From Jesse Duckett

Hello friends and family back home. Things out here (up here) are going very well. It’s hard to try and come up with the right words to describe the shared and individual experiences that have happened up to this point.

I’ll start by saying that I am having a blast. Watching these students dive head first into serving others, above themselves, has been simply amazing to see. There are quite a few students who have taken on roles way past their age. Abby Evans, for example with her story telling abilities (those who have not experienced this are truly missing something amazing). There is Alycia Gentry, who is the lead voice of the whole VBS program. She has to think on her toes a lot and she does it well. Then there’s Michael Bunker who has stepped way out of his comfort zone to dance for the children so that they could learn the motions to the songs. There is Sami Paul and Katie Norton who have shared the role of the outgoing, fun loving character who pops in and out of the day and shares what she’s learning all the way to accepting Christ. The energy they bring is … um…well, it’s energetic!! It’s really fun to see. Of course, I have to mention Sara Paul who I saw disregard the “wordly” view of beauty and show some serious Jesus love to some of the kids who would otherwise be outcasts because of their odors, skin diseases, or other conditions that make them “not attractive”. Now, she wasn’t the only one to display this love to the children, they all got the opportunity to love the “unlovely”, just like Jesus did, and still does :)

There are also plenty of great stories that are still developing or will be retreat classics. Like; Bunker’s sleep talking and midnight walks, the EXTREMELY cramped female living quarters, whale watching (OH MY GOODNESS!! How amazing!), the countless heart to hearts that have gone on since day one, the cross culture get togethers with the youth group in Tofino, the motorcycle crash, Canada Day, impromptu worship songs around the piano, and so much more.

Those of you who have children on this trip REALLY need to be proud of them. They have begun to take the steps to learn that this life isn’t about serving themselves, but that life is impossible and worthless without Christ. It’s only when we’re dead tired and sore, with days of ministry and LOTS of kids to love, that we realize that true strength and the power to love others comes directly from Christ Himself. Relying on Tim, the leaders, their friends, or even themselves for the ability to press on for Christ will all be in vein. Your children have grown so much.

I am so proud and blessed to be a part of this team.

Thank you for your continued prayers. I am excited to see how Christ will continue to use your kids through the experiences over the past few weeks. Please continue to pray that the experiences found here in Tofino would not be forgotten or drowned out by the reality that awaits their return.

See you soon,
Jesse