Homecoming

Right about now, my son and his youth group should be hitting the Michigan border on their way home from Oklahoma.    I'm just waiting for their impending arrival in the wee hours of the morning.   They should be here by 1 am.

The group had a rough time getting to Oklahoma -- the new bus blew a tire, and then blew the spare.    They spent the night in a hotel waiting to buy new tires in the morning. :-)   The kids were thankful for the night's rest before arriving at the Christ In Youth (CIY) event at Oral Roberts University.

They worked on a service project as well while they were there.   I can't wait to hear about it.   Ryan had his phone confiscated -- all the students did -- except for about an hour a day.   This was to keep them focused on the conference -- a great idea!   My son is way too obsessed with that device.

CIY is an event that challenges High School Students to service -- to do good work in the world -- on a global scale.   In previous years, the students raised funds to buy wells in Africa for poor communities, to build schools and churches in India, and to pay for students to go to Bible college to become preachers there.   They've also collected coats and mittens for missions, fed folks at the homeless shelter.    It's a good experience, because it teaches them that people need love, near and far, and they need people to offer it without strings -- without expectations.

In a couple hours, we'll learn Ryan's challenge for the coming year.  We'll learn what he learned, and how he's changed.

No matter how his week went, or what challenge he faces, I'll still have my son home.   I'm looking forward to meeting him again.

Stuff Ryan Likes