The text read “Praying for your community. So sorry for this loss. Grateful that you are bringing a message of hope and healing.” My response was, “Amen! We exist for times like this, right?” I’ve never experienced a time (even with 9/11) where people are stressed emotionally at the level I’m seeing today. People are grappling to get a handle on the reality of our situation (Covid, racial tensions, political turmoil and now huge impact due to fires), with more struggles coming as the long-term impact is felt by the community. These feelings are very much in the minds and hearts of our young people as well.

We truly do exist for times like this! While everything has changed… at the same time, nothing has. Our Mission is still to share God’s Story with young people through trusting relationships in any relevant way. We are in the business of relationships, building trust that leads to hope and we are committed to stay in our ‘lane’.

Things are very different though… Connecting with kids in this season of Covid-19 and online schooling means we’re working hard to provide safe places for kids to study, access to the internet, and adult help if they’re struggling. With the challenges related to the fire, we’re connecting with kids to help them process the hurts and fear they’ve experienced. We’re collaborating with other agencies to provide food and structured activities for young people who’ve been displaced. Also, a Fire Relief Fund has been set up to provide for the food, activities, and also outside-the-box needs other agencies aren’t designed to meet.

You still provide trust that leads to hope! The Mission hasn’t changed… just some of the methods. Thank you for bringing the message of hope and healing!  BUD AMUNDSEN   71Five Executive Director   (541) 779-3275   bud@71Five.org

 

I heard this story the other day… Joey had only met Melanie, our Phoenix Area Coordinator in person once but had connected through online club. He’s also been playing the online game ‘Fortnite’ with Melanie and her husband. One afternoon Joey reached out to them and asked, “Would you be willing to spend a couple hours with me tomorrow to play Fortnite? It’s my birthday and I have no one to spend it with.” You see, Joey has already faced a lot of challenges in life, but because of COVID-19 his big birthday plans fell to nothing; No party, no friends or family were going to celebrate Joey. This isn’t a huge tragedy, but it clearly reveals what kids are facing. They’re struggling everyday with the ‘necessary injustice’ of social distancing. For their safety they’ve had relationships, activities, freedom, fun, and even birthday parties taken from them. They know it’s for their good, but they still feel the sadness and anger… Isolation and loss is difficult for adults to handle, let alone kids.

This is where you step in. You have provided trusting relationships that lead to hope. You provide someone to share the moment, someone to share the hurt and someone to share a path to hope. Thank you for providing the someone!!… If you’d like to be the someone… Come join 71Five and call (5410 779-3275 or go online at 71Five.org BUD AMUNDSEN   71Five Executive Director   (541) 779-3275   bud@71Five.org

 

There’s a hymn that’s almost 100 years old that is probably very familiar to most of us. Its title is, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and it speaks of God’s unchanging love and grace toward his people. Take a look at the chorus which is profoundly comforting as we face the needs of each day in these very uncertain times…

 

Thank you for bringing ‘new mercies’ to lost and hurting young people! BUD AMUNDSEN 71Five Executive Director (541) 779-3275 bud@71Five.org

 

 

• We will adhere to the mandates of state and local government and follow the precautions of the schools and agencies we work with in their response to the threat.
• With the closure of schools, we are cancelling indoor ministry activities as of March 14th. We will work to provide for the needs of young people by offering activities where we can meet outdoors.
• We will cancel or postpone trips that use our vans for the month of March. We will reassess this on Wednesday April 1st.
• No one with cold and flu symptoms will be admitted to ministry events including both youth and staff (paid or volunteer).
• Extra cleaning— Staff will take the time for extra cleaning and disinfect hard surfaces in their ministry space. (e.g.- door handles, counters, bathroom surfaces, pool sticks, controllers and computer keyboards.)
• We will remind youth to wash or sanitize hands frequently and not share food or drinks.
• We will make sure to communicate to youth and volunteer staff to stay home if they feel at risk.

