The Journey Camp 2016

You can't make this stuff up......!

September 2015 - Amy and I were sitting in Charlotte, NC, with our friends who worked with Club Beyond as we were having an incredible dialogue with the guys who were running and directing a possible summer camp we had heard about. Nathan and JD were the real deal in understanding relational ministry, plus they LOVED military teens. As we finished our time together in prayer, we were looking forward to having up to 5 installations together at a summer camp for the first time in history stateside. The momentum was starting to build.....

We brought back the feeling of Kingdom building for camp and how epic it was going to be to take our students in summer '16 together in late-June, possibly with up to 4 more installation locations. Something everyone was starting to feel the vibes hit.....

Move ahead to November and December toward Christmas and the bottom falls out.....all my buddies are looking at other options as Club Beyond at their locations are closing the doors and by the end of the semester in December only about FIVE kids were interested in camp and literally wanting to go at all. To say that I was expecting camp to fall through and not attend would have been 100% accurate. Nobody was interested at all and I shared with folks that we probably will take a small 5-10 group of kids to camp maybe. 

After getting into the spring '16 semester and still sharing the opportunity for our teens to go to camp, we started to see some wheels turning. It wasn't until early March that BOOM....we were 100% booked....FIFTY SEVEN.....yes that's 57 teens were booked to attend camp along with 5 adults. We even had a waiting list if people dropped out. We shared with the camp our group grew to a point beyond our original estimate and they were more than pleased with God's momentum on our eventual arrival to camp. 

Not only we had our regular teens booking spots, we had one teen fly all the way from Qatar to join us as they were stopping over stateside for a trip to see friends and families. Then, we had another student who spent time with us a couple years ago, recently PCS (move) right back to Fort Stewart and book their spot within minutes of our opening of spaces available. Yet again, another student who was with us had moved across the country and his family drove down from Montana...yes, that far, and spend camp with us as they were in the area for summer plans. Finally, we met up with one of our homeboys who moved north of us a couple hours at Fort Gordon, GA, and we were able to include him in our camp plans. To say that we roll deep as a family and spend whatever time we can together whenever it is....this is exactly it! 

We'd been doing summer camps with our teens for every summer we had been here, so to expect something to happen with the vehicles would be expected. Every year, something would occur where we'd wonder if we had the transportation necessary to get our kids to camp. This year was nothing different. Our group was so big that we knew immediately we'd need a bus and 2 vans. It was via multiple issues with bus classes and getting people into them and then the classes being dropped/closed that we knew God would have to show up with our bus driver situation. It ended up being a 'no fail mission' via the Chaplain and we ended up getting what was needed, only days before departure. Then, the TMP (van) driving situation was even more of an issue as apparently being our leader was a 'okayed' driver to take care of it, her boss didn't like the idea overall. Thank the Lord I had my license and we were set, but goodness, another thing with the vehicles to get our 62 to camp! 

Continuing to watch the days evaporate on the calendar, we noticed that an amazing number of students didn't drop this year before camp. Perhaps it was the reason they knew this was our finale with them and the final camp we'd go together, or God had something else in store, but we'd see. The normal drops literally hours before camp did come though. However, God still reigns supreme and it was UNREAL who was allowed to go when those drops came together. 

As we all gathered at the Victory Chapel at 0730 so we could get our teens together with their gear, stuff and emotions, the trip was just beginning. Although the van ended up getting there later than expected, our kids showed up at camp only 6 minutes after our desired time to arrive. Again, God showed up there too. The camp was perfect from the moment we drove onto the college campus as one of the people was speeding by us with a big American Flag as our vehicles entered to empty our kids on the property. 

The week unfolded incredibly as I already knew 3 guys who wanted to get baptized at the camp whenever we were going to do it. Kadence, Matt and Trey all reached me and talked about the impact and desire to follow Jesus and take their faith to the next part of their journey. Unbeknownst to me, God was going to blast open the doors throughout the week to the point that on the 23rd of June in the mid-afternoon, we were going to baptize NINE....yes 9 teens into His Kingdom and their personal journey of following Jesus. Adding to the original three included Kyleah, Abigail, Alyssa, Kayla, Timmothy, and Tabitha. Overflowing with immense joy throughout the opportunity, we were able to lead these teens into a life-changing moment with Christ as they took that step into His Kingdom. 

