By the end of the youth camp when it was time for testimonies, guys and girls were sharing about their experience.
“I want to be honest, I heard about the camp from some friends, but I was not interested in coming. I had no interest in any activities regarding church. I don’t go to church even though I come from a Christian family. But I realized there were others reason to come. I knew I could have network and internet, chat with friends on the phone and find interesting things online. I came and the first day when I saw the program, I thought I had made a big mistake.
Every day was full of activities, and I knew there is no time to use my phone. I was disappointed. But by the end of the day, I forgot about my phone. The activities were so good and interesting. I made new friends; we had fun together with the games and dancing times. I loved the teaching because it was interactive, and I loved our small group and our leader. By the end of the week, I realized what a big blessing came into my life. God changed my heart and now I am so motivated to know Him more. I can’t wait for next year’s camp, and I will tell all my friends to come.” (Badal, 17 years old)
The best way that I could describe the camp would be a place where young people would open up, like a flower opens when the light is touching it. That’s what love can do. Shy on their first day, but full of life when someone empowers them. They open up, have ideas, have questions, take initiative, full of energy and enthusiasm and ready to go out and tell others what they experienced with God.
And all the time in India I had the sense coming over and over to my heart: this young generation is going to change the nation. There is something God is doing in them. He is stirring something in the nation, like He wants to introduce Himself to this new generation and say “This is Who I am.” And they are so ready to meet Him. I had the sense of a young generation opening up their hearts to look for God. Turning away from rituals and worshiping idols, and asking “what if there is something different?”.
As I share this, I realize something. When I was invited to be part of this mission trip to India my first answer was “No”. Then I took some time and I thought “why not?”. Now I am so honoured I could be there and meet the generation God is preparing for this nation: the leaders, the apostles, the prophets, the teachers, the pastors and the evangelists. They are already out there, and they are only 15 or 17 years old. They are already sharing the gospel and visiting their Hindu friends at the hospital and ask permission to pray to Jesus for healing. They are already out there cleaning their street because they had cleaning time in the camp and they saw how beautiful a place is when it’s cleaned. Now they want their village to be beautiful. God’s love changes their heart and changes their everyday life, their communities and the nation.
It is an honour I could spend time with them. It is an honour they could show me their families, their school and colleagues, the villages, the food, the land and their dance. It is an honour God invited me to be part of this mission trip. And I can’t wait to see what He is doing next.
Elisa Cozminca