Last weekend, 600+ high school students from Lutheran churches across five states gathered in Estes Park, Colorado to join ONE in the fight against extreme poverty and disease. High up at the base of the Rockies, the Rocky Mountain Synod Youth learned about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and what they could do to help achieve them.

I was privileged to give the opening message, where I talked about how living out the MDGS was the modern day equivalent of caring for our global neighbors. Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson also spoke on Saturday, noting that “working for justice and peace meant making your voice heard.” He said that being a part of ONE was a great way for students to work with their friends from other faith communities.

It was a weekend of many exciting firsts, too: youth groups from Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming and Texas all kicked-off the Lutheran Malaria Initiative. Their aim? To mobilize 8 million Lutherans in the fight against malaria. At the end of the weekend, the students all then went down the mountain, energized to organize their communities at home.