"Finishing the School Year Well"
Family. Accepted. Home. These words and so many other descriptors are what students used this week to summarize their experience at Club. This week, the students showed up in droves as it was our last club of the regular school year. We rocked it out with pizza and celebrated all God has done here. This week was the first of many “lasts” we will soon experience as we transition back to Kansas. Before we look ahead to what’s next, however, we want to remember all that God has done here at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield…
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The Fort Stewart middle school crew
doused us with silly string to show their
love in the end of the semester finale.
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For 4 years, Phil has been embedded in these communities, living life alongside these military families and working to introduce middle and high school students to the Life Giver by simply living life together with them. It’s not always easy to see the impact a person has had or the lives they have touched until you stop and reflect.
This week, we were able to welcome a student back into our family. Kadence had joined us during his middle school years at Ft. Stewart and loved coming to Club each week. 2 years ago, we had to say farewell to him and his family as they moved to another duty station.
In the Army, you never say “goodbye,” but rather “see you soon,” as it’s likely you may cross paths again. His family just moved back to Ft. Stewart last week and he couldn’t wait to get back to Club. The now high school student walked into club a few inches taller, but we were able to pick up right where we left off as though he never left. A few of the students still remain from when he was here before and it provided a nice reunion for all of them.
At our Stewart and Hunter Club school year finales, we gave each student an opportunity to have their say. So often, the military child is one that is forgotten. They often don’t get a say in what happens but rather, have to just go along with everything as it unfolds. As the microphone was passed around, students were given a space to voice what club has done for them; they finally got their “say so.”
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Our rowdy Fort Stewart middle school gang together at
their end of school year finale.
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“You and Amy have been there for me in ways nobody ever has before.” – Carissa
“Club is a place where I can be myself.” – Kiara
“Normally I stay in the back corner and don’t get involved much. Club has allowed me to grow and step out of my comfort zone.” – Cyrus
“I’ve been to many youth groups, but this place is the only one I have felt that I am free to be me, and really explore my faith.” – CJ
“Mr. Phil always knows exactly what to say; he ‘gets us’.” – Riley
“Mr. Phil has always been like a big uncle to me and knows things that nobody else does…..things I’ve shared with him about me.” — Jaylon
“I was originally skeptical about Club but after Mr. Phil helped me through so much in my life, I knew this was a place I lived to be.” — Hasaan
“Club and Mr. Phil taught me so much about life and even how much they will go out for me to the point where they are letting me live with them so I can go to camp after I graduate.”
— Matt
“Mr. Phil and Mrs. Amy showed me truly what faith was all about from another perspective.” — Katie
“I don’t get emotional much, but Mr. Phil…….you’re my dawg bruh.” — Zach
“Although I have only been coming for 2 weeks, Mr. Phil’s talk from last week got me thinking a lot and it made me come back again for more.” — Devin
“You all have become my 2nd home and 2nd family.” — numerous students
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The Fort Stewart high school group being themselves at the end of
semester finale.
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It was definitely an emotional week as we prepare for our departure from this awesome community in the coming weeks. As students had their say, the impact that has been made during our time here became very clear to us. Student after student echoed a resounding theme. Alexis is one of our newer high school girls and has only been coming to club for a couple of months. Her words not only resonated with us, but gave us a space to give God the glory for everything Club is here at these 2 installation locations. As she grabbed the mic, she spoke of the energy Mr. Phil always has, how it bubbles from within, and is evident in everything he does. Her words were the perfect segway into sharing how each and every student can experience that same energy bubbling within them – that being the energy of Christ in us and how we can let His light shine through us to others.
In the coming weeks, we will continue to experience “lasts” here in the Southeast. We will attend graduations for the last time. We will go to numerous awards ceremonies, band concerts, and summer camp all for the last time with these students. As these events come, we will celebrate them all with that same energy and light as we continue to reflect Jesus Christ in us to these students.
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The Hunter Army Airfield gang together at our end of semester finale
at the Hunter Teen center.
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Phil & Amy Parsons
Celebrate with us:
- Four students have said they wish to be baptized before our departure!
- We have 60+ students registered for summer camp!
- Two new leaders have come on board to help carry the torch after we move!
Join us in prayer:
- Pray for our impact to continue with our students' graduations and end of semester ceremonies.
- Pray for the way ahead for all our students at Stewart and Hunter as adults have shown they would like to help for the future ahead.
- Pray for the new financial monthly support we will need to raise as we prepare for Kansas.
Should you desire to partner with us in any way, we are stateside military missionaries with Youth for Christ, attempting to reach every military teen. Your contributions are tax deductible and you can see how to partner with us at this link here: http://www.yfc.net/missionary/pparsons
