YMCA OF ARMENIA

I was in Armenia..

.... working with a group of young humans 

from The YMCA's of 

Armenia/ Georgia/ Russia /Bulgaria

 and at the end of the week 

they gave me this sorta key ring.
It is always in my bathroom.
I scan it.
Often.

This week changed my life.

It was this experience

that triggered my prayers

my thoughts

my faith

to consider being a 

YOUTH WORK GROUP WORKER

TRAINER

FACILITATOR

Can I consider  moving from Community Leadership 

to become a full time Group Worker and Trainer?

Can I sacrifice freedom for security?

I did.

There was about fifty young humans together 

for the best part of a week. 

Because I had not really been briefed well 

I did not take my big bag of fun-n-games bag.
So I had to busk it.

I said to them all the time - 

'you are beautiful'.
By the end of the days together 

they started to believe.
With thirsty eyes 

- they looked at their friends 

and told them that they were beautiful.
The climate became one of acceptance.
We touched finger tips in a large circle.
A circle of uniqueness.
We lifted each other physically, in groups, 

each one of us - to the tune of U2's 'one'.

We laughed.
We danced.
We built human towers.
We took risks.
We hugged.
We all placed our finger prints on paper - 

and then burned it on a wooden cross 

until it shrivelled to an ugly shape 

and 

then dropped to form a pile of dust 

- in silence.

We wept together as, 

for the first time, 

they talked about their family members 

who died in the Armenian earthquake.
They left their fingerprints on my soul

 ..........

........ and a key-sorta-ring

which you can read a little of above .........



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