My time as the St. Mark summer intern has been nothing short of an adventure. My first few weeks were spent in preparation for VBS, getting to know the youth group, and planning for the youth gathering. During our first few weeks of youth group we played card games, went to Volcano Falls, and spent a lot of time talking and getting to know one another. Then later in June, we jumped headfirst into Camp Firelight. I spent the week leading songs at opening and closing assembly, facilitating interactive learning for bible storytime, and helping out wherever I could. The highlight of my week was watching the children of St. Mark blossom through the course of the week. At the beginning, they were shy and unsure of VBS but, by the end of the week they were confident and excited for every new adventure awaiting them. It was a delight to see the campers come out of their shells.
Once VBS came to a close, it was an intense few weeks of final preparations for the gathering. Nevertheless, on the morning of July 16th it was time for our departure. We had four adults and eleven children between St. Mark and Grace Lutheran in our group. To say that this trip was perfect would be an overstatement. No trip is ever completely perfect, especially not one that takes us to Southern Louisiana in the middle of July. So yes, it was hot, sticky, and at times almost unbearable. Sometimes we would get hangry or things would be closed or canceled without warning. But, the inspirational and exciting parts far outweighed the difficult moments. First there was the city, full of music, art, and rich history. You couldn’t walk three blocks without seeing a gallery or a mural in most places. We had the opportunity to learn about New Orleans’ strength and growth on our Accompaniment Day. We attended the Flooded House Museum and learned about the green infrastructure they are implementing as they continue to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, twenty years later. And of course there was the food. Some of us ate their weight in beignets and our more adventurous individuals tried turtle soup and duck à l’orange. Although, one of the most impactful moments for many of us on this trip >was the speakers. Each night at the mass gathering at the Smoothie King Center with 16,000+ Lutherans, we saw speakers like Emily Harkins who spoke about the work her church does for homeless and substance abusers in her community. On the night when our theme was “Created To Be Free” we listened to Austin Channing-Brown speak about identifying what God’s work is and not who God’s work is so that everyone in God’s kingdom may be free. That same night we heard Keats Miles-Wallace speak about how God created us to be free to express ourselves and identify how we choose to. Lori Fuller reminded us that we are not a mistake and taught us to sign it in ASL as well. Sally Azar taught us that freedom is disruptive and that we must continue to disrupt the systems of injustice in the world. But, the most profound moments for me was with the youth. They were troopers through the whole week. In the rain and heat, sometimes walking ten miles a day, they persevered. And they did so with joy. They played Tesla tag, took turns spotting nice cars and motorcycles, raced Pastor Amanda through an inflatable obstacle course, dominated spikeball at the convention center, and played Uno in their downtime. I’m so proud and in awe of their spirit and determination through less than ideal circumstances. And, I’d like to think they all experienced their own moments of connection with God. I know I saw God, seeing our youth all standing and singing together arm in arm at worship.
Peace,
Em Johnson
Summer Intern
