#jelcord1

I can't say the first national youth retreat for the confessional Lutheran young people of the DRLM wouldn't have happened without nine volunteers from Trinity Lutheran Church in Athens, GA, but it definitely wouldn't have been the same. 

The first national youth retreat for the confessional Lutheran young people of the DRLM would NOT have happened without the driving force that was Rev. Lucas Elberhardt, Brazilian Alliance missionary pastor of Iglesia Luterana Amigos de Cristo in Santo Domingo. He grew up attending and later volunteering at LCMS Gathering-level IELB youth events, and it was obvious both before and during that bringing a piece of his upbringing to the DR represented a dream realized for him. He was in his element the whole weekend. 

About those nine volunteers, though. They were rock stars. I took Nyquil and slept for approximately 10 hours our first night there, then basically did my best to keep my germy self away from everyone and take lots of pictures the rest of the time. Case in point: 

Robin had to test the photo booth props...

...before the masses started arriving. In all honesty, the whole thing from start to finish felt much less chaotic than I'd been expecting. 

Pre-made, color-coded nametags for the win. 

Team leader Sue (right) manned the craft table that was set up for those who wanted something structured to do while everyone was milling around and getting settled in. 

There were snacks, too, at five different points over two days. 

Pastor Lucas declaring the Congreso officially open and giving a high-level schedule overview: game and Bible study slots filled in around meals and free time, all building up to a closing Divine Service. 

The team divided the youth (and let's be honest, the seminarian helpers!) into yellow, blue, and red teams that would remain consistent throughout the weekend. They rotated through three different game stations: kickball, a David and Goliath slingshot, and a Minute-to-Win-It-style decathlon. There'd be a prize for the winning team based on performance, but also sportsmanship and punctuality.

One of the decathlon events. 

Deaconess Jacqui showing Pastor Tim how it's done. 

The canvas slingshot targets improved with each successive group. 

Of course there were other non-sanctioned games that happened organically. Soccer, obviously, plus American football and cards. We actually wound up skipping the last scheduled "Games" time slot because everyone was having so much fun chatting, bonding, and entertaining themselves. 

Spot It is perfect for playing with a bilingual group - no words.

The teams also participated in Bible studies on the youth's vocation in different realms of life together. Pastor Lucas, Rev. Yban Navarro (Iglesia Luterana Cordero de Dios), and a team of seminarians each led the same study three times for a different colored team. 

Remember that cardboard from PriceSmart? I slept well our second night, too, but going to bed at 8:30 was out of the question with THIS happening (first youth, then seminarians) right up until "quiet time."

We celebrated the Divine Service Sunday afternoon to close out our time together. 

But wait! At Lucas' insistence, we had to circle up and sing this song that he remembered singing at every youth retreat growing up. It's in Himnario Luterano!

And there's more! After the song, a blessing. 

The youth were already asking when the next retreat is, so I guess that's a win. In all honesty I do think it will become an annual tradition, with the eventual goal being that it's 100% run (and paid for) by local congregations. Without even trying, the team of volunteers was training up a generation of Dominican Lutherans to do something that's second nature for a 175+ year old church body. Their ways and methods were under the microscope; local pastors, deaconesses, and lay members were watching and learning. I kept thinking how cool it was, too, that seminarians from all over the Hispanic world were participating and in so doing, pondering how they could bring the concept to to their future church bodies. 

At one of the GA volunteers' suggestion, Lucas's wife Agatha made an Instagram account to share photos and (I hope) keep the youth engaged until it's time to start hyping the 2024 retreat. Give it a follow, or, if you're reading this and were there, post photos to your own account using the hashtag #jelcord1. 

The team & I drove to the capital Sunday evening and walked to a fashionably later than desired dinner. Thankfully I had actual energy for the first time in days and could stay up until the check came. Monday morning, we poked around the Colonial Zone until midday when it was time for them to head to the airport and me to continue on back to Santiago with our bus driver. I had from then until today to prep for a marathon month of July. Follow Higher Things on Facebook or Instagram to live vicariously through this week's team, my first of three before month end. 

Until next time, blessings in Christ!