Students from Weimar Academy participated in a recent “Faith Trip” to Houston, Texas, to attend the annual Generation of Youth for Christ (GYC) conference. The faith trip is about putting all your faith in God and trusting that He will provide for your needs.
“When we rely on self, things don’t go as planned. God has to remind us that He’s in charge,” says Lizeth Juarez, Weimar Academy student.
Juarez and several of her friends had an adventure they will never forget on this year’s trip. Their faith experience actually began before the trip as they needed an extra car to transport the group to Texas. Juarez shared that they prayed, prayed, and prayed some more, but no car showed up.
“It was the night before they were to leave early the next morning, and it looked like they would have to come up with an alternative plan,” she remembered.
It was then they received a call from a canvassing leader. He expressed how he would like to come on the faith trip and that he had a large car to contribute to the cause. At the last possible moment, God answered their prayers.
With a total of thirteen students and four leaders from the academy, the group set off for GYC. With half a tank of gas and little cash, the group lived day to day off the earnings the canvassers made along the way. Juarez relays how they all expected to do really well because everyone was experienced in canvassing.
The academy group was soon challenged when they found that they were only making $600 of the $900 they needed daily. Even with their “great” experience, God showed the canvassers that they still needed Him.
“Through this experience I learned that it doesn’t matter how good you are at something. If you don’t give it to God, it won’t matter much,” says Juarez.
The group arrived in Texas, after days of being on the road, and started to prepare for pre-conference, which was a week before GYC.
Pre-conference had the students excited for God, as they ran along the streets passing out as many pamphlets as possible. Juarez was leaving them on parked cars when she came across an upset motorist. Juarez saw her calling the security number posted on a nearby pole. Juarez quickly caught on and became worried. A few minutes later, security was headed in her direction. Not wanting to be found suspicious, Juarez says she stepped right out in the open. The police vehicle passed right in front of her, without appearing to see her.
“One of the prayers we pray every day is: Lord make us invisible to cops,” says Juarez.
For the exhausted group, GYC was like the calm after the storm. They had reached their final destination and now had time to relax on God’s word and enjoy inspiring seminars. Juarez spoke of how amazing it was to see all different kinds of people who had come from all over the place.
“For anyone who has never been to GYC…Go!” There were ten Weimar College students and four staff members who also attended GYC. Rebecca Wong, college registrar, and the students hosted a booth at the conference.
Faith trip wasn’t without challenges, but it was those experiences that helped the group grow closer to each other and God.
“Once I was broken, God was able to work through me.”
“We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” – 1 John 3:16
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By Andrea McCraw, a senior at Weimar Academy