Becoming and Belonging

The three days that our team spent at camp were amazing, but also very stretching. I am not going to lie, the first day was very hard for our team. We began to realize even more how real the challenge of the language barrier was. It created frustration for our team. We wanted to communicate so badly with the YWAM staff and the campers. We were definitely pushed outside of our comfort zones. We felt like outsiders. Later that night there was a moment for us to break the ice at the fun dance party that took place. It seemed to work! After, our team began to feel more comfortable at camp and like we belonged. The second day, our sense of belonging had gone up! Praises be to God! During the sermon portion of the morning, one of the YWAM staff members spoke on how we need to know, understand, and accept God’s love. He also spoke about how God has a heart for the lost, and that we as believers, should share God’s heart for the lost. At the end of the sermon the campers who wanted to devote their lives to Christ, had the opportunity to publicly make that commitment. It was a magical moment! We could feel the celebration that was happening in Heaven at that moment! Then during the night sermon, 3 YWAM staff members and our very own, Cassidy, shared with the campers about how they laid their pain at Jesus’ feet. Then as a response, the campers were able to write down the pain that they were feeling on a piece of paper and set it on fire, symbolizing the letting go of pain and giving it to God. Afterwards, we and the YWAM staff had the opportunity to pray over the campers... another magical moment during camp! The last day of camp was incredible! Our team really felt like a part of the community that had been cultivating over the last few days! What a blessing! God also blessed us in the sense that it rained all Saturday morning... like from 3:30 in the morning to 11:00 in the morning. The rain woke up our team in the middle of the night (3:30) and caused a bit of sleep deprivation because of a wet and smelly yurt we found ourselves sleeping in. Yet, it was still a blessing, because Bayankhongor does not receive much rain at all. In the last sermon time of camp, the campers were able to share what God had been doing in their lives over the last two days! A truly blessed time! God is so good!

Love always,

Tiffany