The youth thought of Pastor Bob when they saw this:

Building a House

Mark built a house at the Thrivent Builds area. We took a tour an learned about how Thrivent pairs with Habitat for Hummanity to provide housing for people in need. We walked through a trailer museum that showed us the potential living situation of someone in need as well as what could be done for them. We learned ways to be able to help people by getting involved when we return home.

Painting Patchwork Peace Panels

These canvases are going to be made into tents for people in need of shelter in Darfur.

Guitar Hero

There was a Guitar Hero booth set up. Kadin got a chance to play (as
did Maria). Kadin drew a small crowd as he played. He was awesome!

The Trip Continues

Dear Church,

I had a cool day. We ended MYLE and I really didn't want it to end. I really loved learning about the different races. After we ended MYLE we went to the convention center where thy had games and other fun and interesting activities. It was very interesting to hear how we could help buy affordable houses for people who were homeless or living in bad conditions. After the convention center we went to the youth gathering opening worship and it was really huge. I had a lot of fun with the music and songs. Finally we went to a fun dance party that was very funny.

In the middle of the party, I got a message from Shawn (Mark's brother and my cousin) telling me to tell everyone we miss him and all of our family and to blog about just how much we miss them. So, we miss you Shawn.

Love, Janeane

The Gathering Begins

MYLE has finally come to a close today with what I thought was the best sermon of the week by Karris Golden. She asked us to consider what the soundtrack of our lives would sound like and made a good point in saying that when we do self-evaluate ourselves, we tend to self-censor because we are afraid of what others may think. But at the end of the day, the things that should define us most and the little ones that changed and challenge the way we live life. Her sermon pushed me to think more about my personal soundtrack, and how different it would sound with the retrospect that comes with old age.

Our trip has turned in a new direction as the actual gathering began with opening worship, which was absolutely MAGICAL. I've heard previous youths speak about how great it was but you just don't know or understand it's greatness until you're here for yourself and you can feel what it's like to be with so many young people, gathered and unified by religion. The music was beautiful, the speakers were beautiful, the pyrotechnics were beautiful but more of that could hold my attention as much as the 38,000 people in such a large space, we were a large force.

Exploring my True Heritage

Today was a very important day -- today I was made by my group members, an honorary Guyanese person. I was educated in the plethora of Guyanese ways of speech and in return, I taught my group members some commonly-used white people phrases. Then after the Gathering's opening worship, we went to a dance, where I showed them the basics of white people dancing. It was an incredible exchange of culture -- I feel truly multi-ethnic.

I must say I was glad to see the end of MYLE. I wasn't getting anything out of it, and I'm eager to get to the service day. Doing volunteer work is the whole reason I wanted to come back to New Orleans.

-- Kadin

Group Shot!

We're in front of a window over looking the Mississippi River in our
hotel. A beautiful view.

Day 4: Jesus, Justice, Jazz

Closing MYLE with the theme of soundtracks of life made me think about my soundtracks of life. One that comes to mind is my sister's laugh. I think her laugh is weird and quick and loud -- I sometimes make fun of her.

After we ate tasty fried cripsy (yes cripsy not crispy) chicken at popeyes and had some fun at the convention center where there was tons to do such as sports, games and music.

My favortie part of the day was Youth Gathering opening worship. The feeling to be there was amazing and being there listening to speaches and songs made me feel something special.

I look forward to tommorrow's activities and worship.

I tried to Incorporate febreze into the title but couldn't think of it.

37,000 youth, 2 parents a piece that comes out to approximately 74,000 Lutherans give or take. I was flabergastered (heard a girl on the elevator use that and thought it was cool). A whole SUPERDOME! Not just a dome, but a SUPERDOME filled with youth. I never knew there was that many youth but now I know.

Today we met someone who should be on a comedy central special, but the Lutheran version -- Karris Golden was hilarious and deep. Once again, I was flabergastered (cool even a second time). The message she was sending was about how your life story isn't what you pick and want to show people, but all the embarassing things as well.

---Mark

Interaction Center

This bicycle was set up to use our peddling power and convert it to electricity for lightbulbs and a blender. We were able to experience just how much energy it took to make things work -- things we take for granted.

