SERVE 2013 - Day 5 - Worship, Bowling, and Water Fights : )

SERVE 2013 - Day 5

Worship, Bowling, and Water Fights

It's Tuesday evening.  10:35 pm.  

We just came out of our mentor evening time together.  A time to share our highlights of our day, and maybe a low time or two as well. Lots of laughter for sure, and some sad moments too. 

I'll start off by saying that SERVE is such a privilege to be able to manage.  The privilege comes in seeing our participants shine as they show us their unique nature.  We have come to see many amazing things in them.  Things we did not see at the beginning of our time together.  Many were mentioned tonight in our mentor session, and during our worship session time. 

I'm blessed also because I get to work with the most amazing young people each year.  Way too often people don't give youth the credit they deserve.  When asked to step up to a task, 99.9 % of the time they will.  That has been true again of our SERVE. 

The mentors are on call 24/7 and they do an amazing job.  Not everyone can be a mentor.  We've seen that.  So cudo's to ALL of you. 

I'm blessed because I get to work with an AMAZING set of volunteers that help make this SERVE what it is.  From kitchen crew to baking cookies, to driving, to taking pictures and video.....amazing stuff. 

I'm blessed because I get to listen to the most amazing worship times this week.  Hannah and crew are just amazing.  I'd hire them for a worship conference any time.  Keep it up. 

I'm blessed because I've gotten to know Mark this week.  A gentle soul, yet very mischievous as well. A man who can find a kernel of good in everyone, and very quickly, I might add.  A man of wisdom and someone who has the heart of God.  

I'm blessed because I get to watch all of this happen, each and every day......and it fills my soul with joy, pride, and love for God's community of believers.  We have witnessed the body of Christ in action in so many special ways again.  If I could do this several times a year, I'd do it.  

Well, enough of my pontificating.  Time to get on with the day's events.  A routine has once again begun to set in. Get up, have breakfast, go to work sites, have lunch, small group, large group activity, showers, dinner, worship, activity/craft.  

Mornings are great for some, and not for others.  Shawn looks like he needs a cup of coffee. : ) 

Nick is back in the kitchen again this morning.  
This time he's making bacon.  

Margaret is on egg duty.  

Annette started us off again with devotions. 
She's doing such a great job, and she was even on time this morning.  : ) 

This morning's devotion involved a mirror and Alex seemed to enjoy the gift. 

The breakfast of champions.
Bacon (quite salty for some reason) and scrambled eggs and toast and jam.  Scrumptious.  

After breakfast is was off to work sites....but one work site happens in the basement of the church. 
Making cookies and then bringing them to a seniors home.  Not for everyone, but this group loved doing this today.  

Lucy is loving it.  

Tyler went to "The Mission" today.  He loved it.  

The group helped serve the lunch meal.  
They did an awesome job, I'm told.  

Rey took a group to the Ottawa Food Bank. 
They sorted strawberries today.  

Shawn did an amazing job of sorting the baskets and putting the empty one's away.  

Sure you can lift that Fayth...bahahahah.  : ) 
Remember...lift from the knees. 

A group went to 220 Viewmount and are enjoying some time outside.  

Zachary and Jessica have become good friends this week.  

At Extendicare getting some of the residents (I spelled that correctly this time) ready for visits.  

Zachary and Rachel discussing something. 

Alex and Chris.....hamming it up.  

Alex posing as a great model for the camera.  

Niesje and John.  
They have had such a great week together so far.  

The gang.  

A group also went to the Bible's for Mission store.  In addition to working there, Sarah scoped out some great deals today.  Double great day, eh Sarah!  : ) 

Joy and Francine getting ready to work.  

Hmmmm, Jordana doesn't look too happy with her work today.  But she did a great job.  

After work sites, some of the mentors check out the blog entries of the past days.....pointing out my errors....sigh.....
Seems like my editor isn't going to get paid that much for her efforts. Bahahaha......

Throughout the week, people have been getting packages from prayer partners.  Alex is quite happy with his PEZ.  

A random of act of kindness from Carissa to Joy.  

Our talent show sign up sheet is beginning to fill up.  
I hear we are going to have some great talent tomorrow night.  

Hmmmmm.
I'm noticing a pattern here. 
Each day a creepy picture of Jonathan...I wonder what it will be tomorrow......
I'm going to have nightmares tonight.  

Natasha has been involved in our SERVE's in the past.  She has led worship and this week she is helping out with video.  She's doing very well.  Thanks, Natasha, for this important work.  I found out that soon she will be leaving for B.C. to begin a calling as a youth pastor.  Neat...another person doing work what is the best in the world.  Blessings to you, Natasha. 

Ryan having a look at one of his gifts of the day...I think.  

Chris getting ready for small group time.  

Becca just resting.  
She has that deer in the headlights look.  

After lunch it was time for small groups. 
Rachael and John going over the day's activity.  

I don't think Alex is always paying attention to what he's supposed to do.  The glow stick is way too much fun.  : ) 

Brother helping sister...a touching moment.  

Steven.....you need to put the glow stick on your wrist.......

After small groups it was time for one of the highlights of the week....glow in the dark bowling.  

Steven and John set up the names for their team.  

Deshawn has great form.  

I don't think that's how you are supposed to bowl Lucy.  : ) 

Valerie getting coached by Tyler.  

