We drove down from Michigan and made it to Winona Lake in time to meet TK and Dana for lunch. TK and Dana were my leaders the summer that I was on Operation Barnabas. For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, here is a quick synopsis: Operation Barnabas is a ministry that CE National does every summer where they put high school students from all over the country on ministry teams of about 30 and tour the country for 6 weeks. The students develop a heart for ministry as they go from church to church doing work projects, evangelism, outreach programs, and kids programs. Words aren’t really adequate to describe what this ministry meant in my life.
When I went on Barnabas I think I really was at a crossroads in my life of deciding if I would follow Jesus whole-heartedly or continue to seek relief from this painful world through my own inadequate means. I found myself surrounded by leaders who loved God and loved me where I was while still calling me to something greater and by peers who encouraged and supported me giving me hope and belonging. Operation Barnabas is what solidified my relationship with God and deepend it. I made a decision that summer that I would answer God’s calling on my life to go into full-time ministry and now here I am…13 years later and celebrating 7 years of doing ministry with military teens.
The cool thing is that my parents led Barnabas teams before kids and then the first few summers of our lives. My sister went on a Barnabas team, then I got to go the summer before my senior year of high school. And I went back as a leader the summer before Anthony and I got married. I dream of going back and getting to lead again but with Anthony this time. I don’t foresee an open summer in our future that is just free to take-off, though. So, I’m settling for trying to get them to send a team to Germany one of these summers to minister on the military bases. We will see…
All of that to say that TK and Dana (as well as my entire OB team) are incredibly dear to me, and I was so glad to get to see them for a couple of hours. Plus I got the added bonus of seeing another one of my leaders, Bob, for a few minutes later that afternoon. And I am really excited that I have the opportunity to connect with some of my Barnabas friends in Pennsylvania next week!
**I am really trying to do a better job this trip of getting pictures with everyone we see, however, I totally blanked and didn’t get any with TK and Dana. So, I’m sorry; no picture. If I was at home, I could scan an old Barnabas picture in and post it…maybe when I get back.
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