By Calee Ewing, Tri-City Campus Life
Around the world, the year 2020 was a testament that disaster strikes without warning. This experience was no different for Campus Life. As we were moving forward and mastering the 3 story technique, it seemed that all of a sudden our entire mission field was taken from us. Programs that were used to having a stream of kids flooding the room, were so dry that even a tumbleweed would have given us more company if one had blown our way. While several ministry opportunities were shut, the one that remained opened became most fruitful. At Siouxland Youth For Christ, we focus on building relationships with lost students, and deep relationships with the students of the Siouxland. In my time spent with the kids in school, I met a student that we’ll call “Spencer” who had a unique story. Spencer and his sister lived with his grandmother because his parents were heavily influenced by drugs, and were not fit to care for him. They were not avid churchgoers, and Spencer had a lot of church hurt because a pastor treated him poorly in the past. Nonetheless, a Campus Life leader built an authentic, Christ-sharing relationship with Spencer and he and another Campus Life student started to attend a teen church service at a local church, where he could experience church in a positive light. Then, after the tragic loss of his grandma, the only stable caregiver he had, he still stayed connected to our ministry, and even went to Winter Camp with us. His faith journey is growing steadily. During camp, he moved from hating God and wanting nothing to do with him, to be willing to learn about him. Although Spencer has not accepted Christ yet (to my knowledge), he is growing closer and closer to allowing Christ to move into his heart, and that is something to be celebrated!