Metro Youth Network

For those of you who went to CBLI just a few weeks ago, you may remember the worship meeting that featured the Summer Mission Teams from this summer. You also may remember a video that tried to sum up their experience. For your viewing pleasure, here it is:

Summer Mission Team 2008 Music Video from Salvationdave on Vimeo.

Chile
1. Lindsey Bailey – Oakbrook Terrace
2. Jaclyn Davisson – Santiago, Chile
3. James Davisson – Norridge
4. Kirsten Gorton – Oakbrook Terrace
5. Jon Taube – Hammond/Munster
6. Angelica Vasquez – LaVillita
7. Damon Winters – Oakbrook Terrace

South Africa
1. TBA
2. Alberto Carrión – Rockford Temple
3. Katy Clark – Kalamazoo
4. Doug Engle – Royal Oak
5. Grant Holloway – Kalamazoo
6. Ceamona Hood – Tri-Cities
7. Sarah Kincaid – Oakbrook Terrace

Spain
1. Nate Himes – Norridge
2. Gabriel Carrión – Rockford Temple
3. Jackie Felt – Oakbrook Terrace
4. Erica Johnson – Tri-Cities
5. Keri Polsley – Oakbrook Terrace
6. Barrett Shoults – Oakbrook Terrace
7. Ryan Smith – Kankakee

Central 1
1. Amy Kruger – Rochester
2. Rachel Aren – Dearborn Heights
3. Alex Cox – Oakbrook Terrace
4. Amy Eagle – Pekin
5. Breann Massey – Petoskey
6. Ashlee Norris – Des Moines
7. Carolyn Romin – Des Plaines

Central 2
1. TBA
2. Astrid Carrión – Rockford Temple
3. See Chang – Northbrook
4. Eric Gorton – Oakbrook Terrace
5. Audrey Hickman – Oakbrook Terrace
6. Carolyn Meyer – Port Huron
7. David Moran – LaVillita

Argentina Interns
1. Elyse Dalberg – Oakbrook Terrace
2. Viki Payton – Oakbrook Terrace

Haiti Interns
1. Briana Dalberg – Lakewood
2. Sarah Kistler – Des Plaines

Way to go Metro!

(Summer Mission Teams are an incredible ministry opportunity for Young Salvationists. I know that this year’s competition was very steep and that many qualified and gifted Soldiers were turned away. If you are interested in another practical and intense missions experience you should consider Band of Survivors. Ten former Band of Survivors were accepted to this years Summer Mission Teams. Email me for an application. Please also consider working at Camp Wonderland this summer.)

Hey.

My life has forever been changed because I went to the Ukraine with a Summer Mission Team. I am not exaggerating when I say that I think about the Ukraine every day.

That is why I want to let you know that Summer Mission Team applications should be completed—including references—and submitted to THQ by January 17th, 2007. That is only 30 days from today! If you are interested in being a part of this life-changing experience, start filling out the application today.

They are looking for active, uniform wearing Salvationists (ages 16-28) to assist The Salvation Army in sharing the gospel next summer. They will be sending team members to locations around the world and within the Central Territory. If you want an application please click here for more information.

Completing the application may be a bit awkward. It’s always hard to “sell yourself” but as someone who has sat on the SMT committee let me stress that appearance counts. So, do yourself a favor and type out your application, put some thought into it and get to the heart of the matter. Your references are also very important, be sure to choose responsible mentors who really know you and will be faithful to submit their recommendation on time. And if you really want to prove how responsible you are TURN YOUR APPLICATION EARLY!

I hope you are well.

Grace,
Eric Himes
Ukraine, Australia, Germany/Lithuania Summer Mission Team Alum (U.A.G/L.S.M.T.A)

P.S. if for whatever reason you are not selected as a Summer Mission Team member, chances are that we would love to have you be a part of Band of Survivors, a month long Missions/Discipleship School. BOS 2K6 runs from June 26 – July 23. Applications will be out in January.

P.P.S. if you are not interested in SMT or Band of Survivors you may want to work at camp. It’s an awesome job and they have a pool. Email me or go to http://wonderlandcamp.com if you want more information.

P.P.P.S. Check out the SMT Xanga.

Argentina
1. Ade Villatoro-Rockford Temple
2. James Davisson-Norridge
3. Kristi Fuller-Kansas Northland
4. Jordan Hunter-Omaha Citadel
5. Erica Johnson-The Bridge
6. Linda Villatoro-Rockford Temple

India Central
1. Mike Hulett-Dearborn Heights
2. Keri Shay-Oakbrook Terrace
3. Helena Brooksbank-Norridge
4. Grant Holloway-Benton Harbor
5. Sara Johnson-Royal Oak
6. Justin Rose-Mayfair Community Church

Kenya
1. Todd Miesch-Royal Oak
2. Sarah Miesch-Royal Oak
3. Emily Aukes-Kalamazoo
4. Elyse Dalberg-Oakbrook Terrace
5. Sharayah Hulett-Dearborn Heights
6. Sarah Kistler-Des Plaines
7. David Shay-Oakbrook Terrace

Central 1
1. Veronica Fjellman-St. Paul Citadel
2. Luis Azuaje-Templo Laramie
3. Gabriel Carrion-Rockford Temple
4. Miguel Garcia-Templo Laramie
5. Esther Hong-Mayfair Community
6. Dave Mantel-Norridge
7. Melody Waldner-Rockford Temple

Central 2
1. Sarah Kincaid-Oakbrook Terrace
2. Alissa Bell-Lansing Citadel
3. Hannah Cripe-Norridge
4. Andrew Dobney-Dearborn Heights
5. Nate Hood-Tri City
6. Mike McDowell-Kebete, Kenya
7. Julia Suleanschi-Tananka,Russia (Partner in Mission participant)

Latvia Interns
1. Jon Gugala-Madison
2. Ian Smith-Mayfair Community

Ukraine Interns
1. Mike Himes-Norridge
2. Nathan Himes-Norridge

Way to go Metro!

