A Surprising Love Affair

I spent the last four days at the Texas District LCMS youth gathering; Glorybound 2018.  I was part of the planning committee and during the event was part of the adult care team.  It was an inspiring event filled with dynamic music and inspirational speakers.  Two of those speakers had inspiring stories to tell.  Jake Olsen has been blind in both eyes since the age of twelve.  In spite of that he has become a long-snapper for the University of Southern California Trojan football team.  At age eleven Victoria Arlen was struck with a combination of two autoimmune disorders.  For four years she was a prisoner inside her own body, unable to move or communicate.  She recovered to earn a gold medal in the Paralympics. Since leaving her wheelchair behind she has appeared on Dancing with the Stars and today is an on-the-air reporter for ESPN.  Both Jake and Victoria gave testimony to the role their faith played in their lives.

Surprisingly the most popular speaker at the gathering was not Jake or Victoria.  The speaker the kids could not get enough of was World War II veteran Don Graves.  Don Graves was part of the Battle of Iwo Jima.  Of the over three hundred men in his company he is one of less than twenty who survived the attack.  At age 92, Don continues to tell his inspiring story and the young people at Glorybound could not get enough.  He got a standing ovation after singing the National Anthem to kick off the event.  They crowded around the table where his pictures and memorabilia were displayed.  They could not wait to meet him and hear more stories.  The program team could not find a room big enough to accommodate all those who wanted to be in his sectional workshop. 

I was not surprised that today’s teens would be drawn to a World War II veteran and his story.  As a group, members of Generation Z (those born since 1999) are more driven to make a difference in the world.  Many are making decisions about a career and education earlier.  Their goal often is to make the world a safer, better place.  Learning from those who have gone before them is part of that process; hence the desire to be mentored by a World War II veteran. 

The above makes this generation unique from any that has gone before them.  I am not sure Millennials and members of Generation X had the same desire to listen to voices from the past.  Yes, I am optimistic about today’s generation of teens and this past weekend confirmed it.