The last days of the mission trip are a cascade of upset stomachs, foot injuries, and headaches. Oh, and homesickness.
These things are not in the leader’s plans, so they can be met with annoyance rather than compassion. But these youth have worked HARD for four days now, slept precious little–and that on a linoleum floor–, and subsisted mostly on peanut butter and cold cereal. That makes people sick.
For sure, being teenagers, they’re mostly not helping themselves in the way they’re devouring any snack food in sight and pounding sodas before bedtime. “I told you so” isn’t helpful though.
Grace needs to abound from leaders to youth on these last days of the mission trip. Because on that occasion when the youth leader is suffering or sick, who do you think will show them Grace and compassion.
In my experience, it’s the youth.
YoRocko! 