Tattoos

Check out our new tattoos from the interaction center...

Being apart of the solution !!!

Today was yet another exciting day - our morning worship service was absolutely wonderful. It was filled with music, dance, preaching and even baptism by the ELCA Bishop!

We then visited the convention center where there were many many fun activities which we all participated in and enjoyed.

At the convention center there is the interaction center - a huge place when one can jump off a thirty-foot tower harnessed to a zip line to even get tattoos ... Hmmm - we all did ... The interaction center is designed for all to develop an awareness and passion for serving in the manner of Christ.

As the evening came - we took the streets with hundreds of others to the SUPERDOME.

Only a few years ago the site of the Superdome was the site of what was the largest toxic waste zone in the world and the site of the worst natural disaster to hit the U.S.

Our first Youth Gathering worship service was this evening in the Superdome - a gathering of more than 38,000 people. It was filled w rockin' music, videos and inspiring speakers that touched my heart - the service was just AMAZINGLY beautiful.

Inspiring speakers were:

--Liz McCartney - co-founder of St. Bernard Project - which started just after Katrina and serve to quickly rebuild homes and re-settle people into the neighborhoods of St. Bernard Parish.

--Marc Kielburger and his brother who are young social advocates and leaders of the organization - Free the Children!

We are looking forward to more excitement !!!

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See the actual worship services for yourself...

You can see the worship services live by visiting the Gathering Website. You can also see a schedule of services here.

Tonight's worship featured lots of fun and surprises. There was a House Band, Rebirth Revival Band, and Agape leading our music. We listened to Liz McCartney and Marc Kielburger and his brother each speak about their experiences with justice and change in the world. But there were more surprises in store -- there was pyrotechnics and the presiding Bishop of the ELCA Mark Hansen joined worship by driving in a bathtub (really -- he greated us and led us in prayer with a bath robe over his shirt and shorts and flip flops).

Check back for more stories from the youth and pictures.

Don't forget to leave your comments! (click on the link to the
comments below)

"God's work. Our hands. "

After a long and exhausted day yesterday and a night of little sleep, I realized that I am 'multi-ethnic' :) I am 'mix up' - black, indian and portuguese !! WOW

Yesterday evening a few of us felt like we did not belong in some of the caucuses held by MYLE. For me I did not encounter such feelings, although I was asked about mine. I understand the feeling of 'not belonging' but I realized that it is not such a big deal.

As today passed I learned that everyone will not be that way and that's okay because God accepts each and everyone of us just as we are!

Today was amazing - absolutely amazing. The worships, meeting so many people - WOW ... Exciting !!!

I love it and look forward to MORE.

Look where else we are:

http://www.thelutheran.org/blog/JJJ09/

You can see the experiences of other youth here too. Check it out!!

Funny the Way it is

From Tuesday:

Today has not sat well with me. Our group had a rather odd moment in our "ethinic cacus." Admittedly, a lot of it had to do with miscommunication and poor vocalization but the experience unfolded into a much larger issue about our group's ethnic classification. What I have to say about the situation is this: the act of physically seperating teenagers by only 7 ethic classifications is not necessarily the right way to approach multicultural unification,
especially when I feel that I did not fit into any specific box of classification. The way I see it, race is a label created by humans whereas God has no labels for us.

The issue was pressing enough to have a few group discussions, one of them with a MYLE chaplain. There was all this talk about this kind of ethnic classification just being the way things are, but when you think about it, that's not any way to make the situation any better.

Progress is good. Accepting we have a flawed system and just living with it is not. I realize as I am writing this now how ambigious this all might seem. Just to clarify, there were issues in being eligible to vote in the "mulit-ethic" caucus as we were technically not multi-ethnic. But this is how the ELCA identifies our group rather than "other," which might have been a lacking classification but is more fitting. My question is why does all this labeling exist if we are
all equal unseparated members of one family in God's eyes?

Everything else today went swell.

Opening worship for the gathering!!