 

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you. [Psalms 33:22] BUD AMUNDSEN 71Five Executive Director (541) 779-3275 bud@71Five.org

 

Do you remember the stories we’ve shared? Here is what you’ve accomplished in the lives of several young people… There are so many more.

• You brought a message of forgiveness to a gal guilty of crime and facing jail.
• You communicated that life has purpose to young people who are discouraged and depressed.
• You bring safety and fun into the lives of kids whose homes are not safe.
• You’ve brought kind words and compliments to a boy who hears nothing but criticism and insults at home.
• You offered faithfulness and trust to a young man with no one in his life he can trust.
• You bring direction to lost kids with no ability to navigate life.
• You have guided hundreds and hundreds of kids through trusting relationships to real hope— an eternal and indestructible hope in Jesus.

Someday I hope you can hear the thanks you deserve directly from the kids whose lives you’ve changed, but until then, hear the gratitude from me… Thank you!! BUD AMUNDSEN 71Five Executive Director (541) 779-3275 bud@71Five.org

 

Do you remember the movie ‘Avatar’? A small part of that movie has stuck with me… It’s the greeting of the natives— when they meet, they say, “I see you,” meaning: I’m with you, my attention is on you and I distinguish you as an individual. At Youth 71Five, “seeing” each young person drives us to be focused on individual, trusting relationships. Also, as the youth culture changes over time and from community to community, we’re willing to flex our methods to stay effective. Our recent push into VoTech training and the Mountain Biking program are two examples of this organizational value.

 

By “seeing” young people in this way, you provide the broadest opportunity for them to connect with a program they need and enjoy. You also provide a trusting relationship with a godly, caring adult who will also “see” them and meet their individual needs.

 

Thank you for “seeing” each young person! You provide trust that leads to an eternal and indestructible hope in Jesus Christ. BUD AMUNDSEN 71Five Executive Director (541) 779-3275 bud@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

 

Have you ever been lost; I mean completely lost where you have no idea where you are? Years ago, I got lost in the mountains of Wyoming. I was hiking and looking for elk antlers and I got turned around and started following a creek I thought went back to the ranch. After a while, I realized this was not the right creek at all. Because I was so sure of where I was, I hadn’t paid attention and literally had no idea where I’d gone wrong or which direction to go. Everything I “knew” was wrong. I tried to walk out in a couple of different directions, but I just ended up more confused. I began to feel hopeless because all my efforts were just making things worse.

 

I’ve come to realize those feelings of confusion and hopelessness are what many kids in our community face every day. They’re so lost and confused, everything they “know” doesn’t work and just brings more confusion and harmful decisions. No one is there to show them the way.

 

This is where Youth 71Five steps in and provides trusting relationships that change everything. Kids connect with an adult who shows them how life works and points them to the hope in Jesus they desperately need. Come join us as we reach out to the many lost kids of our Valley. Because you can provide trust that leads to hope! Give us a call at (541) 779-3275 or visit our website 71Five.org – BUD AMUNDSEN 71Five Executive Director  (541) 779-3275 bud@71Five.org

 

Psalm 71:5 says, “Lord God, you are my hope. I have trusted you since I was young.” As I’ve been contemplating this verse recently, I realized, hope only comes through trust. We can’t have genuine hope for a better future if we don’t trust the people around us or trust in a God who cares. Think about it, if I can’t trust in at least one person, there’s no hope for happiness or comfort. Trust is the lifeline to having any hope in this world. It struck me, this is the core of who we are and what we do. We bring hope to hurting young people through a bridge of trust. The young person experiences real hope because they can count on someone to care for them today and also care for them tomorrow. Then… the trusting relationship points toward a loving God who is infinitely trustworthy and brings unending hope.

God is using you to completely transform lives of lost and hurting young people in our community. Thank you for providing trusting relationships that build a bridge to hope. BUD AMUNDSEN, 71Five Executive Director bud@71Five.org