February 24th-25th, Harvest’s preteen ministry (The Bridge) hosted our 2nd Overnighter event. We had 34 students gather together with 8 adult volunteers to spend 15 hours together in community having some good old fashioned fun. We ate a lot of junk food, watched a movie, threw dodgeballs at each other, participated in nerf gun warfare, played games, and created lasting memories. Some of us even got a little bit of sleep!
As parents were checking in their students Friday night they were equal parts excited for the kids and concerned for my well-being. Mostly, they were grateful that we were willing to spend some quality time with the students.
Here at Harvest we have some truly amazing young people and equally amazing adult volunteers who are here to support our students and create lasting relationships with them. Preteens are an amazing age group. They are forming their own ideas about the world around them and discovering where they fit into the grand scheme of things; they ask questions and begin to develop critical thinking skills; they are anxious to grow up, and yet still know how to let loose and exhibit a carefree spirit.
I look forward to the Overnighter every year. The beauty of the Overnighter is that we can all come together to just have FUN. No lessons, no discussions, and an extremely flexible structure of events. The Overnighter is about building community and relationships. To the parents, thank you for trusting us with your kids. To the volunteers, I praise God for your hearts and willingness to serve. To the students, thanks for the fantastic memories! We will see you at the Overnighter next year!
