One of the more well-known extracurricular activities here at ASOM is Travel. This group meets Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6pm to anywhere around 10pm at the latest. We learn and create stomps, steps, dramas, spoken words, and dances. We take what we know and divide into smaller teams and travel all over the U.S. going to camps, churches, and conventions. We perform these arts in front of people of all ages.
Since joining ASOM in September of 2016, more specifically the travel team, I've had the opportunity of traveling to Dexter, Georgia; Lansing, Michigan for Michigan Youth Convention; and more recently went to Talladega, Alabama for their Youth Quake retreat. It's this most recent trip I want to share with you.
It was a one-day travel trip. The day began with getting up early, getting out the door and on the road by 6:30am. It takes a little under two hours to get there. We eat a super good breakfast and head off to the morning session. In the morning we perform a dance and a drama about being unified. I get the wonderful privilege of doing the transition from the drama to the speaker. I've never done a transition before, but it goes relatively smooth despite it being my first time.
After the morning session, we head over to lunch. At lunch is when I meet this wonderful young woman of God you see pictured with me below:
When it came, we laughed and shared more about our lives with each other. Our time was cut a little short and I had to leave in order to prepare for the afternoon session with the rest of the team. Before I left the table, she asked me, "Will you sit with me at dinner?" To which I responded with a resounding, "Yes!"
After the afternoon session, the team and I hung out for a bit. We set up a target and took turns shooting at it with a bow and arrow (turns out I was a pretty good shot, though I'm not too surprised because I am pretty good with a handgun too). This went on until about dinner time.
At dinner, you can assume that I sat with Kaydence, and I did! She shared more with me about her family and thanked me for sitting with her. From what I remembered her telling me, she did have a few friends, but when a traumatic event happened in her life, her friends left. She thanked me for showing her what a true friend looks like.
She also let me know how good it felt to laugh again. Since that traumatic event, she hadn't laughed a whole lot. We then headed to the evening service, and seeing her worship with so much freedom and joy really touched my life. Before the team and I left to head back to Atlanta, she ran up to me and hugged me so tight.
Keep in mind I only got to spend not even a whole day with her! I wish we could have been there for all three days. But I really want to encourage you, the reader, to never underestimate the impact you can make in someones life in one day. You really do have the power to change their perspective when you make yourself available to what God wants to do.
Be encouraged, and reach out to those around you. Be intentional. Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Don't lean on your own understanding, but have your mind constantly renewed by the Creator.
This is the ministry I am called to. If you'd like to partner with me, specifically financially, you can send gifts to:(Tuition: A little over $2,000 left to have my first year paid for!)
Atlanta School of Ministry
Att. Samantha Scott
PO Box 54532
Atlanta, GA 30308
Personal gifts can be sent electronically through my PayPal email: angelistic124@yahoo.com
Anything sent will be greatly appreciated and dealt with according to how you wish.
Thanks for reading 😊
~Samantha
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