MA: Week One

Week one of MA was refreshing. A youth group from Vegas and a youth group from New Jersey came together, formed a team of 32 and took to the streets of Vegas. With so many exciting stories, and a personal lack of blogging, I figured the best way to recap the week would be through photos!

Two staff members and I kicked off the week with a camping trip. Four significant things about this trip: grass, trees, stars, and cold air. 

First night with the MA teams we went to Sunrise Mountain which overlooks Vegas to pray for the seven spheres of society. Idea of the night is to introduce the groups to the reality of Vegas, both positive and negatives, and began to give them a heart for the city God loves.

My incredible small group for the week!

Wordless Sign outreach: Groups of three or four MA missionaries paint a sign to attract tourists' attention on the Strip and through their photo are able to share the Gospel. This particular sign was illustrating the love of God unbinding us from sin.

During wordless sign, these two boys were able to pray for a homeless man. This was both of their first times praying for a stranger. They both admitted to being nervous, but came away smiling, excited for their next chance to pray for a stranger.

Cross walk outreach is one of the tougher outreaches because the cross automatically strikes emotion inside of people, especially a large wooden cross being carried down the Las Vegas Strip by teenagers. 

Groups typically go out nervous, receive many harsh comments and foul language thrown their way, and somehow always walk away with crazy stories of God encounters with strangers. 

I was able to talk to a man who was very perturbed by the cross walk outreach. He was mad we were doing this, telling me Christ died on the cross, we are all sinners, religion divides people, and we do not need to do this. His theology began well, talking about the freedom in Christ, then he began mentioning aliens, hot spots over cities, the true reason for space shuttle explosions, California falling into the ocean and a world inside of our world. He suggested I stop believing all the lies government tells me through public education and watch the YouTube....

My personal favorite outreach of the week was partnering with Foster Connect and babysitting for different Foster Care families in Vegas. The family my small group babysat for was able to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary without their five children, something they said they would not have been able to do if Foster Connect had not arranged a date night for them. I left with so much love after snuggling with these girls!

Other outreaches included video surveys, homeless sack lunches, trash pick up, free prayer and 2x2 where groups of two are sent out to proclaim the Good News just as Jesus sent out His disciples.

We ended the week with another camping outing, this time 14 of us. 

Me, Hannah and Vacheral, all three returning from the Best DTS Ever to staff YWAM Las Vegas. Oh the places we have gone and the mountains we have climbed together! 

Camp site of the night. No tents needed.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."John 16:33