste of their experiences. Eyes became open to the issue, just how much not having water affects everyday life. Every $1 that goes towards sanitation increases opportunity by $4. Just another reason the work God is doing through Project Blue will make such a large impact.
During the “in between time” the hub finally had the tie dye shirt station, another talent show came and went, tournaments flooded the field, and we experienced a taste of heaven through food. (Of course you must know that we’ve experienced heaven on earth every night worshiping with 6,000 followers of Christ, make sure to ask us students about that.)
After all this you must think I’ve forgotten about mainstage, but there was such an awesome speaker I wouldn’t forget. Eugene Cho spoke about living the mission lifestyle that God has called all of His followers to. Simply “how can I be a part of what God is already doing?” Through the process of doing God’s mission and following Him through Samaria we must care. There is so much more to share, but I’ll let you ask the chicsters for more. Hopefully you watched mainstage to get the full experience of Cho’s honest and captivating message; of course we can’t forget Moriah Peters who lead worship powerfully with inspirational messages.
God is lead us to our shifts for sure!
Becky Mitchell
Revive Student Leader
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