Making an Impact

I was fortunate to travel with 16 wonderful Dalat students on an IMPACT trip to Bandung, Indonesia, this past month. To say it was amazing would be an understatement. I am sure I do not have to tell you that Dalat has some of the best young adults in the world, and this trip brought that fact out even more. Our trip started out with some issues. I know you are going to find this hard to believe, but AirAsia kept delaying our flights. Because of these delays, we did not arrive in Bandung until 6:30 a.m., and our first event was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. With hardly any sleep, our students showed up and did spectacularly. Not one complaint from any of them. They just hit the ground running and began serving. And, it was like that the entire week. No matter what was thrown at them, they adjusted and made the best of it. I have never been prouder to be a part of a group.

The other amazing thing about IMPACT trips is that not only are we serving others, but you get to see how the people we are serving are teaching our students also. Our students saw some very difficult situations that kids their ages are having to deal with daily. It is a gift to be able to see their faces when they begin to realize how blessed their own lives have been to not have to endure these types of situations. It really makes their hearts 10 times bigger. On our trips, we do reflections each night before bed. The students’ reflections on how they saw God at work throughout the day in their own lives were amazing.