No matter how many preparations are made, always expect the unexpected. This seems like it deserves to be the motto for this trip so far. While it is only day two, the importance of leaving our affairs in God’s hands is making itself more known to us constantly. This trip is still amazing and by no means is undermined by the unseen complications that arise; however, between cancelled Walmart orders and the long search for propane gas, we definitely had a rough start, and that seems to be the tip of the iceberg.
In a last-minute trip to Walmart, our club saw many other Pathfinders outside of the campsite, and conversations were being started everywhere. This may seem small, but life in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is so hectic and fast-paced that spontaneous spurts of conversation are rarely started. Here, hundreds of people of the same faith are all brought together and enjoy each other’s company… it is almost like a glimpse of what Heaven will be like.
As a young Pathfinder, apart from my church’s club and a couple of surrounding churches, I really have not encountered many young people who practice the same faith. And, even in it, some are not social and are not as willing to get out of their comfort zone. This is why I look forward to Oshkosh, where I can meet new people who believe what I believe.
Being able to communicate with people who share the same worldview as you is important. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that “Iron sharpens iron.” As a Seventh-day Adventist in a secular world, we need to surround ourselves with like-minded people, and that is what Oshkosh provides. A lot of youth end up leaving the Church as they do not feel connected to other young people, and slowly drift away from their faith. Oshkosh is an important reminder to me, along with many others, that we are not alone. It makes me feel like Seventh-day Adventism is not the minority in terms of religion, and that there are thousands of people from around the world and from different walks of life that go through the same things I do, and are faced with the same dilemmas that I face as well. We all serve the same God in this glimpse of Heaven.
Southern Union | October 2019
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