tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post7384546598681972850..comments2024-02-07T11:31:44.141+03:00Comments on On Life in St. Petersburg: Teen with a mission?Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15283395756742923658noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-55125130252141714612009-09-18T18:13:05.186+04:002009-09-18T18:13:05.186+04:00Yeah, the camp situation was such that the Russian...Yeah, the camp situation was such that the Russians even encouraged us to bring kids, as it was a kid-friendly environment and offered opportunities for cultural exchange. The teens were better than anyone with the sports, crafts, etc. We just had to make sure they followed the same rules as the campers in order to set a good example.<br /><br />Camp, performance, or construction trips are probably the best options for teenagers. As long as it doesn't "take work away from the locals," as you said.Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15283395756742923658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949422246633548404.post-69877999677464382752009-09-18T15:25:19.727+04:002009-09-18T15:25:19.727+04:00As a youth group leader i have the same sorts of f...As a youth group leader i have the same sorts of feeling a lot. i would love to take my yutes on a trip and have. I think it depends on where you take them. Is the Xian culture though of as conservative and stiff, will the culture of the American teen's boisterousness spark good conversation with the locals about the grace of X. Or will it just cut us of from people being able to beleive that we are Xians.<br />There is also the issue of what they will be doing. Laurel and I thought of taking some of ours, down to Haiti to do some work. but what would they do? When we talked to some of the group's that bring teens down there to find out what they did. it was paint/stack cinder blocks. In Haiti where getting work for locals and the average wage is 1USD a day that makes no dollars or sense for the local people and really does not help Haitian people.<br />Missionaries (speaking as an ex YWAMer) should be bringing some practical form of help to the people that they are serving.<br />We have found that doing local in the US trips work wonderfully with ours.<br />We do 'mission-builder' trips to ministries that need hand laborers. This way the people we are serving understand the american teen better then others. And often they want to provide the yutes blessings of their own growth.<br />As for a place like the camps in russia. does it make sense to send a teen there. I say yes, they are not taking work form the locals, and I am sure that the love they are able to give the children there out ways the sillyness that being young brings.JOsh Beauregardhttp://www.sanguisdevelopment.comnoreply@blogger.com