August 20th no. 2

Getting up early this morning was the hardest it's been yet. It is absolutely freezing in Johannesburg. We discovered that if you put water in the coffee maker in the room and just let it boil (replenishing the water when it runs out) after an hour of so the room gets a tiny bit warmer. This is pretty miserable.

I had to walk to the back of the conference room this morning during our first plenary because I was having trouble staying awake—not at ALL because the plenaries were boring though. Read my other August 20th blog. I knew in the back of the room I could stand up if I needed to and that was helpful. I relocated next to Haemin who always sits in the back.

I attended a Discovery Session on Reaching Youth in a Post-Modern Age. It was given by a woman from Durbin. She spoke much to the South African context so it wasn't helpful in equiping me per se but it did let me see how youth ministry is in Africa. Where in America our concerns with youth are sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll, in Africa it's sex—because of AIDS; it's crime—because often it is a learned way of life; and survival in a child-headed-house. Wow, right!? It was a good session.

We ate lunch and and headed back to the guest house for a little free time. I blogged a little during free time today. We are so, so, so tired. I fell asleep for about an hour. I'm really grateful for that time.

We headed back to the conference center around 4:30 for our Wesley Group time. Wesley Groups are like small groups. We have guided discussion in an attempt to better know each other. Today we shared our faith/call stories. It was really helpful to hear these miraculous stories! Some people have seen a light and heard the actual voice of God! Some were dead and raised again! So, so many tell stories of losing children and through that coming to faith. My story seemed so mediocre in the midst. But it wasn't. It was accepted. I am a young person. I have not lived as much life but I realized today that I indeed HAVE lived a life and that my story does not fall on deaf ears. Someone, someone out there, 'needs' your story. I was reminded that today and reminded all the many times God's grace has been right there. Wow. It was so affirming. My new friends from all over the world were so affirming—District Superintendents, Bishops, Conference Secretaries, Pastors, all of them.

We ate dinner. I ate heartily. We're fasting in the way of John Wesley tomorrow. If the last week is to tell me anything it is that I will be hungry at 6:30 when we wake up. Tomorrow is to be a very, very long day. But, also, if the last week is to tell me anything, it is that tomorrow will be wonderful too.