To say the very least, this year’s YSMP trip to McNary was amazing. God brought together nine of us from CBCWLA and about twenty others from Northwest Chinese Baptist Church, Phoenix to McNary, AZ. In a nut shell, we held VBS for four days, played basketball, did visitations around the community, played some more basketball, ministered and encouraged members of the church, held night services and played a lot with the kids. It was an amazing week watching God at work. Over the course of the ten days, God repeatedly impressed two things on my heart. One: He is in control and has a perfect plan. Everything in His time will glorify God. Two: God has a big heart for the lost. He desires not only to draw us close to Him but to redeem us of our sins and to live a life with us. For example, from the first day we arrived at McNary, our group began to have encounters with a man name Schmoo. He was like an outcast of the community. We talked about him and prayed for him every night during our debrief. On Wednesday night, after Pastor Terrence’s message, Andrew and I shared the Gospel with Schmoo but he wasn’t ready to receive Christ. In the back of my mind, I was a little disappointed and I said to God, “Ok maybe next year.” On Thursday night, it was our last night in McNary and we had a party for the community. After all the food and Pastor Eric’s message, Grace started to talk to Schmoo and when she presented the Gospel to him, Schmoo accepted. In my mind, I didn’t think Schmoo was going to accept God this week. He seemed so far away. But every day, there he was. He came to all of our activities and events. It was just in God’s timing that Schmoo would accept Christ. God is in control and has a perfect plan. Everything in His time will glorify God. During this trip, one of my main duties was to teach VBS for the Youth, ranging from 13-17. Pastor Terrence, Andrew and I took turns teaching from Colossians. Each day we struggled with similar issues. The students we encountered have mostly all heard of the Gospel. They have been to VBS for years. The problem is the Gospel has become facts that they know of but there is no heart connection. On Tuesday, it was my turn to teach and God broke my heart. Through the lesson and the discussion the youth leaders had after class, God showed me how lost His people were at McNary. God allowed me to experience a glimpse of His pain when His children turn away from Him. God convicted me of how little I knew of Him. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins but do we truly understand the implications of our sins? Do you truly understand the redemption we have in Christ Jesus? God allowed me to see a glimpse of that during my time at McNary and I seek to understand it more here at home before I go out again. The people of McNary struggle with alcohol, drugs, sex, among many other things. There is a sense of hopelessness in the community. I believe it was Pastor Terrence who said it but how different are we in our lives here in Los Angeles? We struggle with the same issues except we are better at hiding it. We blame work or school for the lack of intimacy we have with Jesus Christ. In order to be a follower of Christ, we must make a decision everyday to lift up our cross with our head and heart, to follow Jesus. It will be hard but it will be glorious. I believe God was glorified in the way our team worked so well together. By midweek, everyone was not only doing their own chores but helping others with theirs. We were truly a body of Christ, connected and looking out for one another in every way possible. I believe God was glorified when we reached out and supported the families affected by the fatal accident. There wasn’t much we could physically do for the families but the fact that we were there to love and support them in their time of need is a big step. I believe God was glorified during this trip because it was not about us but about His kingdom and His people. | 
