Joni and friends was an awesome experience. As we were going up the mountain, I had been thinking about past winter retreats. I was so excited when I saw the Palm Springs Ranch was just 5 miles away from Idyllwild. I had been thinking that I would feel weird or uncomfortable around disabled people. First day we went it was of just volunteers because we needed training.

The next day was the big day. At 3 the families began to come and we all helped them with their luggage. Little Daniel helped use the cart and just ran around and helped out. I got to meet my family, the Kim family. Their little twin girls were so adorable. One the twins was being carried by her dad and she was willing to let me carry her. I was really happy when she had let me carry her.

Every volunteer helped all the families move the luggages into the rooms. I heard from one person that they felt like "celebrities" because there were many volunteers in our light blue shirts once they drove to the front. Just after seeing a couple of families coming, I felt better around the disabled people. They felt to me like normal people. It's so amazing seeing so many disabled people. Instantly, after the first night, everyone seemed like family. And they are, in the family of Christ.

Every night I had dinner with the Kims and we had an ice cream social. I didn't feel like I was being very helpful. I couldn't do too much because I barely knew them and the parents might not feel comfortable. The parents were very friendly though. I found out that the dad, Eugene, was one of the coordinators who organized RYCE 2002 and is organizing RYCE 2004. Katelyn's only disability is not being able to walk. But by the age of 7, that is in about 4 years, she will begin to walk. Therapy would probably be needed for her whole life. I was glad I had that family. It was a good start for me of this kind of big experience.

I got to know Cora, Sandra's niece better the next day and we even teased each other a lot. Sunday night the MBCLA people and Cora sang with Mike's guitar and played some cards. Melody brought a box of beads, and she was so nice of letting people make bracelets. She let us make them free of charge! She made some for the twins and when Jessica lost hers, Melody was really sweet of just making more for her. It was easier for me to make Jessica smile than to make Katelyn smile. But I still loved taking care of both girls. They are also healthy girls, eating fruits and veggies.

I didn't really feel God's presence in everything. I tried to take my heart to Him. I could tell other people were moved through the worship and talks. I even had a hard heart at first about worship. I was thinking, they should have a guitar person also, because they only had a keyboardist. I got used to it after though; it was an awesome time of experience even if some things were different. It wasn't until the last couple days I'd just listen to the volunteers' sharing, and how everyone just grew and learned was I moved.

I was a bit impatient with this one boy in my 7-9 year-old group. Taking care of that age group was actually harder than taking care of the Kim family. The boy just wouldn't behave. He would keep asking to get out of his chair because he was buckled in, but once I do let him out, he runs off and do his own thing he wasn't suppose to. I tried getting him back to his chair so he would behave, but he wouldn't. It was pretty frustrating. Soon when it was time to leave, I just picked him up as he was struggling to get out of my arms, but I had him sit back in his chair and buckle him up. There were a couple times when he would slap the kids that were around him. He even once threw his glasses at me and slapped me in the face, it was kind of surprising. I knew I just had to be patient with him and think what God would want me to do.

Then I just got really tired. The theme of the retreat was running the race with endurance. I knew that I had to be patient and endure this time and show God's love. At one meeting, Robert said, "This is like a sprint of the race, when we get back down the mountain, we need to still stride and never stop." Up at the mountain I totally forgot about everything down the mountain. I just enjoyed the bonding time with even the Hsieh family and the rest of the crew. The kids were getting used to us. Angela used to never talk to me, but she began to talk to me and once she talks she just keeps talking. =)

I liked talking to Cora, Melody, and Candace. For free time, there was swimming, horseback riding, tennis, and other activities! To me I really enjoyed the swimming part because almost everyone went. At the talent show, I was so moved by what some of the disabled people did. A few sang and one wrote something really wonderful. At first I thought it was the scripture until later I found out that she wrote it. The songs were amazing, I can just feel that each person was singing out of their hearts. I enjoyed the volunteer meetings also where they shared.

It was a blessing just to hear how they grew as the week went by and just how God works so much. They sang in worship with their hearts out not caring what people think of them or how they sound. I really want to go back next summer, it's a different kind of experience. The retreat isn't like how winter retreats are. This time we're serving and I felt like I came back down the mountains with more blessings than if I were one of the families. It was a joy just seeing the families feeling special, how people talked to each other, and how people cared so much for each other.

Even if the time isn't emotional with God like mine, the experience is just so awesome to remember. It's such a wonderful feeling serving others and God knowing you'll just feel closer and know God each time you do so. So much can be learned when you're doing the serving, yet you know God's showing you many things. You can just see how God works it all. God is good all the time.