This trip, I had the opportunity to serve on the Late Nights team, which was the same team I was serving on during SLAM Nashville. During the time I spent serving in Nashville for SLAM, I was blown away by how many students shared how deeply Late Nights impacted them.
By the end of the week, I was moved to tears, overwhelmed with gratitude for the role I got to play in helping students grasp the message. I found Mr. Garner (our internship leader) in the hallway just to thank him for challenging us to stay connected to the theme.
This experience made me even more excited to lead in El Salvador. I believed the impact God can have on youth there would come through our obedience and willingness to share His Word, which we did through our late nites.
It was also incredible to see Gabby and Orlando, two of our cooperatives and interns around our age, step into their roles with boldness and joy as they joined our team. The kids looked up to them, and their freedom in performing was truly inspiring.
After our first night there, Gabby shared how the youth seemed more open and free. They told her and Orlando they felt inspired and believed they could do more in their life and don’t have to be characterized by fear. Watching them laugh, dance, chant, compete, and love one another filled me with so much hope and joy. El Salvador is being changed by these youth, allowing these lessons and moments move them and shape them.
I want to leave you with something Orlando shared with me after I told him how powerful it was to watch him perform for the kids during these late nite skits.
He said to me, “Knowing these kids and their situation, denying myself to create a moment where they feel loved, seen and free—that’s part of our calling.”
I loved my time in El Salvador and getting this opportunity to put on late nites for these precious youth. I can’t wait to go back.