Working with Youth

So I am over a month here in Hilo and I still have had very little time with youth. Not my favoritie thing to report. However I feel that things are starting to work. Last night I went to a bar called Shooters to watch one of the youth play in his band.

It reminded me that I did not miss high school. Seeing all the girls walk around in their slutiest clothes with the slutiest walk they could muster was interesting/scary. I was also the only one that I could see that was there for the show that was older. I was sporting my over 21 wrist band while all the others ran around being high school students. It was intersting. Again I do not miss high school. But it did give me the opportunity to hang out with Kenson, who by the way can shred on his guitar. It was awesome. They also played a lot of punk/screamo songs from when I was in early high school so that made me laugh. I knew all the words and I could tell that all the kids around really didn't know the songs. It was a unique opportunity for me to hang out with the youth at my church. It was good.

I am in Hilo trying to start a youth program because they haven't had anything really organized in a very long time and the kids don't really make an effort to go to things I plan. The nice sandy beaches everyone thinks about in Hawaii are not in Hilo, we have to go to the other side of the island to get that, so I planned a beach day for Saturday. I invited the new youth pastor at the other Nazarene church in the area. He brought only one student and I had two. We were both hoping for more, but we had a great time.

I have realized these things start slow, so I must be patient. As hard as that is for me I am looking forward to it. I know that God can do amazing things and if I can be used for that purpose then I am more than happy to wait. Keep me in your prayers along with Hilo church of the Nazarene.