Words from Betty Bartlett’s favorite song ring true each and every day in her home. Betty, a 72-year-old, cancer-surviving widow expressed her joy as eight high school students painted the cupboards and walls in her warm, loving home.  With appreciation in her voice, Betty said she felt strengthened by this group of students; making her feel like a person instead of “just a little old lady.”

Coming from eight cities across the United States and Canada, the 156 high-school-aged Youth Unlimited Serve participants arrived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, not knowing what was in store for them. With a week packed full of opportunities planned by their Host Church to serve the community, these students would change more lives than they could count.

Serving people like Betty at her home, in organizations, in warehouses, in thrift stores, in soup kitchens, or even out on the streets, the volunteers discovered excitement in sharing the love of Christ. Equipped with a helpful, Christ-centered heart, these volunteers were giving the gift of confidence, love, and respect back to the community; especially people like Betty, without even realizing it.

Sharing God’s heart of compassion for the poor, broken, and lonely, Youth Unlimited and World Renew worked together to enrich the lives of teenagers. Showing the growing physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of people in the world, Youth Unlimited and World Renew want the teenagers—the future of the church—to see what they can do.

 “Being the hands and feet of Jesus is what we are created for. We need to minister to people where they are at; reaching outside the community and being willing to take a risk.” – Jay Knoblock

World Renew and Youth Unlimited and nine other organizations are collaboratively working to serve a holy, loving and just God through Live58. Live58 is a collaborative Christian organization that focuses on poverty alleviation and community development. Together, these organizations are empowering and equipping people to live out the Gospel message through words and actions.

Bob Grussing, the youth pastor at LaGrave Christian Reformed Church explained how Serve helps equip and shape teenagers’ futures. Giving teenagers the opportunity to serve in communities across the nation allows for them to expand their thinking and know they are part of a bigger world. The Serve volunteers shared in the mission of Live58, showing the love of Christ through their work.

Embracing your own church and then your own community sets you up for embracing the broader community, eventually leading to embracing the world, Bob explained. Continuing on, he said, “This is a beginning of what you can do with your life. You can make an impact here and at home by showing that hope and passion.”

“In doing the work, we are building relationships,” said Jennifer Heerema, a Serve participant.

“It changes how you look at people and it’s a lot easier that what you expect,” said Chris Beezhold, another Serve participant.

Nick Moelker, the worksite coordinator for Serve said, “Our shirts say ‘Serve’ and that is a piece of it, but it’s more of getting the kids to build a relationship with Christ.” Building a relationship with Christ is the foundation for building a relationship with other people.

Jay Knoblock, the leader of street evangelism at Serve, said, “Being the hands and feet of Jesus is what we are created for. We need to minister to people where they are at; reaching outside the community and being willing to take a risk.”

Nick Hoffman, an adult Serve leader from Minnesota, took that risk to reach outside the community. Previously, he went on a World Renew mission trip to Guatemala with a church group. Seeing a large body of people with so many needs, Nick was full of compassion for the people in Guatemala.

Building a kitchen for a school, carrying water to a community well, and playing games and teaching the kids at the school were the main focus of the trip. But what really caught Nick’s attention was Lazaro Aguin, a man that has collaborated with World Renew over the years. As an expert in organic agriculture, Lazaro teaches countless communities around the area on how fertilize, water, and maintain crops. Lazaro uses about 5 million worms in this farming process. He feeds the worms manure and they give him rich soil. Also, the worm urine is used as a pesticide in this farming technique. As a result, the crops are healthier and greener in color.

After seeing this process, Nick was inspired. He saw the hope and excitement of growing plants in Guatemala and wanted to bring that back to the community. During his week at Serve, Nick thought of ways to give hope back to people. One idea was to have a community garden. He thought that growing a garden together would be a great way to give people hope, dependence, excitement, and ambition.

Although the plans are just an idea yet, Nick has learned through a life-changing World Renew Guatemala trip and a Youth Unlimited Grand Rapids Serve trip that people are in need everywhere. “Physical needs are slowly being met, both in Grand Rapids and in Guatemala; but the lack of hope, the lack of love, that is the real poverty.”

Deepening the understanding of global issues and encouraging action is what World Renew and Youth Unlimited wanted to do for the youth. Broadening the perspectives and challenging previous worldviews through experiences, relationships, and passion for Christ is how the SERVE participants engaged in God’s community.

So what’s next? What will these kids do the other 51 weeks of the year? What can you do to mobilize The Church help build the worldview of global service to Christ in the next generation?

Consider showing the LIVE58 Film to your church. Find it at www.live58.org/empower.

Just as these teens had a week-long experience of community change, we can make a change together. Talk with your pastor or meet with your church council to see how your church can use your blessings to help end poverty, spread the Gospel, and mobilize The Church. 

Together, we can make a difference around the world, feeling comfort in knowing that, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

 

Image above: Youth Unlimited Serve participants helped pack a World Renew shipping contain throughout the week in Grand Rapids.