February 2018 Newsletter

February is the month of love. The celebration of Valentine's Day and the events that surround it make folks more open and willing to show their love for people in their inner circle and beyond. It was quoted via the national retail federation that Americans will spend $19.6 billion on showing their love in one way or another celebrating this holiday. Sadly, a majority of the items purchased will end up in landfills or flowers dying off and easily forgotten and moved on toward the next 'thrill' or event. 

One thing we have learned as of late with our teens was something pivotal that was shared with us via multiple pastors' preaching in their sermons about the idea of 'love.' "Love shows up." Love isn't something we feel or is sporadic from within but an action. When we truly act in a way that is contradictory to the norm and choose to shower it upon another person or group of people, that is where love evolves. 

A snapshot of our record 60 teens in the gym on 1 Feb! 

We kicked off the month with our largest-ever group of teens coming out to spend time with us on a Thursday at the Salvation Army gym. After all was said and done, 60 teens had come through the doors to hoop and spend time together! The more we ask our teens about how they hear about our weekly gathering, the more they share and point to a friend stating they were invited or the friend told them about what we were up to in the gym each week. This night alone, easily 18 new teens had shown up to hoop, hang out and get a plate full of food served by our gracious kitchen team. 

A photo of the group during the 'huddle,' where

60 teens crammed in the community room.

An audacious prayer we have had recently has been to expand our reach relationally with our youth outside of Thursday nights. The best part of Thursday is that we get to know many students and hear a little about them while we wait on the sidelines for the next game or whatever is going on. As we offer the weekly 4:13 basketball ministry, we really hope our leaders get to know our students and provide moments to hang out outside of Thursday nights, whether over a meal or a soda or going to one of their games, events or anything at their school in which they participate. The 'launching off point' is always Thursday nights which show the teens we do love them and care for them. Life really begins in ministry when we get the opportunity and trust to spend more time with our teens outside of our regular events because we get to hear more about their passions, challenges and their own stories as they share and are comfortable to do so. 

Let the floodgates roll...

First, it came across while I was attending church mid-month and Danny (name hidden for integrity) hit me up on messenger about some pivotal things happening to him at home. It was deep, rough and he was on an emotional roller coaster. It was apparent I was the one he wanted to share this with because the rawness of his truth was coming out in every comment he made about his situation. Life was getting dirty for him and he needed someone to talk to and share with. Instead of just messaging him, I chose to include him on a weekly trip I take down to the southern part of the county and have him come along and spend time with other students I get to know and work alongside, plus my buddy Howie who is a rockstar youth pastor. Being able to be present and with Danny through all of this has allowed me to hear and care for him in all of this mess, all because we prayed BIG for moments like this that we can step into with our teens. The best part is that Danny has become one of our amazing teens who selflessly serves in any opportunity we have in serving our community. He's helped clean the Salvation Army gym location a number of times along with cleaning up our local youth center as well. I truly am a better man knowing him. 

A group of students hanging out playing PS4 as

an added bonus while they wait to hoop.

Next, it was Jason hitting me up on Instagram messenger about a situation of a pet which had been struggling lately. They were up in arms with his health and worried if it would live any longer. Not too long after our convo about needing prayer, Jason shared about how they had to put the dog down and it was a tragic mess for him and his brother, who both come on Thursdays and hang out with us regularly. Being that I earned the right and trust to share, I got to unpack how recently I had to face something similar in putting our dog down nearly 4 months ago with ailing health. Through the time spent on Thursdays along with multiple service project events, Jason and his brother Larry have been rockstars in anything we need help with on a regular basis. They are always willing to come help out and spend time with us when we offer it outside of Thursdays. Jason recently got the chance to join the younger group of middle school teens when we opened up the gym to them and his leadership of those younger students was impeccable. He really is a leader in his own regard and lives his life well around other teens, no matter what trouble the others might be getting into. 

