Jacob Goertz's reflections

15 Passionate Youth: An !Explore Experience

by Jacob Goertz

As 15 high school juniors and seniors, that do not know one another, gather together, it is hard to know what will happen. It is hard to indicate precisely how each one of these 15 will relate with one another. Will they even get along? Will they have anything to talk about, to discuss?

Those were the questions that were flooding my mind as I flew on a plane to Indiana, not knowing what was going to happen in this "!Explore Program." Would these 15 kids accept me for who I am?

As we traveled to Mirror Valley, in Michigan, and got settled in there, I began to realize the answers to those questions. I began to realize that God, through his ultimate power and grace, brought me together with 15 of the most amazing people I have ever met. These were youth that were on fire for God, and that alone brought each and every one of us together. In Philippians 2:2-3 it says, "then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and in purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." This verse, for me, defined the !Explore group. 15 kids from all over the United States, Florida to Oregon, San Antonio to Iowa, that came together with one purpose, and that was to seek God's calling in their life. A group so full of humility that life to them was not about being in the spotlight, but rather contributing, wherever possible, to make each of the people around them more comfortable.

This group experience taught me more than I could ever right down on paper. However, I am going to try and reveal a little more about the about what an amazing experience, this was.

Through my triad times with two of the most incredible people I have ever met, I learned to listen better, to talk more, and the ultimate power of prayer. Those times of prayer and sharing with one another were an absolute blessing, in which I saw the face of God each and every day.

Our theological issue groups, in which we studied, just one theological question we had, were an eye opening experience, through which I learned that it is ok to ask questions. I also learned that those questions may never be answered, but through them God reveals a little more of his character to us!

We had late night discussions, not of the opposite sex or television, but about what happens to those who never hear the gospel and the saving power of Jesus Christ. We, as a group, were examples of the Mennonite Church, once again, becoming a radical institution, meant to shine forth God's light no matter the circumstances! We, as a group, were identified not by our own hindrances and pet peeves but by our acceptance and witness as a family belonging to the Kingdom of God.

We sang hymns with a banjo and mandolin. We sang hymns a cappella, with nothing but our voices praising God. I learned through this the power of music to make us laugh, to make us cry, to make us jump, and to make us hug. I learned, also that though we didn't all like the same styles of worship, we all understood the power music and even silence had to bring us into an incredible moment of worship.

We played ultimate Frisbee, and laughed as one of us constantly faked running into a sign. We played a card game called Mau, that was so frustrating, it almost made even Mennonites become violent! We got lost in Miami together, and gave, I am sure, over 200 piggyback rides, to kids that just needed to see they were loved! We worked with passionate nuns, that every day gave themselves to the sick and homeless! We comforted each other when we failed, and we rejoiced with each other when we succeeded! We worked for and with each other, in order to gain just a little better knowledge of what each one of us had to offer, and through all of these experiences we formed a bond that goes beyond one's everyday mountain top experiences, and extends into a relationship that has no limits.

That is the mere beginning of what I learned on this trip! My questions about whether or not I was going to get along with these, my peers, were dissolved the minute I stepped off that plane. God was working in this group, and as a testament to that, I leave you with one final image. The last of the 18 days that we were together we have a worship service at Mirror Valley, where all of us met for the first time. In this worship service, we shared how we had seen God's light in each other, we sang hymns, we prayed for the church around the world, and we had foot washing. At the end of all of this, as most of us are in tears, we gave everyone hugs, and then we gathered in a circle, our arms around one another, and we sang "Let The Circle Be Unbroken." All I could think of at that moment, was Heaven, and the party we will have with God when this is all through, and until then the party we will be having with one another, as we proclaim the radical love of Jesus Christ.