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

 

Derek came to 71Five Mentors as an 11-year-old with a shattered spirit. He comes from a broken home impacted by divorce and a severe accident that left his only parent permanently disabled. Derek’s never had a male role model in his life to encourage him, pray for him, guide him and tell him he’s valued. Derek is very shy, withdrawn and lacks self-confidence all of which reflects in his introverted nature. Since his involvement in the 71Five Mentors program, Derek has been successfully matched with a mentor who has taken him under his wing and fully invited him into his own life. Less than a year into their mentoring relationship, Derek has shown great improvement in different areas of his life. He’s more engaged and open to sharing about himself, he attends a praise & worship group with his mentor and has even taken up sports at school, which is a big deal for him!

 

To God, we are all valuable (Luke 12: 6-7) and God is working through Derek’s mentor to shine His love in Derek’s life. Having a mentor in a young person’s life is proven to increase their chances of making better decisions and in turn having a more positive future. For Derek, having his mentor show him that he’s valued through actions rather than just words is monumental, and it shows from the growth we’ve seen in him. Thank you for being a part of 71Five and showing the youth we serve how valued they truly are. DARLENE HARPER  71Five Mentors Coordinator  (541) 779.3275  darlene@71Five.org

 

Our staff here at 71Five VoTech love the Lord and want to use their craft and skills to further His Kingdom. Our staff here at 71Five VoTech love the Lord and want to use their craft and skills to further His Kingdom. One skill is small engine repair. Now, every once in a while I hear stories of what we call ‘Superhero Moments’ and this one made me laugh. Chad recently learned how to repair a lawn mower and was excited about his newfound skills. Soon after, his stepdad’s lawn mower wouldn’t start. So, he said to Chad, “Well, you learned how to fix lawn mowers at 71Five VoTech, right? Do you think you can fix this?” Chad said, “I sure can!” and he went to work. A few minutes later the mower roared to life and his dad exclaimed how proud and grateful he was for the skills Chad learned at 71Five VoTech. Later, during our bible discussion time, I asked if anyone had a question about a bible passage and Chad immediately opened up and asked some very deep questions about God creating man in His image. I saw this as a great place to start, and I was able to share not only about the passage, but the Gospel as well.

 

You have allowed 71Five VoTech to be a safe place for youth to not just learn skills but to learn about God’s Word as well. Thank you! If you want to join our team and share your craft, skills, and story please contact me at (541) 779-3275 or Larry@71Five.org.  LARRY LICATO  71Five VoTech Coordinator  (541) 779-3275  larry@71Five.org

 

The season of quarantine, staying at home, and not interacting with loved ones has been tough on many, including the youth in Eagle Point. One Tuesday morning as I was getting ready to head to 71Five, I received a call from a number I didn’t recognize. I answered to the unsteady voice of a young girl who was struggling. She said she knew me through 71Five Campus in Eagle Point but for reasons I still do not know, decided to keep her identity to herself. I cannot disclose much about the conversation but I can tell you the eternal effect it would have on this girl’s life. Right away I could tell she was in need of some loving guidance and we ended up texting all throughout the day about Jesus and who He is. How He’s given life to so many, including myself and how He could give her the same life, joy, and love. By the end of the conversation she said she wanted to have what I had. She said she wanted a relationship with Jesus Christ who purifies her and washes her white as snow. She asked me to help her ask God to come into her life and save her and at that moment I celebrated because I knew I had a new sister in Christ.

 

I still don’t know who this young girl is but it doesn’t matter, God does. It’s truly amazing the God of the universe knows each of us by name, and makes it possible to find joy when the world offers none. This high school girl will now live forever in the Spirit and find true joy in Christ’s love, even through the hard times life brings. PETER KUHL 71Five Campus Coordinator – Eagle Point (541) 779-3275 peter@71Five.org

 

While the world is going through a period of uncertainty, God’s word remains the same. Psalm 119:89 says that “your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” Youth 71Five Ministries continues to do what we set out to do which is sharing the gospel. As we have started gathering for club the atmosphere has been heavy. These kids have endured a time of disarray; and no one was prepared. The conversations they have been over-hearing and engaging in are about politics, racism, and contracting a deadly virus. Sarah shared with me her mom refuses to wear a mask, could care less about politics, has not been working since March, and her stimulus check went towards paying back child support. Sarah’s friend Jen said that her parents have been working, wearing their masks, and following politics very closely. These girls are coming from completely different scenarios except neither has the hope of Jesus in their home.

