MVC Students

From our point of view.

On the first and last day the Mountain View team was told, “Relational ministry is among the hardest.  It’s much easier to clean a lot, build something, or paint a wall.  You stand back and know exactly what you accomplished.  When you pour into a life, it has a blurry “finish” line.   You may never know the impact you had.   Yet, relationship was the essence of Christ’s ministry.”  It may be difficult for the team to tell you exactly what they “did” during their week in New Jersey, at Aslan Youth Ministries.  It may even sound oversimplified.  They helped run a day camp and pour into the lives of at-risk students.  It was so much more than that though.

95% of the students of Aslan are African American growing up at or below the poverty line, in single parent households in urban areas that are fighting to survive.  Monmouth County, NJ is one of the richest and poorest counties at the same time.   “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 tells us and this is often the best way to describe the lives we touch, your team touched this past week.

The Mountain View team gave their whole selves in their time with us.  It was evident as they walked with the Lord they came to offer His love to each life.  There was a lot expected of them to help not only run the camp, and teach the Bible, but to truly be “on” at all times while here.  In short they were asked to not only talk or teach about Jesus, but to walk hand in hand with another for the week. The effects are already in play.  The leadership and selflessness of the Mountain View students inspired many of our own Aslan teens that had come to serve.  I had one tell me just today, “I really understand how to be a counselor at day camp now.”  As a matter of fact walking into day camp today, another small child asked, “Why couldn’t they have stayed for two weeks.”  They are each missed.  It was sad today as some of our most boisterous students were quiet, missing those who had given so much in just a week.

Our families are constantly in need of others who will keep showing them what “hope” looks like.  They need a caring touch, in addition to what we regularly offer,  and that is what this team provided.  It isn’t often that we have enough volunteers that Aslan kids can have small groups of 2-3 with one who is there for the sole purpose of offering them their full attention.  Compassion is an action word.  We should be moved to “do” something, as our hearts are broken for the least, the lost and the last. Each day the group built momentum in giving all they could.

At Aslan our expectation of every staff person and volunteer is to “spend themselves on behalf of the Gospel” for the sake of urban families.  Mountain View did nothing less than above and beyond all that was asked.  On a selfish note, it was amazing to see the way the team connected with my own family.  I have three children (6,7 & 8 grade) at home who have been invested in this ministry literally since birth.  They serve year round, and live in an inner city neighborhood so we can all literally love “our neighbors” as ourselves.  This past week they made some good friends that were much needed.  They can’t wait to get to Colorado to visit you someday!

Thank you so much for sending this wonderful team to us.  We can only hope we will be able to serve together again in the future!