Jessica bowling her own way.  

Look Mark...I got a strike...isn't that cool.  
Now you need to know that I didn't bowl that well today...got an 87....but I know I'm not a great bowler. 
Mark on the other hand, thinks he's a pretty good bowler.   After scoping out his team, he thought he could win handily.    Boy was he disappointed.  

He beat me, but he only got 93.  
He was quite upset by this...a side of him I haven't seen yet, and funny as well.  

Rosalie won on her team, though she says this was VERY unusual for her.  Usually she gets more like my and Mark's score....which made Mark even more upset.  :) 

We need to work on your form, Nicolette.  

Lucy is contemplating why she's not playing so well....and it seems that sitting on the ball return also damages it....  :)  Zach is getting ready to bowl.  

Joanna didn't do too bad today. 
She's not been feeling well the past couple of days, so it was nice to see her perking up.  

John has his own style of bowling.  

I found that it was hard to just get the ball down the lane today.  Very stiff.....

Kyle is an expert bowler.  Hitting the pins hard and getting several strikes.  

Larry is not a very great bowler either.  :) 

Shawn got a strike on his very first throw.
Way to go Shawn.....Mark wasn't happy about THAT either...bahahahaha.  

After the game, time to enjoy some of the arcade games.  Shawn loved it.  

A chance for Shawn to test out his driving skills. 

After bowling it was time for showers and then supper.  Tuesday is hamburger and hotdog day, and for some reason the assumption is that Harold and I will do the BBQ-ing.....it was assumed again this year. 

Oh, and that's me not knowing what to do with all the smoke in my eyes.  I was crying for most of the 
BBQ-ing time.  

It was 35 Celsius without the BBQ's. 
More like 45 Celsius BBQ-ing.  
I needed another shower....sigh.  

Ben enjoying our hamburgers.  

After supper it was worship time.  
Another time of praise to God. 
Mark mentioned that one of his lows for the day was that there wasn't enough worship time. 
He just wanted to continue worshiping for the whole hour....I couldn't disagree with him...hmmmm
maybe we'll have to find a way to extend that time.....hmmmmm

Today we changed things up a bit and met in the fellowship hall for our talk time.  

Mark began this time by sharing with everyone what we do in our evening mentor times.  We talk about our participants and our high points with them.  He then stated that each person needed to pick someone in the room and say something that they liked about them, throwing a string to them after they talked about them.  Here is Mark starting things off.

Francine with the string, ready to say something about someone.  

In the end, we saw a great web of string and we saw how all of us are connected to each other as the body of Christ.  The cross was in the middle and it was a great sight to see.  

The mentors and participants were in the inner circle, and the rest of us were in the outer circle watching. Apparently watching was very powerful for some in attendance.  Neat.  

A nice picture of the group.  

After our time in the fellowship hall, we closed out our session with more worship.  

Jonathan did an awesome job on the electric guitar.  

We ended our day with a craft time, and activity time, which involved water sports. Shawn and Justin waiting for things to begin.   

Here are some of the water balloons for the water games.   
A great idea, seeing it was very warm outside.  Joy and Megan weren't sure how many people, if any, would want to do water sports.....
They should have never worried. 

I thinks that's Steven trying to catch a water balloon.  

Joy and Steven trying not to break the water balloon as they walk.  

Fayth getting into things.  

It's OK Chris...It's just water.  

Ben getting Jessica wet...though I don't think she wanted to get wet.  

There was also a craft going on in the basement of the church.  Jordana is waiting for that to begin.  

John liked all the glass ornaments that were going to be used.  

Sarah working on her craft.  
She's doing such a great job this year as a mentor. I'm very proud of you Sarah. FYI

There was a chance to have your face drawn in silhouette.  Here's Amy drawing Jordana's face.     

After the official water games concluded, the unofficial water fight began.  Chris turned on the outside tap and everyone who wanted to got into a great water fight.  I stayed out of it for a bit, but knew I'd be dragged in eventually, and really, I smelled like a giant BBQ, so I wanted to get washed up.  What better way than to do that while soaking people like Joanna.  : ) 

It was SOOOO much fun.  Right Jessica and Ben?  

A nice evening picture of Chris.  Nice shot, Ailene.  
A bit of calm in the frenzied water fight.  

Deshawn came out and we weren't sure if he wanted to get wet or not....he was holding a bucket of water, but you want to make sure someone wants to get involved, for fear of making them mad [which did happen in one instance....].  Well, Deshawn let us know he was OK by simply pouring the first set of water all over himself.  After that he was a target.  

Ben getting some of the girls wet.  Alex wanted to stay dry, and I THINK he managed that.  

A great shot of Ben and Joy getting sprayed.  

I like to fill my water bucket as full as possible and then simply whip the water out of the bucket as fast as possible.  A much better effect.

Ben seems to have had enough of getting wet and is on the hunt for a victim.  

Lisa took to a different kind of water sport.  Blowing bubbles.  

All friends after the water fight...even Niesje who came in right at the end.  

A moment with Chris and Alex.  

And so ends day 5 of SERVE. 
A tonne of fun. 
Lots of great moments of fun, and touching moments as well.  You'll hear about them from your sons and daughters when they come home, and for the rest of you, well, sorry but I don't have the energy to mention them all here.  

Until tomorrow. 
I leave you with another gift from Chris for your enjoyment.