And if that wasn't enough, we noticed incredible Christ-movement in ALL of our teens, no matter if they shared it with us. God's Holy spirit showed up in ways we couldn't imagine, but He wanted to provide a final culmination on the last night with all of our teens. Just as Jesus shared in the washing of the disciples' feet, the leaders were asked to the front of the stage and the teens were allowed the opportunity to do the final part of living what they believed in their own personal faith - serving another. Therefore, the students were given the opportunity to come down and take a towel and wipe off our feet. Personally, I have never felt this kind of incredible joy and humility in serving our teens.....EVER. To be in that moment knowing that our pending departure is coming and the kids were coming in huge numbers to wipe down our feet in love and sacrifice - that was unreal. My own words can't describe how I felt. 

Yet, I am not finished. Being our teens were the ONLY military-centered group which came to camp, the flavor of our kids was AW SUM. The other groups got to see the idea of true family come together in a way some other leaders shared with us as incredibly blessed. Many adults walked up to myself or other leaders saying that it was refreshing to see the Gospel lived out in a love that can't be described in how we work with our teens who have parents serving our country. Many groups left camp with one another, knowing they'll see each other days, months and even years down the road. Our kids....not so much. Truthfully, they had to farewell Matt as we dropped him off to fly to Texas to be with his family in his new state and home as he prepares to head to the University of Houston to focus on petroleum engineering as a freshman in college. Yet again, we dropped Alex off to his family as we said farewell to him for coming with us to camp and re-engaging us as his family of peers who love him and he prepares to head to Chicago and go to college and prepare for life after high school. Finally, I had to say farewell to another student (again) as Gavin headed out with his family to visit other friends before flying across the globe back to Qatar. 

See, we provide a place and space and a VOICE for our military teens. They are HEARD, not just seen. Best yet, they were LOVED this week by the Lord and Creator of our world and met Him for the first time. No matter the junk, past, present or eventual future of our teens and their lives - Jesus brought it and NEVER TURNED DOWN. 

Although as it occurs each year with its struggles off and on, whether seating assignments on the vehicles aren't what were expected or dorms weren't as comfortable or whatever small things came up - Jesus showed up. The kids loved the camp. They loved the speaker, which many mentioned how great he shared the Bible in a relevant way so they can understand it. To that, we are humbled. To be able to celebrate life well with our teens like we did was impeccable.  

As the days continue to dwindle down for our eventual departure, Jesus provided something that Amy and I will never forget in how we were able to serve our teens of Stewart and Hunter. The perfect finish to His perfect story as we are called to serve. 

In His grace, joy, peace and glory.......thankful to be part of these teens' stories. 

Phil & Amy 

***If you'd like to partner with us financially, prayerfully or any other way, please reach us at pparsons@myyfc.org or amyparsons7414@gmail.com or you may go to this link online to give in whatever way you feel led: http://www.yfc.net/missionary/pparsons

June 2016 Newsletter

The End of an Era

Amy and I with Alyssa after graduating.

 When I arrived here on the ground at Fort Stewart 4 years ago, I was greeted warmly by Alyssa, a student who had just completed her 8^th grade year. She had been a part of Club prior to my arrival under the tutelage of my predecessors. Alyssa and her two sisters have always been very involved throughout our time here. We just finished up the season of attending graduations and award ceremonies for our middle and high school students. Alyssa was one of our high school graduates this year. It was amazing to be present for the day she entered high school as well as the day she completed her high school education, as well as many moments in between. After the ceremony, friends and family were allowed to gather on the field for photos. As we made our way through the sea of people, Alyssa quickly found us and her face lit up with a smile as she was so glad we were able to make it out to see her and our many other Club students celebrate this milestone. Over the past 4 years, her family has had to endure a lot of hardships, as her mom has battled serious health issues, and her dad recently retired from the Army in order to care for his wife. Alyssa, along with her sisters, Stephanie and Kayla, have voiced their appreciation many times of how we were there to support their family through some pretty difficult times. “Club has been our family, and we’re so grateful to be able to celebrate the joys, as well as walk together through many rough storms; we love you Phil and Amy and we’re not sure where we’d be without you and Club.”

The 2016 Bradwell Institute Tiger 

graduates celebrate their finale together!

 As I reflect on Alyssa’s journey, I think about the many students that have passed through the doors of Club here at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. It has been so amazing to see God work mightily at these two locations. When I arrived, we struggled to reach kids, sometimes only having 2 kids show up. We persevered, remained faithful and obedient to the call, and God brought the harvest. Before I knew it, God was blowing open the doors and students flooded in. Regardless of whether a student visited Club one time or came regularly for weeks, months, or years, each student has impacted our lives in one way or another.
 

Amy and I with another graduate, Matt,

who will live with us until he attends

camp with us as a 'finale' with Club here.

