After eating a fantastic meal donated by Hawaiian Hut, we sat down to talk about this week’s movie. I wanted to share about All Saints Day… not my usual connection between the movie and God’s word. I asked the kids, What was your favorite scene? At that point a parent raised her hand and said her favorite scene was when the main character did everything in His power to save and protect the little girl. Then a girl in the group said, “That’s what God does for us.” The group made the connection even when I had a different plan. God’s love and grace were proclaimed… the group was preaching to me! Now that was a treat I will cherish for a while. Together we are building trust with families that leads to the hope of life and freedom in Jesus.

 

 

When I arrive at a local youth hang out to pick up anyone for club, the youth ask me questions such as “Where are you going?” “What are you guys going to do?” And the one question that separates the crowd from who’s going and who isn’t… “Is it religious?” Week after week I would ask a certain girl to join us, however, she would always reply with “No”. The reason she’d say no is because this girl identifies as a boy. I kept pursuing her and to my surprise, she finally said “Yes”. Later that evening as we met for our small group discussion, the question was “How does God speak to you?” Literally, behind a mask she had put on, tears ran down her face. We gathered around her and prayed. I believe it’s not our place to judge or change people, God does that. At Youth 71Five Ministries, it’s our desire to share the Gospel with young people and provide a safe place as they find their identity in Christ.

 

There are others attending club who are struggling with their gender. 71Five can reach these youth and share the Gospel in an incredible way by building trust that leads to hope. Jesus says in Luke 19:10, “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” As the Grants Pass 71Five Campus Director, I will continue to seek out those who may never hear about who God is because they think they aren’t within reach. FARRAH GUTHRIE 71Five Campus Area Director – Grants Pass (541) 779-3275 farrah@71Five.org

 

In ministry, I’ve learned to think in terms of generations. When ministering to kids, we consider the effect it will have on the children that will come from this child in front of us today. When 71Five develops new ministry team members, we work to help them keep one eye on the future and how the ministry will look as they one day hand it off to the next generation. Today, 71Five reaches out to kids and families that struggle and yet we do this work while building for the future to serve broken kids that are not yet born. They too will need the power and love of God displayed in their lives. I, personally, won’t be here to serve them but team members we teach today and those who follow them will be for years after I’m gone. The key: God will always be here!

 

Youth 71Five Ministries is built on the work of generations of ministers who began building on the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Constantly building on a firm foundation to bring hope into the lives of kids through a trusting relationship with our Savior remains the calling we follow. MATT SWEENEY 71Five Ministry Coordinator (541) 779-3275 matt@71Five.org

 

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 icb

We first met Kelsie when she was 16, pregnant, living at home, and still in high school. She has been coming to our group for 2 years now and she just graduated last May. We are so proud of her and the young woman and mom she is. Kelsie has grown over the last couple years in her relationship with the Lord and is feeling the call to be a leader and work with youth. This year we have started a weekly discipleship class for our young moms who are now out of high school, and Kelsie is a part of that group. We have been praying that these young moms would mature and grow in their relationship with the Lord and in the ways that they are called to be discipled and also to go and make disciples. We have been praying specifically that as we transition these young moms from our high school group to this new discipleship class, that one of them would take on the roll of being a leader with their peers. And in doing that would step up to organizing and initiating group play dates and times of fellowship. Just recently Kelsie expressed a desire to do this and has organized her first group gathering for other young moms to come and find community and support. It is exciting to see the Lord answering our prayers and to watch Kelsie be a leader with her peers and grow as a disciple of Christ.

 

Thank you for your support of 71Five Parents. The Lord has called us all to “go and make disciples” and because of your support and generosity we are seeing new disciples rise up, and we are seeing them go and make more disciples! – APRIL BARSALOU 71Five Parents Assistant Director (541) 779-3275 april@71Five.org

“Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” Psalm 71:5 ICB

When I thanked my cousin for picking my daughter from school she told me, “It takes a village to raise a kid.” Is that ever true! It got me thinking about all of the people involved in the life-changing work the Lord does through Youth 71Five Ministries. Take Chris and Drew for example, two kids running hard in local gangs before they were apprehended by law enforcement and lodged at Juvenile Detention. While in detention, 71Five Justice engaged them with Thursday Night Groups, Chapel Services, lunch appointments, and many one-to-one visits. When Chris and Drew were transferred to the “Barriers to Bridges” (or B2B) residential program, we continue building trusting relationships. They are now picked up for church services and were recently baptized. Every Monday they’re discipled by a volunteer husband and wife team. They also participate in the 71Five Justice “Break the Cycle” program and love it so much they plan to join the high school mountain biking team. We also plan to plug them into the 71Five VoTech Training Program. They’re both running hard for Jesus now thanks to all of the wonderful people who have answered His call to action. Does it take a village to change lives? You bet! I love my 71Five village and thank you for making all of this possible.

