Karitos Worship Conference Creates New Opportunities for Young People

Sunday me and my daughters came home from the 25th Karitos Worship and Arts Conference. This year it was in Streator, Illinois about a 3 and a half hour drive for us. This conference is always a test of faith for me. In 2015 was the last time I went to the conference as an attendee. Since then I have gone as a volunteer in registration and in the past two years been an integral part of the Youth Track. So I went to work and work I did.

The whole weekend we met obstacle after obstacle but God provided. The conference took place this year at two churches. The Open Bible Church located in a old elementary school is where classes were held during the day and the Grace Assembly Church was where nightly worship took place. Both churches worked together graciously to  help the event run smoothly. Unfortunately a week before the event the air conditioning at the school no longer worked. It was a hot weekend. And we were faced with classes with no air. I was especially concerned with the children in my and my assistant Hannah Mwangi’s care that they would get over heated. One of my volunteers Lorraine was a God send. She was a resident of Streator so she went home and brought two more large fans for the youth room. Then after the second class of Hip Hop when my youth were dropping like flies in the hot room She went downstairs and got the concession stand to donate water for them. Zach Francis, the vice president of Karitos also went and purchased water so that we had some for the rest of the time. I was so thankful to both of them.

It was hot but now the heat was more bearable. I cheerfully told the youth to pretend they were at camp for the weekend.  God was actually planning with this water for another obstacle we would face Friday evening. The city came under a mandatory 48 hour boil alert. Had we not had that water for the youth they would have been in serious trouble under our care on Saturday. I am so thankful that God planned ahead.

I saw so many amazing things that God did for these young people over the weekend. One of the girls had ear pain. The worship pastor and a few others prayed and laid hands on her and she gave her testimony that night that the pain had left. Praise God!  Young people led worship with dancing and flags and one boy, who had grabbed my heart early on, climbed up on stage and danced with  Pastor Cory Ratliff Saturday night.

The main focus for the youth that weekend was freelance Spray paint artist Milton Coronardo who came to teach them how to spray paint and make their own art. The youth enjoyed learning how to spray paint and worked together to make their own murals on plywood. Coronardo also worked with the adults who created a beautiful butterfly mural for the Open Bible Church’s outreach ministry.

If you are someone who is artistic like me and is looking for a place that celebrates all forms of art in a christian way Karitos may be what your looking for. There are many events throughout the year in addition to the conference. There is also online classes offered in many different genres. I encourage you to go to  karitosnation.org and learn more about it. You can also check out last years blog about Katitos 2018 What is Karitos Worship and Arts Conference.