By Joel Fether, City Life
We hadn’t seen “Derek” for a while at City Life. He’d moved several months before and I’d not been able to get in touch with him. I was quite concerned for him. His family life is troubled with no positive adult influences in his life.
Then one day he texted out of the blue and asked if we were playing basketball that afternoon. I picked him up and he enjoyed playing with the guys again. And that time together was what he needed to re-connect. We're so happy he's coming to City Life again.
For several years I’ve gathered with a group of boys to play basketball on Friday afternoons. Sometimes we've had as many as 17 or 18 boys show up, and sometimes just a few. Most of the guys come to our City Life Club, but it's common for former students to come, as well as students who've never been to club and probably never will. There are several impacts for our ministry:
It's good relationship building with me and the boys, and the boys with each other.
It has definitely helped to build community.
It's been a good way for me to meet new students.
Over the years I've met dozens of new students through this time.
It helps encourage students who haven't been to City Life in a while to re-engage.
Like Derek, boys know we’ll be there and they are welcome anytime they come.
This outreach has only been possible through a wonderful partnership with a local church -- Christ United Methodist. As a church family, they have a heart to reach their community and they've been very generous with allowing us to use their gym.
Please pray with us that God can take something as simple as playing basketball with these boys and use it to build His Kingdom.