The front view outside of the

Harrold Youth Center on 

Fort Leavenworth.

Another opportunity of "just showing up" for our youth included continued efforts to serve our youth center on Fort Leavenworth and their ongoing programs. We've mentioned how the staff really enjoys having us come and serve the military teens since we join them and just spend great relational time with them, right where they are. It was with that permission and trust that the staff invited Phil to come join them on a more permanent basis and start mentoring one of their teens in preparation for his competition of 'military youth of the year' opportunity. Specifically, the young man needed help with his speech and interview questions for the next level of competition. It was also offered to Phil that he could start coming up to the youth center regularly during other times and spending time with the youth whenever possible since he had been developing relationships with many of the students who go there. 

Our students in action together playing together.

Lastly, there's other students who have engaged us, sharing how they long to be in the gym as long as it's open because they can't stand being at home due to parental conflict, sibling issues or they just want to be in a place where adults care about them. Add in continued home changes over and over again where parents are given eviction notices and the teens share they moved yet again with a grimace on their face, life just gets ugly for our youth and they are longing for adults to care about what they think. Or it could be the high usage of marijuana of our teens just to numb the pain of what they face from day to day in their own worlds. Again, no matter what the issue might be - our love shows up in all of these moments, no matter how tough on us they might feel. It even includes 'showing up' and attending our students' games and events they participate. We had the chance to go visit our Leavenworth High freshman basketball team compete and see the achievements our teens had been making in playing for the high school squad. It's really an honor to be invited to their places they are passionate about! 

The Leavenworth High School freshman game we got to see.

Truly we thank each and every one of you who have been praying for us as we step into the lives of our teens we meet. We ask that you continue to pray for us and our leader team as it continues and the trenches get deeper when we love these teens in their lives each time they show up. We also ask you join in praying for more adult hands on the team as we are reaching more teens each week and in more places throughout our county. It will take an army of adults and we know that it takes prayer beyond all else. 

We thank you all for your love showing up for us as we shower Christ's love to each of these teens God has provided us to serve. 
~Phil, Amy & Parker 

Amy, Parker and I took a selfie while watching 

our freshman teens play at their b-ball game.

FYI - if you would like to partner with us in any way possible, email us at pparsons@yfcmail.org and we can visit with you about those opportunities

January 2018 Newsletter

When we hear the term “ground zero”, we often associate it with the deadliest terror attack on American soil that occurred on September 11, 2001. Since our country has been at war now for 17 years, families are starting to experience 2 generations of family members serving in the same war. Wow!

The snapshot of Ground Zero in New York City.

Here in Leavenworth County, many of the students we work with attend Leavenworth High School and are a part of the JROTC program. Some of these students have plans to join the military and serve their country. Most of these students were born after 9/11, and have only known a country at war. Some of these students are dependents of military service members, while others will serve as a first-generation service member. Regardless of the area of the call to serve, whether it be the military, ministry, a helping profession such as the healthcare industry, teaching, or any other field where you can serve others, we all start somewhere. That starting point is ground zero.

Long before that fateful day in September of 2001, Merriam-Webster defined the term “ground zero” to mean, “the very beginning”. When it comes to YFC Leavenworth County, the very beginning was in July 2016, when the affiliate was created. Since we’re still in our infancy, there are many areas of ministry that we’re working to get off the ground.

One area in particular is with our volunteers. We can’t offer the different ministries that have launched without quality volunteers that are dedicated to serving and building Christ-sharing relationships with teens throughout the county. As we have been planning and vision casting for 2018, we felt it was important that our volunteers all start from the very beginning. Does that mean they time travel back to the inception of the affiliate in July 2016? Of course not! However, what we have done, is adapt a training class that was shared with us by fellow YFC friends that helps our volunteers start at the very beginning. That class is Ground Zero.

A front view of Patton Junior High on Fort Leavenworth where we are helping where they have need before school and during lunch periods. 