Day 3: unsolved problems

Today was an interesting day. Beginning the day with worship was fun and the learning activities are fun. My favorite thing of the day was the "I was adopted from a country other than the USA." It was an amazing experience. I learned a lot of family problems between both parents and adoptive parents. It was actually life changing. Later we ate and worshipped but ran into problems with caucuses because Guyanese was not specified. Solutions have not been made, but all is good. I look forward to tommorrow's youth gathering!!!

Hypocrisy in Acceptance?

Today was frustrating. When we went to the multi-ethnic youth caucus, we felt unwelcomed by the advisors. Going into detail would be a bit tedious at this point, because I've told the story too many times today, but suffice to say we were disapproved of how it was facilitated. Maybe it was the result of a miscommunication, but there was lots of tension today.

A post from Kadin.

Trip continues (by Janeane)

Dear church,

I had a great time for the past days until today. I felt outcastes when they tried to tell me that I don't belong with multi-ethnic caucuses. I thought it was a step back from what we have done so far and what MYLE was all about. Over all it was an unexpected bad day.

Love, Janeane

Day 3 without febreze

Once again another febreze day. We met and interacted with a lot more youth today and it gets better and better everyday!

Mark

The Beauty of Individuality

Day 3 started with a wonderful worship service as usual. It was very enlightening and gave us the extra boost we needed for the other activities that were planned for us. I attended two sessions; one about dating and violence and another about the way women are pecieved based on beyonce. ' number one single "single ladies". The leaders provided everyone with valuable information that can be use and reuse in the future. The long day was ended with a very different worship based on the Native Americans Culture. I continue to learn new things everyday and I cannot wait for tomorrow.

Making Connections

Yesterday was a long and packed day of activities. Our morning worship was about music and finding the beat. Rev. Ruben Duran preached, "God is the music... The more we listen the more we can be in tune with that and find the reason God is calling you by name."

We went through the day's activities. Ashley and I both served on panels to share more with others about our families and communities.

We've gotten a chance to make a lot of new connections while here. In the evening we got a chance to go to the Ethnic Associations Receptions. We got to know some of the people from Salam Arabic Lutheran Church in Brooklyn NY. We had a great time together and hope to see more of each other through the week and then back in New York. Ashley also got some dance lessons from a new friend that comes from central New Jersey. We also happened to meet the son of a former pastor of Our Saviour. They were in New York in the 80s and moved to Puerto Rico after their time at OSLC. More connections and more experiences today!!

Baptized in the Water!

God Creates Individuals in a Context of Diversity

Our second day (first full day of activities) started with a very excited worship service.

During the morning worship service we learn to dance one of the popular hispanic dances - 'de meringue'.
It was fun!

We were then engaged in breakout sessions which weren't exactly what we expected but ... during our congregational time, around 11:30 pm we talked about what transpired during the different breakouts and each of us expressed our thoughts - it was a great bonding experience! :)

In the afternoon we had dinner and then attended the evening worship service which was led by the Arab and Middle Eastern Ministries. It was fantastic!

It was a great day and we all had a great time !!!
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Febreze on your "stanky leg"

A post from Mark:

Today we had to go to a "church club" where the top songs were "Baby Got Book", a funny version of baby got back. I bet everyone is wondering what's your stanky leg? It's a song and dance and nobody from our group could do it! So if you can YouTube stanky leg and try to learn it!

A post from Kadin

So the first full MYLE day was today. It consisted of mostly workshops
on racism and diversity. The discussion session in the multicultural
youth group was interesting, and I enjoyed meeting new people. The
evening worship service was full of energy, and the band was really on.

Unfortuantely, I missed Ashley's stankey leg because I got stuck on an
elevator -- which leg is the stankey one?

Day 2: What's color got to do with it?

Waking up from yesterday's activities was not fun. The beds are comfy. I like them. After breakfast of cold cereal, the team and I went to morning worship. After morning worship we did several activities having to do with diversity and racism. The activity I enjoyed the most was the diversity circle where you can relate to other youth. Tonight there is another dance and I look forward to tomorrow.

Evening Worship Energy!

We have a new song to teach everyone when we get back to New York!!