The Beginning of the End
Since I don’t seem capable of removing myself from my couch today, I thought I might have a go at blogging.
Last night was part one of staging our final Impact events before we enter a life without Breakthru’ Artz next year. Today is filled with mixed emotions, as is pretty normal the day after a big show. But I guess they’re a little more highlighted in light of it being a season of lasts. On one hand I’m releived it’s all over because it’s all such hard work. On the other hand it’s such a privilege to be part of seeing kids having a ball and exploring creativity and community. It’s hard to let it go.
Last night was our second attempt to do a Kids Impact and it’s just way fun to do a whole lot of kiddy things like you get to relive your childhood. And it’s so rewarding to watch kids respond to seemingly simple things with laughter and excitement. I’ve really enjoyed watching Jon in his element these last few weeks putting this together. He has a real gift for making children laugh and capturing their imaginations. And his sets were really cool. One of my favourite moments was when part of the cardboard box factory transformed into a rocket ship with some simple snake lights, UV lights and a drop sheet on a fishing wire. I could hear the audience with the ooh’s and ah’s from where I was in the wings!
We were back at Covenant hall which was kind of nice because it sent me down memory lane to earlier Impacts in that same space. Although this one was unique in that it included activities and sets and roving characters across the entire space. So walking in was like walking into outer space. So magical! Go the fairy lights and Uv lights with glo in the dark paint!
It wasn’t the easiet of events to put together. Or pack down. In some ways we overshot our capacity and just didn’t quite have the man power we needed. So at least I’m not jumping up and down saying ‘let’s do it again!’. In some ways that’s good because we’re not. As we packed up for hours, it was a good feeling knowing that we’d given our best shot, that it was a really special night, and it was ok to let it be and not return to it.
One of the themes of the night was fair trade and anti-child labour. So we finally got around to ordering our etiko sweat-free shoes this week and wore them all day. Trouble with new shoes when you’re on your feet all day is they kill your feet! Bad move. I mean good move…to be consistent with the values of what we’re saying from the stage, right? Oh that feeling of taking rubbish up to the skips in pain will stay with me. Oh yeah.
The end of the show was a bit surreal. I hadn’t really thought about it being the last as the day had enough worries and adventures of its own. So standing on stage thanking people for the last 10 years was a bit wierd. I got given the biggest bunch of flowers I’ve ever seen. I could barely hold them up. Still trying to work out what to do with them!
On reflection another highlight from last night was seeing 2 young adults who were part of the first kids team now leading the kids team with confidence and gentleness. There’s something really beautiful about watching a cycle of leadership, knowing that something of what you’ve passed on, continues to be passed on. It reminds me that the future may take a different shape, but lessons from the past will always walk with us.
So what will I miss about breakthru’ kids and impact?
I’ll miss the excitement of show night through the eyes of a child.
I’ll miss praying for the kids in the cast meeting, nervous not knowing how they’ll respond to prayer, but feeling a sense of joy as I share my heart and passion with them to see God involved in our art.
I’ll miss teaching kids about performing as a gift. A gift to the audience. And a gift for those less fortunate.
I’ll miss seeing a community of the body of Christ stepping up and shining in the gifts they’re been given to work together for his glory. The young and the not so young serving each other.
I’ll miss the silliness, craziness and creativity that’s unique to working with kids. Adults just get a bit serious.
I’ll miss encouraging and training kids to find their own creativity and ways of expressing it.
I’ll miss parents saying ‘this is so different, the kids love it’
And so that’s kids impact 09. Blast Off! One small step and one giant leap.
‘Blast off! We’ve been exploring the sky
Blast off! And now it’s time to say bye
So much laughter, so much fun
So thanks for coming everyone
As we blast off!’
Part 2 of the end will be here in just 4 weeks. I hope we can find the energy to keep going. Really want to end well.