January 2019 Newsletter

Being connected matters. 

Our staff have been through many training sessions that have described this generation of teens as being some of the 'most connected' generation of our time in history. These subject matter experts who lead the training go on by sharing that this generation is the most emotionally disconnected group of our time as well, thus leading our country with incredible amounts of depression, self-harm, suicide and other concerns connected to these statistics. Sadly, so many of these people believe their social media statistics define who they are and authentic relationships barely exist. Some professionals have even quoted that FOMO (fear of missing out) has created a feeling that people will literally believe their phone or device is a part of their body being they don't want to miss anything happening in their social media connections. And if this isn't enough, they literally don't have to go anywhere to get anything they need. It's all available to be delivered to them, whether groceries, fast food or anything else in today's app-based movement.

The month of January has been a real time of rich connections coming together for our staff and their families. Specifically, we were able to help put together a birthday celebration which came from a request of one of our students who has been regularly coming to the Salvation Army gym since it's inception. Jacob's only hope for his 16th birthday was that he could have his friends and family come together at a place he loved the most and could enjoy the most, which included basketball. He was very gracious about the request and thanks to the blessing of the relationship with the Dietrich's at the Salvation Army, the birthday party went off without any issues. Over 20 people gathered and celebrated his 16th in style. Another incredible blessing was how Jacob asked for the other leaders who have been helping on Thursdays to come join in the event. It's all because of God's amazing blessing of being connected to people who care about and love him as Jesus loves him that we were able to provide such an event. 

Jacob (center in black t-shirt hugging mom in red shirt) with the crew for his 16th birthday celebration

A view of the group of teens who came for the spring '19 kickoff

It is no different in what God did in and through our ongoing connected weekly ministry at the Leavenworth Salvation Army. The 2019 spring semester kickoff was a wild success, bringing in 27 teens, which was a record number for the school year. It was evident that they were anxious to get back to a place where they mattered, plus in a facility they can call their own 'home away from home.' It wasn't just the opportunity to come back together that was so incredible, but one of the leaders felt the need to bless the teens in buying them pizza for the kickoff, yet another phenomenal God moment to love these teens! 

The Parsons' with Leavenworth's newest Mayor, Jermaine Wilson

In the midst of doing some amazing things in ministry with our teens, our staff got the chance to join the citizens of Leavenworth in welcoming in the newest mayor and friend of YFC, Jermaine Wilson. Mr. Wilson's story is incredible and has been a blessing throughout the area as he is openly willing to share his background where God brought him through being incarcerated in a local prison and redeemed through his record being expunged and now he is the community's newest Mayor. Not only is he a friend, but he openly loves and believes in what God is doing in and through the efforts of Youth For Christ in this area. His ministry, Unity in the Community has blessed the teens multiple times with pizza and opportunities for the teens to get together in a healthy place as God permits. It is through the blessing of God's connection to Jermaine and his ministry's movement that the relationship continues. 

Wes Kreun's memorial pamphlet

It was brought to the sudden attention to Phil and Amy that Phil's dear friend from high school, Bryan Kreun, his father had suffered a heart attack and passed away mid-month and services were soon to follow. Memories of Phil's own father passing 5 years ago were flooding his mind and allowed Phil to be there for Bryan in the celebration of his dad, Wes Kreun and the lives he impacted over the years. Bryan's dad was one of the leaders of the Boy Scout Troop Phil and Bryan were involved through the years growing up. Being great friends in school growing up allowed Phil to come into contact with Wes often, even in the crazy choices the boys would make, even if it were the middle of the night being stuck in a snow drift in a housing development in Bryan's car or pulling into Bryan's driveway with a broken windshield on his car. No matter what the circumstance, Wes impacted many lives, to include Phil's. Even though they had grown up from those days in the past, Phil and Bryan still were connected over the distance. 

A picture of the Boy Scout Troop where Phil and Bryan grew up as friends and Wes Kreun was a leader

The memorial bulletin of the service for
Rev. Ken Wittrock 

All the while in being back in Omaha, Phil and Amy got the chance to join his mom at another memorial service. This one was for Phil's parents' pastor of many years, Ken Wittrock. Pastor Wittrock was the guy who welcomed his family when they were going through a lot of issues and hurts in a church departure and became an incredible pastor that Phil's parents loved and respected. Once again, throughout the memorial it was evident of all of the lives Pastor Wittrock impacted throughout his over 40 years of ministry. He even took the time to give insight to Phil on his first assignment in Georgia and how to go about it, being newly in the trenches of military youth ministry. The guy even knew Phil every time he came home to visit his folks. The ministerial family of Phil's folks' church was incredible and a blessing to encounter in their visit to Omaha. 





In between all the visits, ministry kickoffs and memorials, Phil and Amy still found themselves in the middle of building new bridges from past and current relationships from Fort Leavenworth. God placed it upon their hearts to reach out to people so that they could hear their hearts in the mess that they encountered over 2 years ago and it has provided incredible healing, understanding and growth opportunities. It is uncertain as to what any of all of this will provide, but the biggest part is how it's reconnecting people who are on mission to love military teens no matter the vehicle that is provided. It opens the floodgates of love, mercy and grace beyond anything imaginable. It has already encouraged Phil and Amy to keep praying big as to what God will do next with them locally so they can impact military teens beyond what they are doing now. 

To that we thank each of you for being on mission with YFC Leavenworth County and what they are hoping to accomplish. We hope and pray that this New Year finds each of you well and on your way to what God has planned for your families. Be praying for all the folks and those even not mentioned in the letter as so many lives are impacted in the works of incredible adult team members who are loving teens 'right where they are.' 
~YFC Leavenworth County 
_________________________________________________________
We want to let you all know that we are praying for new partners to join us financially as we prayerfully close the gap on our funding needs! We are praying for 30 folks to join us at $30 per month, just $1 per day. To give to the YFC Leavenworth County Affiliate, you may go to this link: https://yfc.givingfuel.com/31081