by Jenna
The past two summers have been the summers I’ll probably remember the most. My youth group has made the thousand mile trip to Tennessee to go on our yearly mission trip, Mountain T.O.P., the Tennessee Outreach Project. The first summer I was to be going, I was really leary about it. I had heard so many stories, that I didn’t really want to go because I didn’t want to have the same experiences as everyone else. But I was somehow convinced that going would change my life and make me a stronger Christian.
After the week at camp, working with people in the counties anywhere from cleaning up their yards, to painting their house, or destroying a deck for them, and spending the evenings with people from all over the country worshipping, eating, talking, and singing with them, my life had changed. All the problems in my life had gone away. Life was simple. The Saturday came that it was time to leave and make the trek down the mountain to home. Tears were in abundance and hugs were enjoyed by everyone. As we drove away from the camp on the mountain, I didn’t think I would ever experience something that incredible again.
These past few weeks have been weeks of reflection from my second year at Mountain TOP. I must say while my first year was incredible, my second was absolutely amazing. We arrived at a new camp with new people in a new county. The first day was spent talking about what was going to happen through the week, forming major groups, and forming youth renewal groups out of the major groups.
The rest of week we worked in the county, had community sharing and a worship service. Every service was meaningful and made you feel so close to God. But the last service meant the most to me of anything that happened through the week. On Friday night, everyone participates in Holy Communion and each person receives a fish hook that represents becoming a fisher of man for God. They gave us each the opportunity to go around the room and thank people who changed our life or made some kind of impact on us. After the service, I sat in the silent room lit only by candles to think about what had just happened. As I sat their and pinned my fish hook to my shirt, I felt like I was being called to youth ministry. I finally realized what God had planned for me, and how he wants me to live my life.
In the last few weeks, I’ve realized that I need God more in my life then I was letting him before Mountain TOP. I’ve discovered so many things about myself since that amazing week on the mountain.
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