Greetings from Grand Rapids

If you have been keeping up to date with these blog posts recently, you might be wondering when I was home the whole summer. And the answer to that is, "basically never." After leaving Canada, my parents and I drove to Grand Rapids Michigan where Church of the Brethren Annual Conference was held. We arrived super early because my parents were helping out with registration, so it gave me the perfect opportunity to start to catch up on my first blog post (because I have been behind from the start). I found a spot in the conference center where I could sit and write, but also see every single person that walked past. Which resulted in not a whole lot of writing getting done because I kept seeing people I knew. And as a Brethren, I have to get up and hug them, so you can understand how not a whole lot of writing happened.

That evening we went to worship, where I helped with a little part at the beginning of worship. The rest of the night was filled with some young adult activities, meeting new people, and getting some good sleep because I had been fighting a cold for a few days.

The next day I got up, was feeling great, and decided to take a little morning nap before heading over to the conference center because apparently, more sleep was needed thanks to my cold. But once I did get up, I helped get some thing ready for the Brethren Volunteer Service lunch, went to the BVS lunch and then spent the afternoon hanging out with some friends, and sitting in on business. I also went to another catered dinner that night for Leadership and Discipleship Ministries, went to worship with my parents and then helped with an episode of the Dunker Punks Podcast.

Friday was basically a repeat of the day before. I went and sat in on worship when I wasn't wandering the Exhibit Hall, and continued to spend time with new friends and reconnecting with others.

Saturday was a bit busier than the previous days. I got up early to have breakfast with my mentor before heading to the junior high activities to help with their service project. We spent the morning volunteering at a food bank in Grand Rapids, and took public transportation with about 16 youth. Having grown up in farm country, public transportation is still a bit of a new experience for me, so it was a new experience for the youth and myself! After we got back to the conference center, I went and got all ready for my children story later that night and then went to sit in on business until an early dinner with my parents. My children story that night went so well! The kids were engaged and I felt like I got my ideas across.

That evening there were some fireworks to celebrate July 4th, and I don't think I have ever been that close to the fireworks, and I'm not sure I want to be that close again!

Sunday was the last worship where I helped with the table setting during worship. And then we were off to eat some lunch before I had a plane to catch for my next adventure.

Stay tuned for Why in Wyoming!