I recently observed something that came as a surprise to me about the emerging generation.  As a part of a team that trains for short term international missions, I had designed an event that was tiring, difficult, challenging, team-focused, and intended to be generally miserable.  Events like this should help people pull together as a team and become a unit, instead of just a collection of individuals.  Common objectives in an adverse environment is the stuff that molds us together, helps us see each other as we are, and not by the facades that are common.  With this in mind, I had revved up the planning to make the event, not impossible, but hard.

We were taking the students in teams of roughly ten, so that we could isolate the activity's focus and no one would get lost in a crowd.  That part worked well.  Really it all worked well.  The students came together and helped each other, pulling each other along and not leaving anyone behind when weaknesses became a clear liability to the stronger members.  They pulled together.  They overcame the adversity.  They championed the challenge. Continue reading “the emerging 12/14/2009”