Segment by segment

Here begins my account of the events that took place between the days of August 5-7 at Redeemer. It may not be chronological, or any order for that matter. I will not write about everything in one entry, but separate my thoughts into segments suitable for reading for computer users.

Second summer retreat I've ever been to in my entire life, and already I was co-leading the English Speaking Congregation of RHCBC for fun activity periods. With Johnny and Janette teaching me how to be a leader, we spent days organizing retreat games weeks before August. Oblivious to traditions or expectations for such functions, I suggested playing a scavenger hunt-esque style of game that would begin on the first day of retreat and end on the last. I had no idea how the game would be received or what possible problems could arise from the game, but I didn't really care. I thought the game would work based on the ideas I had, and I thought it would be fun and new to the people.

We went with the idea, and pretty much planned the rest of the games around this main game I had suggested. Gary suggested we run a game that involved solving riddles and following the campus map to different locations. It would be a combination of scavenger hunt, puzzle solving, and a timed competition. There were problems with that game that we did not see at first, such as how we would divide the teams, what puzzles to use, and what routes to give them to name a few. We had a few other ideas that ended up discarded in the final days of planning or on the spot at retreat. Initially, we were planning on having a dance off for each team on Friday, and the winning team would claim the first item. Due to time restraints, we decided to have a vote for the best mascot instead, which worked just as well. A problem with planning games around the 3-day game was that there must be a winner for every game we play. And since we had such specific prizes for the winners, there cannot be ties.

Personally, I didn't have much idea how things would happen during game periods, but Johnny's smarts and leadership gave me a strong sense of calm and reassurance. He may appear a laid-back individual to most (or to me at least), but he is actually a responsible man who will step up to the task and complete everything that needs to be done. Johnny, it's been a pleasure working with you. Janette was always an encouraging presence for me as well. Filled with insightful ideas and big muscles, she did the most significant fraction of our manual labour. Not to mention her encouragements for us throughout this entire process. Thanks, partners. From the feedback I received from several retreat goers, the games weren't perfect, but were generally enjoyed by most. They, too, showered the leaders with words of encouragement and were pretty cooperative during game time. I thank you all for bearing with this newbie. It's been an educational experience for me, and every second of it has been enjoyable. Thanks Kim for giving me this opportunity to help out, and for trusting me with games. Most importantly, thank You Lord for Your grace, for Your strength, for blessing us with patience and energy to get things done, and for wisdom when things don't go according to plan and the only option left is improvisation. You are a God who provides and sometimes without asking, and I'm thankful for that, Lord. Thank You for watching our backs and for giving us rest when we're worn out at the end of the day.

Speaking of rest, I didn't sleep Saturday night, but I'll expand more on that in my upcoming posts. May God be with you all, and especially with those who accepted Christ for the first time in your lives at retreat. You have made an excellent decision.