Impressions from day 2.

 Mirriam Mahaffy

The first day of the assembly draws to a close as echoes of inspiring presentations fade into subdued conversations between old acquaintances and new, and CRC politics are discussed in English and Spanish amidst rousing rounds of phase 10.

The first day of the assembly is really our second day of impressions: Dan and I arrived in the early evening yesterday, and  (after a harrowing reminder of central American driving) entered our armed and gated conference villa.

 Simply being back in Latin America--even if confined to a gated community—has been an equally refreshing and frustrating reminder for me. Such contrast to North America’s incessantly sterile organization reminds me that our (life, and especially our) youth programming is perhaps too “safe” to be real—we cannot continue our attempts to construct sanitary, controlled environments, expecting our youth to find meaning and value within them. The solution to death on the streets is not a dead program.

Our keynote speaker, Dana Bates, arrived today to share his work with I.M.P.A.C.T. clubs in Romania. IMPACT clubs aim to develop local problem solvers, rather than continually trying to recover from losses. The clubs run meetings based on three priorities: fun, spiritual/moral teaching, and community service learning projects. Youth choose and design their own community development project. Through team building activities, conversation, and service, participants grow in key skill sets to become more empowered and employable.

After sitting for several hours of meetings, my bottom may have been sleeping but my mind was racing with hopes: could a modified IMPACT club framework be embodied on 118 ave in Edmonton with success? How would the model need to be adjusted to fit a North American culture? It seems like a distant unreality.

 IMPACT clubs inspire me with hope because they offer (often) consumptive youth ministry in North America the possibility of redemption by the active ownership embodied in service learning. 

 So this hopeful head and a frustrated heart, while somewhat overwhelmed with questions and unknowns, are excited to visit the IMPACT club in Honduras tomorrow.

Peace,