 

Would you be willing to plug into my “village” deeper? Please reach out so I can tell you more and see if one of our ministry areas is a fit for you. There are diverse ways our youth are engaged by competent and compassionate adults, building trusting relationships that are essential in giving kids hope—the kind of hope that is life-changing. BEAU JESKA 71Five Justice Director (541) 779.3275 beau@71Five.org

 

 

Back in November, Rogue Valley Youth for Christ became Youth 71 Five Ministries, an independent organization after 54 years with Youth for Christ. It wasn’t an easy decision, but one reason for the change was we felt we could reach more youth by continuing to reach elementary age kids. This has been shown true in a family that lives in my North Medford neighborhood. It started with an eight-year-old named Selina offering to do some yard work for me. I invited her to a 71Five event, and she brought her ten-year-old sister. As they continued to get involved, I learned they had a pregnant 16-year-old sister, a 14-year-old autistic brother and are good friends with many other kids in my neighborhood. Through the relationships I forged with the younger girls, we were able to get help for their pregnant sister through our 71Five Parents ministry. Now, the two young girls are involved in my church’s AWANA program where they’re learning the Bible every week and the teen mom has been overwhelmingly thankful for all the help we are giving her family.

 

I rarely know the rippling impacts of reaching out to a particular kid; but reaching out to Selina, my eight-year-old neighbor, has had a huge impact already. I’m thankful with Youth 71Five, I still have the opportunity to reach these kids. Would you like to see ripples grow in your community? It doesn’t take much. At 71Five, we have many ways for you to have an eternal impact in the lives of kids and your community. Are you willing to get involved? Give us a call at (541) 779-3275. TIM HARDY 71Five Campus Area Director – North Medford  (541) 779-3275 tim@71Five.org

 

 

Each week, dozens of ‘kid stories’ pass my desk. I’m often stunned by how wounded many of our young people are. One adopted boy has been in trouble and his adoptive family has abandoned him. A young girl who’s pregnant is so unable to trust caring adults, she’s living on the streets. Working with these kids is incredibly difficult because in their deep pain they often lash out at the folks who are trying to care for them. I’m proud Youth 71Five staff both paid and volunteer, seek to look past the facade of anger, bravado and disrespect to see each young person as they truly are— A child who’s been hurt, abandoned and afraid to trust.

 

You provide the adult who graciously absorbs the insults and continues to get close to show the young person there is a thing called trust and that trust leads to hope. Every week, kids don’t just hear about Jesus— they see Jesus! Thank you!! BUD AMUNDSEN 71Five Executive Director (541) 779-3275 bud@71Five.org

 

Jenna was only eleven when her mother passed away. A cyclone of pain, decimating the foundation of her world, left Jenna with confusion and brokenness. From a referral at school, she was connected with Youth 71Five Mentors and received her own mentor at the age of twelve. By her own admission, Jenna was distant and unable to trust. However, that didn’t stop Denise from pursuing her to build a friendship and to help rebuild from the destruction left by the storm. Jenna said that it was Denise’s consistency that allowed her to open up and trust an adult, saying herself “Denise was really there for me the whole time I struggled, in life, with high school drama, with boys, with getting a driver’s license… I knew she would be there and be someone I could count on to talk about anything.”

 

Jenna recently graduated from high school and is now headed off to college to be a cardio-thoracic surgeon! Denise, who works at a hospital, was able to bring Jenna in to show her around. She also, connect her with a physician’s assistant to be able to watch an actual surgery performed! Jenna didn’t need her mentor to solve all of her problems and life’s pain, she needed a caring person to walk alongside her through it all, to show up, to listen, and to encourage. That is exactly what Denise did for five years… Their relationship will continue on at college! MISTY DUKE 71Five Mentors Director (541) 779.3275 misty@71Five.org

 

In anticipation of becoming the new 71Five VoTech Director, I did some traveling this summer to renew and acquire some certifications to pass on to our students. Before I left I ran into one of the young men who graduated from our program. He related to me how grateful he was for the training and is now employed at an automotive company here in the Valley. I was encouraged to hear his story and asked him, “So where are you living”? He said, with no remorse, “I’m living in my car”. Wow, really, I thought! When I asked why he said, “I’m saving money to move into my own place with a friend”. This young man is working hard but it’s tough!

It just so happens our new VoTech Center will have transitional housing for situations like this. But more importantly— beyond learning tech skills, students will also learn about life in Christ. This comes as they hear God’s message, moving them into a trust that leads to Hope in Jesus. This young man is trying hard and moving forward, with your continued involvement we’ll see his and many more lives move from bitter to sweet. Thank you! LARRY LICATO 71Five VoTech Director (541) 779-3275 larry@71Five.org