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Sometimes you hear people express concern about the future of our country or the quality of the “next generation.”
If these people could have experienced what I did in July, they certainly wouldn’t be worried.
I had the opportunity to help chaperone a group of teens from Grace Lutheran Church who attended a National Youth Gathering in Detroit, Michigan.
It was a last-minute opportunity that ended up being the highlight of my summer.
Some might think it’s crazy to spend hours on a bus traveling to a city that is not exactly a major vacation destination to spend a week babysitting other people’s teenagers.
For me and the other chaperones, it was actually a blessing.
Our group included 43 teens and adult leaders, including a few friends from other local churches. A total of over 30,000 people attended this massive event.
I could write many columns about the experiences we shared. For the sake of space, I’ll focus on just the most meaningful aspect of a very rewarding week.
All participants at the youth gathering spend time doing service projects in the host city.
It was amazing to see thousands of young Lutherans in bright orange shirts doing service projects all over Detroit. We definitely stood out, to say the least.
Our group was assigned the task of cleaning up two blocks of abandoned houses in one of many troubled neighborhoods.
Our kids got right to work picking up trash, clearing debris, and cutting down weeds and overgrown trees.
Surprisingly, there were also some well-kept homes in between the abandoned and rundown properties.
As we worked, many of the residents of these still-lived-in homes began to come outside. Most of them were elderly and all were African American.
Surely they must have wondered, “Who are all these kids and why are they here?”
And then it happened. The highlight of my summer.
Some of our older youth, young adults themselves, went and greeted the curious neighbors. Soon many of our kids were sitting on porches visiting with the locals.
In the process, they learned firsthand how Detroit has changed and the challenges the residents face. They asked questions and heard stories.
The Luverne kids also told their stories. They talked proudly about how they had come all the way from a small town in Minnesota to help the people of Detroit.
They told the locals about our church, their school, their farms and their sports teams. This went on for at least two hours on three different porches.
Just imagine what the locals must have thought of our hard-working, friendly, well-spoken young people from rural Minnesota.
We went there to help clean up, and we did. In the end, however, I think our kids helped in a much more important way.
They shared their faith and, maybe most importantly, their optimism for the future with people who needed it the most.
So, the next time you are feeling discouraged about the future, spend some time interacting with local young people.
Or even better, volunteer to chaperone a youth mission trip at your church.
I guarantee it will be the highlight of your summer.