I have had a number of great opportunities to work with students during the past 12 or thirteen years. I have been a coach, a Teen Director, a Prime Time leader and served in many roles working with students. In mytime working with students I have never had a more rewarding experience than a trip to Tennessee a few years ago. I worked side by side with the students I was typically playing with. We got to know each other much more intimately than we had in any other program. Most importantly we were able to work with people we had never met, and put our faith into action. The looks on the faces of Otis and Powell was one of sheer amazement as we worked all day in the summer heat. In fact many days they would sit and watch us work. Many of our students will never forget the time we spent sitting in the living room getting to know Otis' Mom. We spent time fixing up her house, but the time our students spent with her one on one, I know helped to fix her heart as well.
I am going to New Orleans in July curious as to who Otis and Powell will be this week. I am so excited to minister to a new family or families.I look forward to getting to know our students more intimately than before. God has blessed us even before we leave with resources that will allow us to do things we don't yet know about. I can't wait to see how He will use the resources FBC, our friends and families have supplied. I look forward to telling the story of the people we were able to help through the kindness so many have shown. I look forward most of all to the changes I remember seeing in our students after the last trip. We spend so much time telling them that they are not the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today. I am excited to watch them lead. I pray this trip changes lives; both in Portland and New Orleans.
- Rus
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Sometimes God makes Otis and Powell plain to see. Sometimes He never reveals them to you. And sometimes He gives you the wonderful pleasure of seeing them revealed little by little. Rest assured, though, your faithfulness and willingness to serve Him will produce fruit! In 1982/83 I began attending FBC. I accepted Christ there, having seen Christ's love through the people who served, worshipped, and made Him real to me. A short time later, good friends asked me to work with the Jr. High Youth Group, and I had found a genuine purpose. There were kids who I could see loved God and wanted to learn more about Him and serve Him. There were kids I have never seen since then. And there were kids I was not sure what God had in mind for, but have since witnessed God's great work in. I remember one boy who was very active, and rarely made it to youth group because he was involved in several sports and many other activities. He was very lean and athletic, and dominated the games that we played when he was there. He had a drive to win, and I prayed that God would channel that energy into great use for His Kingdom. I have had the pleasure of watching this boy (and many others like him) blossom over the years, serving the Lord in many capacities. I have had the wonderful privilege of seeing him encourage, excite, listen to, and care for the many kids the Lord has put him into contact with. I am very thankful to have had at least a small part in God's plan for this boy, who is now a young (to me) man. As you all give of yourselves for victims of Katrina, you may not see, and may never see, the great things God is accomplishing through you. You can be certain, however, that lives are being changed like my life has been through faithful servants at FBC, and like a young boy named Rus was many years ago.
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