 

Now more than ever, Sarah and Jen need trusting relationships, truth and faith. We do not want the next generation to hear one side of the story, we want them to know God’s story. Matthew 13:22 says “The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word.” With so many different perspectives influencing our young people, we open the Bible to teach them what our Creator of the universe has to say.

 

We at 71Five want to thank you for sowing seeds among the thorns— cultivating relationships that grow trust, and sharing the hope of Jesus Christ. FARRAH GUTHRIE 71Five Campus Coordinator- Grants Pass  (541) 779-3275  farrah@71Five.org

 

 

Even though our club numbers have been small, God makes it evident “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” [Matthew 18:20] I can see the way He’s hand selected the kids and provided us ways to build trusting relationships despite the barriers we face during the pandemic. After many weeks of virtual club meetings, we all came together to meet in person at 71Five Campus – Phoenix Youth Center last week! We all wore masks, social distanced ourselves, and got creative with the games we played. Masks covered our smiles, but joy doesn’t need to be seen, it was felt abundantly as we spent time together. One middle schooler came for the first time to club, and after playing the last game of the evening, looked at me, his eyes smiling and said, “I’m really happy I came, I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”

 

It is such a joy to get together but even when we couldn’t, God opened opportunities for us to reach young people in these communities in ways we couldn’t have foreseen! We are shown on a daily basis that God’s desire is to seek and save the lost.

 

Thank you for the important roles you play in bringing the hope of Jesus to the kids in these communities! To get more involved, please give us a call or check out our website, 71Five.org. MELANIE CIENFUEGOS 71Five Campus Coordinator – Phoenix /Talent  (541) 779-3275  melanie@71Five.org

 

Please take a moment and pray for the youth involved in 71Five Justice. . . For the young man who was released from Rogue Valley Correctional Facility recently, who we met in detention years ago and remained connected with as he bounced in and out of many different programs across Oregon. He is connected with a church, 71Five Justice’s Break the Cycle and is being discipled as he is currently making all the right choices. For another youth who, unfortunately, relapsed and was kicked out of his mom’s house. The many other youth struggling with addiction, having relapsed during the COVID-19 health crisis. For the two young men working for a friend of mine doing landscape construction and thriving. Another youth who is getting over a neck injury, studying to get his GED, and looking for work. AND… for the 5 youth currently in Detention who have committed to getting to know Jesus!

 

Please pray for the many other youth and their families who are struggling in various ways. There are so many. It can be overwhelming at times. Thank you for joining in this important work of sharing the hope of Jesus, it’s more important now than ever before. BEAU JESKA 71Five Justice Coordinator (541) 779.3275 beau@71Five.org

 

The pandemic has changed a lot of the things we do, and with Youth 71Five Ministries, we have had to change as well. At 71Five Campus – North Medford Youth Center, we immediately started doing online clubs as soon as we could no longer meet together. Kids found comfort in the fact that despite all the doom and gloom in the news, they were still able to come together with caring adults and friends, even if it was online and not face to face. Through the online ministry, we were able to share Jesus several times a week with some kids who don’t know him. Through video we were able to meet kids right in their homes, and create new ways of sharing the gospel with kids who need him. In fact, this week one of the college and career girls was baptized at her church on live stream.

 

God is still at work in young people’s lives here at 71Five… even through a pandemic! We thank you for your continued giving, prayers, and time in reaching out to young people. Kids lives are being changed thanks to you. If you want to get involved, please give us a call at Youth 71Five Ministries. There are kids who need you! TIM HARDY 71Five Campus Area Coordinator – North Medford  (541) 779-3275 tim@71Five.org

 

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

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

 

Lee and Ricky were matched in 2014 when Ricky was 9 years old. They’ve enjoyed hanging out, hiking, or going to Lee’s home for a homemade dinner and DIY projects in Lee’s yard. Last year, Ricky got his first job and decided to make a special promise to Lee, that one day he would do something nice for him in return. Last December, Ricky followed through on his word and took Lee out to dinner, paying the bill for the first time ever. 71Five Mentors help at-risk youth learn how to create healthy, authentic, and loving relationships. These connections go deeper than typical friendships. Kids find hope in Jesus through these trusting relationships while gaining valuable life skills… like responsibility, goal setting, reliability, self-worth or even the significance behind a kept promise. Mentoring relationships are genuinely built through love and often last for many years.

 

Thanks to your support, mentoring relationships like Lee’s and Ricky’s become possible and promises once deemed unreachable become realities. If you feel God’s desire for you to become a mentor or be more involved, please call us and let us help you help the lost. DARLENE HARPER 71Five Mentors Coordinator (541) 779.3275 darlene@71Five.org