(Summer Mission Teams are an incredible ministry opportunity for Young Salvationists. I know that this year’s competition was very steep and that many qualified and gifted Soldiers were turned away. If you are interested in another practical and intense missions experience you should consider Band of Survivors. Nine former Band of Survivors were accepted to this years Summer Mission Teams. Email me for an application. Please also consider working at Camp Wonderland this summer.)

Hey.

My life has forever been changed because I went to the Ukraine with a Summer Mission Team. I am not exaggerating when I say that I think about the Ukraine every day.

That is why I want to let you know that Summer Mission Team applications should be completed—including references—and submitted to THQ by January 17th, 2006. That is only 35 days from today! If you are interested in being a part of this life-changing experience, start filling out the application today.

They are looking for active, uniform wearing Salvationists (ages 16-28) to assist The Salvation Army in sharing the gospel next summer. They will be sending team members to locations around the world and within the Central Territory. If you want an application talk to your Corps Officer or email me and I will send you one.

Completing the application may be a bit awkward. It’s always hard to “sell yourself” but as someone who has sat on the SMT committee let me stress that appearance counts. So, do yourself a favor and type out your application, put some thought into it and get to the heart of the matter. Your references are also very important, be sure to choose responsible mentors who really know you and will be faithful to submit their recommendation on time. And if you really want to prove how responsible you are TURN YOUR APPLICATION EARLY!

I hope you are well.

Grace,
Eric Himes
Ukraine, Australia, Germany/Lithuania Summer Mission Team Alum (U.A.G/L.S.M.T.A)

P.S. if for whatever reason you are not selected as a Summer Mission Team member, chances are that we would love to have you be a part of Band of Survivors, a month long Missions/Discipleship School. BOS 2K6 runs from June 26 – July 23. Applications will be out in January.

P.P.S. if you are not interested in SMT or Band of Survivors you may want to work at camp. It’s an awesome job and they have a pool. Go to their website to get more information.

During my freshman year of college I rebelled. Though I was a Christian and many people loved me, I alienated myself from my family, my Christian friends and my church. Isolated from the good influences in my life, I followed my desires while rejecting Christ. I was lonely and played games with Christ; hoping He would pursue me but having no intention to submit to His love. As Ephesians 2:12 says, “In those days [I was] living apart from Christ… [I] lived in this world without God and without hope.”

That summer I ran away to the Ukraine. During the school year I applied, and was mercifully accepted as, a member of The Salvation Army’s Summer Mission Team—an outreach group of six Christian peers—that traveled to the Ukraine. From June through August, 2001 we ministered in the cities Kiev, Donetsk and Kharkov. We worked with children, the homeless, rehab patients, the elderly and visited mental asylums.

We began the first youth program for the Kiev Lighthouse Corps; a church of marginalized, homeless Christians, strategically placed amongst a half-dozen, dilapidated, Soviet-era housing complexes. The church leaders were eager for us to start working with the youth of their neighborhood. Our approach was simple: each day we would go to a playground, throw a Frisbee, sing some songs, do a craft and love over seventy impoverished children.

That’s when I met Max. He was a reckless 6-year-old; who ran at full speed, threw dirt, started fights, pinched and kicked his way through our youth outreach. He was as adorable as he was mischievous. I took it upon myself—as the martyr of the group—to watch and distract him while my team members took care of the rest of the children. I wanted to show Max a better way. I wanted to be his friend and break him of his rebellion. I thought the best way to do this was to tire him out. So for three days I followed, pursued and chased him around the crowded cement playground. He was having the time of his life, knowing he had my attention and pretending not to care. He would not be easily broken.

On the fourth day, after a few hours of running around, Max slowed down. He sat in the dirt, gasping for breath. He was finally tired. With a feeling of accomplishment I walked over to Max, scooped him up and placed him on my hip. Then I said a very ordinary phrase in Russian, Ya tebia liubliu, meaning “I love you.” I was surprised to hear Max reply with an extraordinary phrase in his native language, Ya tebia liubliu. I didn’t even have a moment to appreciate what had happened when Max turned to me, smiled and spat in my face. I did the best thing I could; I put him down and walked away.

I think about the Ukraine everyday. It was a great spiritual watershed moment in my life. I was tired. Tired of the isolation and loneliness I felt in my rebellion. I was lonely and isolated because I had rejected Christ right when I needed him most. I was a prodigal son avoiding a faithful Father. “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved [me] so very much, that even while [I was] dead because of [my] sins, he gave [me] life when he raised Christ from the dead.” (Ephesians 2:4). And now when he holds me in His arms I can just smile and say “I love you.”