Pick-A-Flower : Pick-A-Nose : Pick-A-Pocket

Taylor Pool made his way to the microphone... "WAAZZUP!..." He paused for a moment to laugh at himself and then said, "Yeah know what, on the count of three lets bring 1995 back..." Then with much determination, on the count of three everyone in the Barn yelled, "WAAAZZZZUP!!" (Oh the memories)... Then he continued with a few questions for us:

"How many of you think that Extreme Poverty is cool?" asked Taylor as he talked with the students at the Barn. Everyone was silent and no one raised their hand. (I felt compelled to, even though I didn't agree, thinking it was a trick question, but I didn't - thankfully). "Good," he continued, "that would have been bad if you thought extreme poverty was cool." This was his segway to led us on a journey of God's attitude toward poverty, and of how his heart was changed to reach out to the impoverished around the world.

Then he asked us, "How many of you have a dream?"... nearly everyone raised their hand. "I want everyone one of you to think in your head what that dream is, and to think of what picture you paint of God."

Opening his Bible to Ezekiel 16:49-50 he read (though in translation that isn't as cool as my ESV - just kidding, I'm not biased on other translations, I think), "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it." "My whole life," he said, after closing the pages of his inferior translation of the bible (that's a joke, don't take it seriously), "I had been told that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because their were immoral. Never, though, did I hear this: that they were destroyed because they refused to give to the poor and needy.... when I read this verse it hit me hard, and from this I painted a new picture of God, and gained a new dream."

Taylor, is part of a group called, "Pick-a-Pocket", a group in associated with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) who came to the Barn last night to teach us how we could help make a difference in the battle against extreme poverty. This group, based out of Germany, is traveling in the US currently, using their art and music, bring awareness about this world problem, and to raise money to help aid those around the world who are surrounded by extreme poverty. To do this they are publishing a book and selling their art, and giving 100% of the profits toward those impoverished people they have brushed shoulders with.

As the program continued they challenged the kids to take up a '30 day' challenge. This challenge is basically this: to go for 30 days without paying for your own food, and relying on others, then at the end of the 30 days taking all the money that would have been used and using it to help end extreme poverty. (If the students were unable to do it with food, they suggested to not buy music, movies, video games, etc... for 30 days and do the same thing). 10 of our students raised their hands and Taylor went, "Wow, that's seriously the most people we've ever had want to take the challenge at once... I saw you all raise your hands and I was like Woah!"...

The night was really awesome. From music to art to stories, it was really an eye opening experience. Looking back at their lives, I am amazed at how God has used them and I think of the legacies that he has for the students and leaders at the Barn. Now is our time; it is up to us to help them make a difference and to make a difference in our societies, families, and worlds. I'm excited to see how these 10 students do with taking up this challenge, and how the rest of the students do in seeking out opportunity every day to make a difference.

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* Please don't kill me Pick-A-Pocket crew if I mix up who said what or mis-quote... I'm going from memory... I wasn't taking notes ha...