KCIYA- Faith Always Wins Interfaith Leadership Blog

Maleah and David high-five after completing laying the tile board Day 1: Orientation and Tour I am not going to lie, I was really nervous. Despite my fears, this sense of community has immediately pulled me right in. It's contagious. The joy and love of the residents at J-Farm literally radiates off of them. From the hugs upon arrival to the shared birthday dance (shoutout to my B-Day twin Sept. 13th.) I have already begun to feel surprisingly at home. In our opening prayer of the retreat, we were asked to anoint ourselves with oil that was paired with one of the four cornerstones (Simplicity, Community, Prayer, Service) Jerusalem Farm that we wanted to grow in or have more challenge with. I chose Prayer. As I embark on this journey, I hope to hold prayer close. I want to continue and grow my prayer techniques and practice. While this might sound cliche, I feel God here. I feel His presence. As a non-denominational Christian, I have always had this sense of not necessarily...

Maleah, Gwyn, and Jesse making lunch Day 2: Kitchen Crew and Walk Today was amazing. I started off my morning working in the kitchen. As someone who rarely (never) cooks, I was truly amazed at all the work that goes into planning a meal.  Directly following breakfast, the attention immediately went to preparing lunch. Being a part of this process has truly pushed me to see another perspective when I consume food. I don't think I properly acknowledge and appreciate those who work in helping provide me with food. A human right which many people are unable to obtain. As a society, we take so much for granted. My action of preparing and cooking grilled cheese may seem minor, but for those who serve meals on a daily basis these tasks are important and work in serving and helping their community of friends, family, neighbors, or "strangers."   Something that really struck and impacted me along this journey was our morning walk around the garden. In that period of tim...

Welcome to the KCIYA- Faith Always Wins Interfaith Youth Leadership Blog. We hope that you will be inspired by the stories and reflections written by the youth participants of our program. Our interfaith youth leadership program is an invitation to high school age youth in the Greater Kansas City metro. Our Mission: We seek to empower the youth of all religious, nonreligious, and spiritual identities to come together to create understanding and respect by serving the Kansas City community. Our History : Founded in 2009, KCIYA is a collaborative nonprofit of individuals who want to change the conversation about faith, values, and spirituality in the public square but encouraging and mentoring youth in the areas of leadership development, orienting around the shared values of service, and growth in personal beliefs. We were inspired by the vision of the founder of Chicago's Interfaith Youth Core, Eboo Patel, and his discussion of the modern context of interreligious dyna...