One of my favorite events of the entire year took place this past Saturday evening… the grand Appreciation Dinner for the LiderJovens (as we call our team of local teenagers) who have worked the Vacation Camp Program. Upon completion of the Vacation Camps we thank our amazing teenagers for their wonderful work during the past month by hosting a formal dinner to which we invited the parents of each teenager as well. The event is complete with a full dinner, presentations of “silly awards” and character certificates, and announcing the ultimate “Leader of Camp”. Half the day is spent decorating the restaurant with banners, balloons and photos of the youth in action. The rest of the day is spent getting all spiffy and dolled up, because this is quite the event of the year. In Copan Ruinas very few occasions call for dressing up, so everyone here takes advantage of the opportunity to go all out!
This event is one of my favorites because it is a night that really honors the teenagers and allows them to feel important and incredible… as they truly are. Part of the evening includes the presentation of character certificates at which point each youth is recognized for a characteristic of the Lord that they demonstrate. They each receive a certificate which names the character trait and sites a Bible verse speaking to that trait. This gives us the opportunity to explain to the audience why we choose each trait and expound a bit on each teenagers as an individual. Based on my understanding of this society, I can pretty confidently say that the majority (if not all) of these teenagers have never heard anyone recognize and praise the unique strengths of character they posses. I’m willing to bet that their parents haven’t received such compliments about their child. The faces of the both the teenager and the parents beam with pride, and a bit of surprise as we draw attention to the greatness they demonstrate and impact the world with. I believe that among all the different prizes, awards and certificates we gift to each teenager, the greatest thing they receive is the awareness of how amazing and powerful they truly are. That gift is more precious and life changing than any material token or paper. The ability to hand someone truth about their identity and their heart is by far the greatest honor I have as Youth Director of UPH.
Looking in the eyes of each one of my dear sweet teenagers and sincerely thanking them for a job very well done, sharing with them the pride and joy they have filled me with, moves my Spirit touching me to the core. I get to see them for who God has actually created them to be and then tell them about it! What a joy! Then I stumble back as I realize Jesus is doing the exact same thing with me every moment of everyday. He reveals to me who I really am and the greatness that I unknowingly carry. Then He seizes the moments when He has my audience to expound on the strengths I display, lives I impact and the power I contain. And just as I become overwhelmed with joy at giving the youth this gift of awareness, Jesus delights even more in handing me the same. How great is our God and how dearly He loves us.
Jesus seeks our attention to not only teach us about Himself, but to also tell each of us what beautiful and powerful strengths and qualities He has created us with. He wants to brag on us a bit and give us each that precious life that comes in understanding that we really are amazing. Not because we’ve tried to make ourselves amazing, but because that’s how He has created us. Could there be anything more empowering and motivating than that?
UPH serves as a messenger of Lord in this way. The LiderJovens hear what God has equipped them with and who they are according to their Kingdom identity. So the Appreciation Dinner is much more than an excuse to get dressed up. It is recognition of true and amazing children of God. It is the revealing of Truth and Honor. So with good reason, it is one of my favorite events of the year!
- Rachel
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