Serving with Joy

Receiving a message from Joshua that morning in class was something really special. I was very sure that I wouldn’t be attending the CFCI-Youth, NYC, this year as it was too far from Chennai (where I study) and I would not have been able to make it due to classes. But the Lord thought otherwise and within a few days I was preparing myself to give my first ever session at an NYC as a part of the service team!

Attending NYC as a youth for multiple years has always been a great feeling and a spiritual encounter with God. But serving at a Youth conference and knowing that I was going to be an instrument of the Lord was even more exciting. Preparing for the session made me really look at myself and learn to start living the talk. All the effort before the conference would culminate with the experience-sharing at the conference.

It was great to see the colour, enthusiasm and vibrance of the youth present at the conference. Catching up with the service team and having long discussions on how to go about the sessions and activities once again brought a great feeling of oneness with the community. Serving these younger brothers and sisters in the same way as I was served gave a great sense of satisfaction and a feeling that God’s work has been done. There is nothing better than knowing that the message of the conference has gone through and touched lives of youth. This was seen evidently in the way the participants responded to the session that I gave along with Deidre – they vividly remembered topics covered by earlier speakers and had the eagerness to know more.

Even more inspiring was the way the CFC of the Area were working towards the cause of the conference. Though it was the first time they were conducting a conference of this magnitude, they put in their best and made us feel at home. This, along with the mutual love and service shown to each other (with serving of the food, cleaning of plates) gave all of us at the service team a sense of purpose to serve God even more.

I hope I never have to pass on the chance to serve at any of the communities’ programs because the experience at ‘A Time to Love’ was one I will cherish for a long time!