Ground Zero is an hour-long discussion that helps to orientate people that are interested in serving with YFC locally in our area. Throughout this discussion, we touch on who YFC is as a global organization, as well as the mission and vision of YFC here in Leavenworth County.

We discuss the process of the different ministry areas where people can get plugged in by exploring their passions, giftsets, and how we can see God's alignment of their calling to utilize them. The conversation wraps up by getting these interested folks on track to complete the necessary forms and background checks, should they decide that YFCLV is a place they want to serve.

The lunchroom where we help at 

Patton during both lunch periods.

The common area where we help at

Patton Jr. High in the morning.

That being said, we have had the pleasure of sharing a new need throughout our area which pertains to the impact of our teens - financial and life skill readiness. We shared the overall idea throughout social media, personally inviting adults throughout the county to join us in this effort as we build from 'ground zero' and develop it as a class the teens can truly enjoy. It would be developed via a focus group of teens sharing what they'd like to learn and the team of adults unpacking their strengths and where they feel led to pitch in and lead each time they get together with the teens. God's onto something since we have fielded 9 responses from adults who are highly interested in helping this move ahead. WOW! Rather than plow into developing this class, we are taking these interested adults through the initial 'YFC ground zero' information to see if there is an alignment and should they desire to proceed with the group who is committed. This basically allows the movement of this class and ministry opportunity to be fully embraced by the adults who wish to run with the torch and be poured into by our staff. Up to this point, every adult who has said they're 'all in' with moving ahead has specified that every teen would benefit from a class like this and essentially we are providing and filling a need our community and county. It's such a blast!

The front view of the Leavenworth Youth Achievement Center where we will host the ongoing finance/life skills class.

Another area where we have started from 'ground zero' was mentioned in last month's newsletter, specifically on Fort Leavenworth at the Harrold Youth Center. This is one of the 'meccas' of working with military youth on the installation right where they are and getting to know them on their turf. It all started in sharing with them that Phil could help out with their Passport to Manhood class with their only male staff person, Jake. Throughout over the year of relationship and integrity built in serving the folks, Jake specifically invited Phil to come spend more time with their teens on a more regular basis rather than twice a month for Passport classes. We can't make this stuff up. It literally is ALL Jesus and His plans that uncover and provide future plans to work with military teens on the post. Patience has paid huge dividends to His glory!

Our most recent snapshot of the 4:13 B-ball ministry partnership with the Leavenworth Salvation Army in which a

friend of ours joined us who used to play in the NBA developmental league, sharing pointers and hooping with us.

Also, as we look into the future, God has been opening phenomenal doors for us to discern and see

what He's planning for our opportunity to take kids to summer camp. We believe that when we can take our students away to a place where they can truly unplug from their lives back home and their devices and anything else, God really works in those moments. Through much prayer and seeking God's timing on what we are going to do for our teens, it came from an introduction to a gentleman who was serving alongside Phil while he was helping at Lansing Middle School's Challenge Day in the fall of 2017. As soon as the chance happened to get together with Antonio for coffee to hear more about the summer camp he provides not too far from us in Leavenworth, it truly was God's working in connecting

Antonio and his wife Candace who lead

Awaken Camp each summer.

other like-minded Kingdom people. It became apparent that Awaken Camp which Antonio had been blessed to oversee was exactly what God has in store for our Summer 2018. The camp literally works with kids relationally throughout the week spent with them and they highly encourage all the adults present on camp grounds to 'jump right in' with the kids and get to know them and spend time with all the kids, including the ones each leader brings. The final pieces that also provided confirmation of our choice included the incredibly affordable price of $95 per student and the camp would be an hour drive from most teens' homes in our area.

A snapshot of students worshiping together at Awaken Camp last year.

