DrunkFest Day 1

Hello world! Sorry about my lack of blogging – Fiji was super hard to blog in because we went to the internet café once or twice a week and I didn’t have enough time in an hour to answer messages and emails and do my blog as well! But, happily, I am back in KiwiLand and I have WiFi!!! Whoop!

We roadtrippd from Auckland to Paihia after having the tremendous honour of staying with Beryl, the ministry director for the night. We made it to the campground, which was much smaller than we imagined, especially considering 1000 kids were going to be present for Drunkfest. We learned the names of our other team members for Operation Jerusalem and got a good night’s sleep before the New Year festivities began. What we’re doing here is ministering to the 1000 kids that come and get absolutely smashed beginning as early as 8 am all the way into the wee hours of the morning only to wake up and do it again. It amazes me how their bodies can handle it! We walk around, getting to know the kids, most of them underage, of course and getting to be friends with them. We hand out sausages and juice and we hold karaoke. We also reach out especially to the girls who are falling over so drunk they don’t even know where their tents are. We’re here to love on them, hold their hair while they’re throwing up, and just to show Jesus’s love instead of forcing it down their throats. I can’t tell them what they’re doing is wrong, because the things I do are just as bad. We’re all so broken, and it kills to see how broken and lost all of these kids are. Most the kids we talk to agree that it’s empty satisfaction, but they can’t find anything better. A lot of them are just plain bored. It breaks my heart to see girls giving themselves away in the dirt and wondering if they’ll even remember doing it. It’s hard to see guys unleashing pent-up anger and throwing barbs and punches and anything they can pick up.

But it’s awesome to know people by name – so many people seek you out because you listen to them and they just want someone to talk to. I listened to so many stories last night and it’s so crazy – each and every one of these kids have a unique story and unique problems but they all turn to the same thing to try and answer their problems. And it’s funny, how much of a reputation we’ve already gained here. We’re referred to as the OJ’s (operation Jerusalem) or as “those Christian guys” – when someone’s in trouble or they need something people say “Go see those Christian guys! They can help!” and it’s crazy hearing that come out of their mouths! It’s funny, how when people are in deep trouble, they run to us because they know we’ve got something that’ll fix it. Hinthint: YOU CAN HAVE IT TOO. And that’s what we’re here to tell them.

Summer’s here! And summer looks so good on New Zealand. But I’m not gonna lie, it’s odd to be celebrating the New Year in the heat. You know how long it’s been since I’ve seen snow? Much too long. And I’ll have to wait another year to see it. Oh well.

Peace out Girl Scout!