I recently sat down with a student who signed up for a training course at 71Five VoTech – Grants Pass to gain some automotive experience. Travon is a 17 year old young man with aspirations to work on custom cars… When I asked him about his journey thus far in our class he replied, “I’m getting a lot more out of it than I expected!” He was prepared to sit in the corner and take notes, he did not expect the hands-on experience and the morning life skills conversations. I also asked him what he thought about the foundation of our ministry being faith based and being part of our daily lives and conversations. Travon replied, “I was raised in a very over-the-top religious home and I drifted from faith as it was more than what I was capable of tolerating.” He said he felt comfortable and appreciated our light approach to the word indicating that he had not given up completely and felt hope in his future. This was a young man who was reluctant to be here, sitting in the corner just watching, not interacting much, now he is a social butterfly in the shop and seems to have bonded well with his classmates. When I asked him if he would want to take another course with us he replied, “If there’s a way… I will.”

ROBERT MANNING,  71Five VoTech Coordinator – Grants Pass

541.951.7591 | robert@71Five.org

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