Now that we are seeing God's provision for our camp plans this year, we are now plowing the fields and working with the plans of raising support to see our teens go to camp at an affordable rate. We're praying and hoping to see each student to be able to go for half price or better. With all of these details coming together, we are noticing new things come together to get our teens supported, specifically with a silent auction, 50/50 drawing and a pancake feed to kick of spring in our area. Amy's sister has blessed us in a great way reaching out to businesses on our behalf; we have already received multiple generous donations from a dozen or more businesses who have contributed toward the silent auction and we are awaiting on a couple of the local Kohl's stores in coming to support the event as well, in which the company will support the event financially should at least 5 or more employees help us out. We also are launching our first-ever envelope sponsor campaign, where it has envelopes numbered 1 to 50 and folks choose which envelope they would like and the number of envelope they take is the financial support amount they choose to send to YFC Leavenworth County to support our youth for camp.

These are the envelopes available to support sending teens in our area to camp, each number is a dollar amount in 

which folks can choose to help and partner with us. 

No matter what happens or occurs, we are truly thankful for each of you believing, praying and supporting God's movement on our lives to serve the awesome teens of Leavenworth County. As you all can see, there IS something going on as we are moving swiftly into 2018! We really LOVE hearing from you all as well, so please let us know how we can be praying for you. If you want to know more about anything we are sharing in the letter, please let us know. We are excited with all the new things happening and all the new adults and teens we're getting to meet.

Onward, upward and Kingdom movement for Christ's glory!
~Phil, Amy, & Parker

**To join our team in any way you feel led in prayer, financial partnership, spreading the word and anything in between you can reach us at pparsons@yfcmail.org or contribute online at https://yfc.givingfuel.com/30631**

December 2017 Newsletter

What an amazing and incredible 2017 it's been! We feel sometimes we don't tell y'all enough about what God has been up to with the ministry to military teens and their friends throughout Leavenworth County, Kansas, so we'll give it our best with more detail shared on the stories of students' we've served. We hope and pray we do justice in sharing what Christ's been doing in and through us this year. 

Brandon (on far left) with our guys helping raise funds for

the Salvation Army kettle campaign this year. 

Brandon is a young man that has been attending the basketball ministry at the Salvation Army since its inception, and before that I got to know him through the basketball ministry at the local church we were partnering with. As I have gotten to know more of his story through our time spent together, I learned that his dad is a Navy veteran. He didn't even realize he was a military kid since his dad wasn't currently serving. Many of the kids that we work with are military kids, but because their parents are retired, they aren't moving around all of the time, changing schools, or any of the other things on the long list of what military kids have to endure. Recently, a local church in our area had to make the hard decision to close its doors. I have known the pastor for many years, and worked with his kids in club when I previously lived and served in Leavenworth before moving to Georgia. He wanted to bless the ministry with all of the sound and audio/visual equipment from his church since it was no longer needed, as well as the local youth center with the chairs from their worship center. I showed up to help them transport the chairs to the youth center and load up the sound equipment one Saturday morning. I checked with a few students to see if they wanted to help, and Brandon stepped up and came out to help me. As we were moving stacks of chairs, he started to tell me a story of how he had been reading in the book of Revelation. Wow, I thought, that's awesome! This news came as a bit of a shock to me, as we haven't really shared much of God's story with the students attending on Thursdays as we are still working to learn their stories and build the relationship to a place where we can share God's story with them. As the conversation continued, God continued to blow my mind and this is an amazing opening of a door toward gaining that access to having more faith conversations with these students. He shared with me how he had been watching a movie that mentioned Revelation, so he decided to look into it a little more by pulling out his Bible and doing some reading. His reading led to some questions, so we talked a little more about what he had read. As the conversation went on, he shared how he would be interested in getting some friends together to start exploring more of God's Word! He was even excited to share that one of the Christmas gifts he received was a Jesus Calling devotional book. We're praying that the Lord continues to penetrate his heart as he digs deeper.

Brandon (in back left) with a group of teens

helping with bell ringing for the local Salvation

Army fundraiser this season.

