On Thursday morning, we all woke up (some of us more easily than others) at 7:00 A.M. and had a luxurious breakfast of bagels, juice,and granola bars in Aaron's hotel room. After breakfast, we went outside and braved the hot Louisiana sun for several blocks on our way to the Convention Center for our "Practice Peacemaking" day. After a short wait, our group attended an opening worship service where we enjoyed lively music provided by a live band and a motivational speech provided by a pastor from one of the other groups. The message of this talk was mainly about the importance of breaking down walls that separate us from others so that we can see God in everyone around us.
Following the service, we got to spend most of the morning and early afternoon exploring the many activities in the conference center; everything from interactive learning booths to crafts to inflatables was represented. For example, we learned how exhausting it can be for people in underprivileged areas to carry gallons of water every day, and some of us experienced firsthand how difficult it is to maneuver a wheelchair through sidewalks, sharp turns, and tight spaces. The college-bound students and rising high school seniors also had a chance to talk to campus ministry representatives from many colleges throughout the country. There were several opportunities to give non-monetary donations to many worthy causes; Mrs. Walker and Mariah both donated blood to a local blood bank, and Heidi gave several inches of her hair to Locks of Love. 
After a brief delay due to a rainstorm, our group headed down to the French Quarter for some delicious beignets at the famous Cafe du Monde. We spent some time shopping and enjoying the local flavor downtown at the open-air french market, where many students bought t-shirts and other souvenirs, in addition to the delicious food for which New Orleans is famous.
From the French Quarter, our group braved the rain again to walk to
the Superdome for another night worshipping together. Being able to see
the whole arena from the third-tier seats was a sight that we will
never forget; the huge lit-up cross illuminated the stadium, and hearing
the voices of 35,000 people cheer on the speakers and sing along to the
worship tunes was incredible. We heard the stories of several
missionaries who spent time serving in Africa (one of whom was a teenage
girl who has been living in Tanzania for the past several years), and
one extremely dynamic speaker, Shane Claiborne, who shared with us both
his progress and dreams of making the world a more truly Christian place
to live. He spoke about the need to accept everyone as our brothers
and sisters in Christ, and he reminded us that "After all, the Bible
does not say 'for God so loved America,' but it says 'for God so loved
the WORLD.'"
After our mass gathering in the Dome, our
group met in the hotel for our devotions and small group discussions.
Our main topic was humility, the power of the youth generation to "make
or break" the future of the church, and the importance of proposing
changes in an appropriate way. The students met in groups led by the
recent graduates to discuss ways to make changes while keeping a humble
tone in mind. To end our night, we all held hands in prayer and each
gave a prayer intercession.
--Annie, Katie, and Laura
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