It’s been more than 20 years since I’ve visited the mountains and they are just as beautiful as I remember. Bozeman is a town very similar to Mankato in many ways…it is home to a State University, it has a very welcoming, downtown Methodist Church, and everywhere you go you find wonderful people. I was amazed at how grateful those we met along the way were. Almost everyone who passed by us working on the trails, pulling weeds in the park, completing small projects for a new UMC congregation, and helping out the local food shelf thanked us profusely for our efforts. Many times, their graciousness even surpassed “Minnesota Nice”. (I even had a chance to chat briefly with two ladies who knew exactly where Mankato was as one had a Maverick hockey player stay with her for a time!) This trip has again opened my eyes to realize what great need there is for people to care for the Earth and our fellow humankind whether you look in Bozeman, MT, Baldwin, LA or right at home in Mankato.
This trip was most amazing though because of our Youth. What an incredible group of young people we have at Centenary! They worked so hard for hours on end despite sun, heat, altitude, fatigue, and the endless supply of sandwiches that we ate for almost every lunch. It was hard to keep up with them! Each evening, we came together as a group and had devotional time. The depth of their faith is far greater than you can imagine. They love God and they are eager to show this love by caring for the least, the lost, the left out, and the Earth.
I thank all of you for entrusting me and the other Youth leaders with such a wonderful group. As we return them to you, remember that they are not the same people we left with a week ago. They have each grown and changed in ways no one expected. Ask them about their experiences – they have so much to share!
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