People of Idaho

Throughout this Missions trip to Idaho, I was constantly reminded of how important it is to meet new people. I found myself in very unique circumstances multiple times, working with refugees (from Bhutan, Congo, Eritrea, and Burma), our host family, and the youth group (Middle School and High School).

Refugees

Upon arriving in Boise, I originally thought that we would be introduced to a huge farm with many refugee workers, but to my surprise, the farm was just a small area next to and behind the church building. When we met the refugees, it was very awkward. We didn't really know what to do or what to say. We soon realized our previous knowledge of the English language basically went out the door. Thankfully our trusty guide and fearless leader, Tyler, led by example and always knew when to step in to assist us. Without him, we would have been lost and less likely to step up and talk to the workers. As the week progressed, our conversations and interactions expanded beyond simple questions and branched out to more jokes and laughter. Devi, one of the head farmers, was someone I wanted to talk to every day upon arriving at the farm. I was fascinated by his wisdom and willingness to share his knowledge. I miss him already!

Our Host Family - The Lincks

The Lincks family housed us (guys) for this past week and they were UNBELIEVABLY HOSPITABLE. Right when we walked in, we were greeted with smiles, conversation and food. Their house was cozy and beautiful. It made the trip that much better, knowing that after a hard day of work, we could come back to a HOME and sleep in a comfortable bed. Their two boys, Evan (9th grade) and Brian (6th grade), were very fun to hang out with as well! :D They are both very fun and playful. I'm so thankful that we got the opportunity to hang out with them. I really enjoyed talking to Brian...I was reminded of my want for a younger brother! Funny side note: we thought that the daughter, Kat, didn't like us because she failed to responded after I said hi to her in passing. The next night when the girls came over, she talked to us for a good 2 hours...

Youth Group

We were given the opportunity to lead the youth group at the church. Some of the kids were very interesting...while playing the ice breaker, I could tell they were all at different stages of life including "Too cool for school"...anyways...I led worship with David and I was SO THANKFUL that they sang along. AND they were pretty loud too. They were responsive to the worship, much more than I expected. Then we broke up into small groups and talked to them about why we were there. Throughout the whole night I felt like a different person and once again I was reminded of how much I love talking to younger people and investing in them. I like being an older brother and I love how I'm getting an opportunity to live that out. These kids were hyper, but it was incredible to work with them and rediscovering this side of me.

Overall, the main point is that the walls started to break down and thus began the friendships that would lead to a difficult goodbye. Over a span of 5 days, I've had the opportunity to meet many different people, some I saw daily and others only once, but nonetheless, my heart has grown attached to Idaho and the people there.

Thank you God for doing so much work in my heart in such a short time. Not only did you reveal to us the work that you're doing, you also allowed us to be a part of it, whether it was through prayer or physical work. Thank you so much for providing us with everything we needed and more. You made your presence known and we are forever grateful.