Just over a year ago we started a new training session. I was talking to the mother of a young lady who was going to join the class. She relayed to me her daughter was not attending school and was really done with the school process. When Bella showed up in class, she had very colorful hair and a few piercings. I am not sure if she colored her hair to match her clothing or bought clothing to match her hair. After class we were chatting, Bella said, “I don’t want to go to school because I can’t stand high school students!” She told us one story of her trying to weld in class one day and the other students were taking her personal welding tools and hiding them around the shop. Further along in the conversation Bella said, “I love to be here at VoTech because you all treat me like a real person.” I was taken aback that anyone would not treat this young lady as a person. She has shined in the 71Five VoTech Training. She even rescheduled a surgery so she could complete Phase 1 of our program. After she recovered from the surgery, she came back on a leg scooter to participate in our welding track. She was given the task of building four window grates for the Salvation Army building in Medford. She sat down and designed the grates herself and with the help of a volunteer constructed a jig to make welding the bars easier. Recently, with pride, she installed the last bolt to mount the grates to the building. We’ve seen an amazing turn around in Bella’s life. Not only has she been working on her welding skills here at VoTech, working part time at a local restaurant, she is also just a few credits short of graduating a year early from high school. We are collecting information on the projects she’s accomplished here at 71Five VoTech for her transcript and it should put her over the top for graduation.

 

Your prayers and gifts are changing the lives of young people like Bella in Jackson and Josephine Counties. Thank you!

 

 

Julien is always excited to come to 71Five Campus in Eagle Point every week. He loves playing outdoor sports, group games, and other fun activities we usually have each Friday night, but he also loves learning about Jesus through the weekly messages we share about the Bible. One evening I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to stray from my notes and share something else. I don’t even remember what I said, but Julien did. Before he left that night, he told one of the other helpers, “Peter’s message really touched my heart.” A few days later when I saw him, he was very intentional in asking how I was doing and making sure I was doing well. He said, “I remembered what you said last week about checking in on people and listening to them.” Well let me tell you, THAT touched MY heart!

 

We don’t always know the impact we are having in the lives of kids, but God will always work through the faithfulness that you and I walk in. Whether it’s volunteering with youth or partnering financially, thank you for what you are faithfully doing to promote positive change in our community.

 

Recently during a discussion at 71Five City’s Middle School Club, we asked a question: “What’s the one thing you would ask God if you had the chance?” It ranged from the usual wishes for cool toys, superpowers and material possessions. Then Jack raised his hand and said, “I would ask for my mother to come back!” (Jack’s mom passed away recently.) A lot of young people are wrestling with the deep questions of life, not just superficial ones, but questions with such aching pain.

 

You are providing the only answer that truly matters, that death and pain do not have the final say in this young man’s life. Every promise of God find a BIG Yes in Jesus! [2 Cor. 1:20] We have this extraordinary privilege together with you to build bridges of trust so hope can travel into every dark place of pain! Thank you for going with us into these places, which are incredible opportunities, to speak into these young people’s lives right where they are, in the pain and brokenness, with the only true hope of God!

 

 

One night at club, Joe told me that he was no longer going to school. I asked him why and he told me he ended up too far behind in his studies during the Covid pandemic. I asked him what he was doing now, and he said, “Nothing.” He agreed to meet with me Monday morning to strategize and set up a plan to get back on track. Come Monday morning, no Joe. I texted, I called, I waited, but no Joe. A couple days later, I received a text from him. It read “Can you call me asap?” I didn’t reply. About an hour later, he called. I didn’t answer. My plan was to teach him a lesson by not answering his texts or calls and later at club, ask him how it felt. As I began to pray about it, the Lord gently whispered “That’s not the lesson I want you to teach him. I want you to teach him that when he lets you down, doesn’t answer your calls, and doesn’t show up, you will still always be there for him.” I returned his call and later that night, we had a great talk. He apologized for not showing up and rescheduled for the following Monday. I watched the clock anticipating Joe’s arrival, he came right on time. We talked about what he wanted to do in life, what motivates him, and what steps we could take to accomplish his goals. By the time the meeting ended, Joe had the opportunity to enroll in GED classes, one-to-one tutoring with a school counselor, and plans to start meeting with a musician that will teach him how to read music.

 

Building trust that leads to hope through relationship is what you are providing, being trustworthy people is who we are.

 

 

 

Recently, I had the opportunity to serve the young people in the Juvenile Justice system. When chapel started I was surprised to see Tanya walk into the room. Tanya is a young lady who has been part of our ministry in West Medford off and on since we started. At first I felt a sense of defeat that one of the kids we’ve invested in has ended up in the Juvenile Justice system but then I had another thought… “She’s here, but so am I!” She can’t get away from this message of hope. Whether she is at the Station 71Five Community Center for club, at 71Five Middle School Camp or in “Juvy,” she is being ministered to. I would rather Tanya didn’t go to “Juvy” but I am blessed that we can meet her there and let her know there is hope.

 

Thank you. You make this possible through your prayers and generous financial support.

 

 

“You all are an answer to prayer, I don’t know what you are doing, but it is working.” This was just part of a thank you that I received from a grandma before our high school club. Justin has been attending 71Five Campus since middle school but he’s always been certain that he did not believe in God. Recently, he has been so curious about Jesus … That’s a huge change. What used to be a quiet and reserved teen is now involved, helping wherever he can, and occasionally playing group games. It was before club as I was taking groceries inside that the grandma called me over to her car to talk. She started with an honest and sincere thank you, and she continued to go on and tell me “the boy that she lives with now is not the boy that she lived with a year ago!” As she continued to thank me, I told her about how much we adore having him at club. We both started to tear up as we marveled in the work that Jesus has done in Justin’s life. After years of planting seeds, probably over a dozen leaders and countless prayers, we’ve been honored to see the beginning of a harvest in this young man’s life.

 

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” [1 Corinthians 15:58] We know that our work is never in vain because of the work of Jesus Christ, and a breath used to proclaim the Gospel is never wasted. Thank you for planting seeds in the lives of these young people.