Some of our students that aren't military kids, are experiencing a lot of what military kids have to endure in that they are moving all of the time due to poverty. Some of these students are moving a lot more than military kids have to in a lifetime. This has really opened my eyes to a whole new demographic as I previously have never really worked this closely with this population. Leavenworth County is a very affluent county in Kansas with so many military households, which boarders Wyandotte County, which is the one of the poorest counties in Kansas. Sadly the need of our students and their families in Leavenworth County who do not have their basic needs met are typically ignored or pushed out. Some of our students come out on a Thursday night, and by the next week, they've already switched schools and changed addresses. Many of our students are couch surfing, and one day they may be staying with friends while still able to attend their current school, but the next day, they may end up staying with relatives in a different area of the greater KC area, where they have to switch schools, only to return to Leavenworth in a few weeks and have to transition all over again. A big piece of what our leader team is learning is that these students are struggling to have their most basic needs bet. When they are struggling to figure out where or when their next meal will be, whether or not they have clothes to wear for school, or a place to lay their head at night, it's so much more difficult for them to believe in a God that loves them, because after all, why would a loving God allow such pain, misery, and hardship? As we love these kids and are becoming the only consistent piece of their lives, they are learning that they can lean on us and look forward to our time together. As we continue to work with them, we hope to build the bridge to point them toward Christ and His constant love for us, regardless of the circumstances we face, and teach them that the trials we endure in this life are so much easier to handle when we're walking with Jesus. 

As one can see, the gym gets packed on a 

Thursday night. Showing that our teens 

talk with their friends about a space and

place they are welcome and safe to hoop.

In the mean time, we continue to show up and love these kids right where they are, and partner with others in the community that are doing the same thing. Jesus loves us in the middle of our mess, and we do the same for these kids. They are noticing our love for them. Oftentimes throughout the day, students will text me and ask for a ride to the community center or to or from school. I'm not always available, but they reach out to me because I have become a trusted person in their lives that they know they can reach out to. Even when I have to tell them no, they know that I'm still here for them and love them and they can always reach me. 

As I have been parenting my own son for the last couple of months, my eyes have been really opened to what exactly these kids are lacking when they grow up without a father in their lives. Some of our students have fathers that are in prison, others have fathers that they have never known because they walked out before they were born. Others have fathers that have been killed or have died of cancer. I know that I can never replace the father that they lost, but I can walk alongside them and point them to a relationship they can have with an eternal Father that will never leave them or abandon them. 

Simple sandwiches and mozzarella sticks

with marinara sauce mean the world to 

these teens who might not get much to eat 

from day-to-day.

It is through these stories we can see that Christ is working in and through the relationships we are building with these students. Our prayer is that God will continue to grow these relationships, bring us more students to engage with, grow our leader team so we can reach more students throughout the county, and continue blessing the work that He is doing through us. 

Our family together at Kansas City's Union Station during their annual 
Christmas display.

As most of you know, I had to pick up part-time work in July in order to offset the financial deficit we had due to the loss of the government contract in 2016. I have been working part-time for our local church as the operations director. It is with an extremely joyous and grateful heart that I am excited to share with you that we have raised the additional monthly support amount needed to offset the deficit so that we can return to a full-time ministry status with Youth for Christ. In less than 4 weeks, we went from a $1500 per month deficit, to being fully funded again. With this additional funding accounted for, we can now focus on raising funds to get the affiliate fully funded and growing the ministry throughout the county as God leads. 

As 2017 comes to a close, if you would like to make any year-end gifts, feel free to follow the link to make your charitable contribution that will continue to fund the work we're doing here in Leavenworth County. We pray that you all had a very Merry Christmas and that your new year is filled to overflowing with God's blessings. 

~Phil, Amy and Parker

**To join our team in any way you feel led in prayer, financial partnership, spreading the word and anything in between you can reach us at pparsons@yfcmail.org or contribute online at https://yfc.givingfuel.com/30631**