They are the Generation

I am currently in a place called Silemat in Northeast India. That piece of India that you wouldn’t even know is India when looking at a map.

I’m here with my squad and it has been a busy first week here with them. First we had Parent Vision Trip which is an awesome opportunity for parents to come out to the field and spend a few days with their racer. They get a chance to see what their racer has been up to and what in the world the race is all about. They learn about the culture we have here of feedback and community and living life on mission. They get to go out and do ministry with their kids. It was an incredible week and the parents got a glimpse of the growth in their racer. The growth of how they have deep intimacy with the Lord that they didn’t have 8 months ago. The growth that their kids first language is no longer passive aggressiveness but is clear communication. They see that their kids are people who stop to talk to strangers and who can entertain a room of preschoolers for hours on end without any hesitation.

I loved getting to meet some of the parents of Gap L and have conversations with them about how much of an honor it has been to lead their children this year.

For the last 2 days we did what we call Leadership Development Weekend (LDW). This is where we get together as a whole squad and the squad takes ownership of the weekend. They do devos, lead worship, have prayer rooms and have breakout sessions.

I’ve had a lot of tears this week because since being on the field I have come to the realization that this squad no longer needs leadership. Sure, they still seek us out for wisdom and encouragement but they are doing this thing on their own. They are living out of a place of knowing that they are deeply loved by the Lord. So the tears are happy and proud ones at remembering who these humans were when they stepped on the plane in America to fly to Romania for month 1. Proud that they are people who carry wisdom and who have a deep intimacy with the Lord and they have things to say. They are people who can lead their lives without someone telling them how to do it because they now have their own convictions and can hear the Holy Spirit as well as anyone.

A lot of people say 18-21 year olds are jus “kids”. They say they need to sit down and be quiet.

I say this group are people who are going to change the world. They are people who aren’t going to change it with words but with love. They are going to change it because they know who they are. This group of 18-21 year olds is coming back to the States in 2 months and they are coming back with a purpose that is bigger than themselves led by Jesus.

This generation is what the world needs.