This last weekend, Ignite helped run a youth event called Spree. Spree is an event set for 8-15 year olds and it's basically a weekend summer camp for youth groups with kids church sessions throughout. But this place had some awesome things for the kids to do in their free time; things like bouncy houses, bouncy slides, trampolines, swimming pools, as well as a rock climbing wall! I was wishing I could be one of the kids for the weekend.
I knew I was in charge of helping with games for our sessions but due to complications with a co-worker being out of the country and different things going on, I didn't understand that we were meant to be hosting these sessions. So it was only after we arrived and I'd asked my boss what I would be expected to do, did I find out.
Now, if you know me at all, you will have noticed that I'm not the super energetic type. I'm not especially good at getting teens to do anything they don't really want to do. But here I found myself up in front of about 50 teenagers trying to psych them up for the next game or session or whatever. Thankfully, God was moving during worship, so I didn't need to be all uppity but rather I could be my more genuine self and just pray and praise God. I felt much more comfortable doing that and bringing the kids with me in worship than trying to get them to respond to jokes and things.
At one point near the end of a session, we had a time of response with the worship team playing. I was asked to sing a part on the last song, so while I was up there, the kids were released but welcomed to stay if they wanted to. Well, with all the cool toys and things outside, none of the kids stayed for more than 5 minutes. But the worship kept going. The musicians kept playing and I kept singing and we all just stayed in that place of worship for another 20 minutes or more after the kids had all left. The Spirit was moving and we didn't want to miss any of it. It was amazing having that time of just praising and worshiping, even when we didn't have an audience (per say) to play to. We were playing for God.
I loved singing with the band and just worshiping. There was no need to try and impress anyone. Plus these musicians were fantastic #bencharles. It was so nice to actually sing with a band who was so together and they take their music seriously. So good.
Later (or earlier. I don't remember clearly), I was helping out by watching one of the bouncy houses, and I had a number of kids come and join me on it. They would jump for a while, but when they got bored, they'd come and sit with me and talk with me. They'd want to show me their tricks they can do and tell me their stories, etc. It was so nice to just have that time with kids again. While I do get to work with the kids in Tremorfa, they're not usually up for talking that much.
One of the boys sat down beside me and half whispered "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I'm actually a secret agent. I work for a secret agency and we stop bad guys."
He then went on to tell me this fantastic story about the villain from "Bolt" who had a space station above us and there was some mention of an evil plot happening when there's a full moon. He told me that Doctor Who went up there with Bolt to stop the bad guy, but they were captured! "It's time to call on the Thunderbirds for help!" he shouted. He then turned the entire bouncy house into a spaceship and we all went up with the Thunderbirds, me, his sister (who was about 5) and him.
It might sound ridiculous, but I love these stories, where the kids are using their imaginations! Sadly, that's becoming a lost art among kids these days, so I was more than happy to play along.
I loved hanging out and playing pretend with kids again. It's been a while since I've done that and it felt good to be with kids who weren't concerned with looking cool.
All in all, it was a good and exhausting weekend. Plus, about 15 kids gave their lives to the Lord this weekend! Praise God!
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