In Their Own Words. . .Alex Gustafson

I absolutely loved New Orleans. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I thought the kids would be inner-city rough and wouldn't like us. I also thought we'd stick to our own youth group and, other than us; it would be all adults my parents’ age. My ideas and expectations were all wrong. I grew close to the group from Dubuque, Iowa, and especially close to a girl named Jessie. Jessie, Logan and I coached the Red Team for our outreach called the Challenge Circle. Our group split up each meal so we always sat with new people. My last expectation turned out to be false also. The main "adults" were interns in college. The youngest intern was 18. They were inspirational as the kids loved them. They always knew how to talk with the kids yet still hung out and joked around with us. Their love for God was obvious. Seeing it always boosted my spirits! The kids were sweet and ready to be loved. They always wanted to hang out with us and had huge smiles when you remembered their names. They seemed a little broken but opened up to us when we talked to them. The girls loved to do our hair and the guys liked to throw balls around. I became really close with a little boy named Reagan. He loved to talk and hug. His whole family was sweet and I was able to talk to all of them. I learned a lot on this trip. I learned to trust God, especially when I'm tired. I learned God makes a huge difference and there is good Christian rap. I saw God at work everyday and just truly learned to praise him through everything. My prayer life strengthened as did my relationships with my team. I really want to thank everyone who supported me as I really enjoyed this trip. Also, I want to thank my prayer partners and my parents because I really felt your prayers. I love you all.