The Ultimate Kingdom Playground

Last week's Oasis Games at The GreenHouse were well...amazing.  In my ten years of doing ministry in this community, they were perhaps the most exciting project I've ever been a part of.

I've tried several times to sit down and write about the week and all that occurred but I'm finding it very hard to encapsulate all that transpired.

Rather than torturing my tired brain and trying to put my thoughts into cohesive sentences, I thought I'd just write some words that represent what the week was like for us at The GreenHouse.

Kingdom Playground

Justice

Empowerment

Relationships

Collaboration

Reconciliation

Bottom-up Leadership

Listening to the Community

Redistribution

Dreams Coming True
Fast, Fun, and Free

Miracles

Respect
Hard-Work
Dancing
Generosity
Faith
Hope
Love

Model for Future Partnerships
Opportunities to Share my Faith

There is so much more I could say.  The week was SO much more than just that one week.  It was a dream ONE-YEAR in the making and new friendships (with Waldorf) SIX-MONTHS in the making. 

So many times, groups (churches, organizations) want to come to The GreenHouse for a one-day event and then be gone.  Those experiences are terrific for the group doing the project, but they are typically more event-focused than relationship-focused and they are not always what's best of the community.  This was so much different than that.  The Waldorf teachers and students got it.  They loved, listened, respected, and befriended our community so well.  Our friendship with them has just begun.  They can't wait to come back (in fact, they are coming back next week to debrief!).  They have been radically impacted (as have we). 
     
This guy here was the hero last week.  Chopping down trees, building fences, painting murals, calling all the shots.  Truly remarkable.  Can't thank God enough for putting him in my life.  

For those who missed the media coverage we got, here are a few links.  Always fun to get some press, especially for the youth!

A news clip about the project on KCRA-3.

A Sacramento Bee article about the project.
The Sacramento Bee photo gallery.
Facebook photo page

Yes, that's Jonah in the Sac Bee photo gallery "looking for lava" in the hole he dug.  No, he's not a first grader at Sacramento Waldorf, like the caption says! 

You can also check out the Oasis Games 2012 facebook group to read some of the cool comments that both GreenHouse and Waldorf students have written about the experience.  And while you're at it, "Like" The GreenHouse's page! (Yes, I'm a facebooker now). 

 

One last link...The GreenHouse newsletter that went out today with a brief summary of last week:  http://ymlp.com/z5etEX