 4 years. That’s the amount of time a student spends in high school. It’s also the timetable for a student to earn a bachelor degree. I’m sure if I thought about it long enough, I could come up with countless other journeys that last 4 years. Never in my wildest dream, did I think that God would bring me down to this area to serve these middle and high school students at these 2 locations, and move us to somewhere new after only 4 years. With so many families moving in and out, we thought we would always be the ones left behind; a constant and consistent piece of the community here. God apparently has different plans for us. Leaving is definitely bittersweet and the coming weeks will be very difficult as our time here winds down, however, we are excited to see what He will have for us as we move forward in that same manner of faithfulness and obedience.

Amy and I with Christian and his mother after his baptism in the
insane rainstorm that hit us late in the afternoon.

 Although we are the ones moving, we want to also share with you some phenomenal God moments we’ve experienced as of late. Take Christian, a past Club kid who is now on our Hunter leader team and helps when he can at Club when he’s not working or volunteering for the Tybee Island Fire Department. It was over 2 years ago when he said to me that he accepted Jesus while attending Carolina Point with our group in the summer of 2014. While walking alongside him in the past 1.5 years, I was able to share with him the joy I felt in his decision and what the next steps looked like in his life with Christ. Glance to another student named Justin. His mom shot a text my way on Easter Sunday asking if “I were there—aka Savannah Christian Church” where they were at that moment. Sadly, I had to share that I was not, but in Chapel services on Fort Stewart. Justin informed his mom he wanted to wait until the moment that I could physically baptize him. Fast forward to getting all the pieces all together and we scheduled within guidelines of the Hunter outdoor pool and so all families and friends could be there to observe—then boom….a rainstorm resembling something torrential hit Hunter. Pool Closed. Christian’s mom had come all the way from Miami and that day was the only moment we had to get this done. After scrambling for options outside the normal parameters of pools around post, we found ourselves in the front yard of one of our other students’ homes filling up their baby pool in preparation of baptizing Christian and Justin. Don’t even worry about not having the ‘plugs’ to hold the air on the sides of the pool, we had kids hold it up! Dodging multiple local lightning strikes and raindrops, we were able to successfully baptize Christian and Justin, just as we hoped. No matter what came our way, God made the way for it to happen and to bring about life changing impact on these guys’ lives. All because we chose to stand in the gap and show up. 

Justin (holding towel) with his family and friends as we gathered
after his baptism.

 Just as we have impacted the lives of these students and they have greatly impacted our lives; we remember the pivotal role you play in this journey. You have been a huge piece of our story here as we have worked to serve these students and families. Every moment, whether we celebrating, or whether we’re giving comforting hugs and wiping tears, has been made possible through your prayers and financial support. As we transition to our new location in Kansas, one thing remains steadfast: our call to reach every military teen. For those that have already joined our team, we hope that you will continue to remain on mission alongside us. For those that have yet to join, we pray that you will consider jumping on board and help us continue to impact these students’ lives for the Kingdom. Information on how to join us can be found at this link: http://www.yfc.net/missionary/pparsons and we have our own video sharing the 'how and why' we work alongside military teens located here: https://vimeo.com/153276728.

Celebrate with us: 

• We got to see a record crew of graduating seniors from Bradwell Institute who have spent time with us at Club. 
• Two of our Hunter teens were baptized in the midst of a major rainstorm! 

Join us in prayer: 

• Summer camp will be 20-24 June in Toccoa Falls, Georgia, with our record 64 people!
• Pray for the leadership team members who have shown interest in helping with the youth ministry when we depart in early July. 
• Our final weeks are coming to the forefront as we prepare to say farewell to the 3rd ID and Marne Pride. 

In utter obedience with our Stewart and Hunter teens in this life down in Southeast Georgia until our final day,
 

Phil & Amy

May 2016 Newsletter

"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…

The Fort Stewart middle school crew

doused us with silly string to show their

love in the end of the semester finale.

  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.”

Our rowdy Fort Stewart middle school gang together at 

their end of school year finale.

“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

 “Thanks for always being available to talk to and for always listening to us, as we don’t normally get that. Thanks for making us feel safe and loved.” – Kyleah

“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

The Fort Stewart high school group being themselves at the end of

semester finale.

  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.

The Hunter Army Airfield gang together at our end of semester finale

at the Hunter Teen center.

 Running this insane race, finishing the school year well with these phenomenally incredible military teens, 

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

April 2016 Newsletter

"What do you leave behind?" 

 In a recent trip to the famous Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, God moved me to start thinking about many things that paralleled with a visit with some dear friends who are on our partner team back in Kansas. As we walked through the cemetery and the rich history, we couldn’t help notice that each headstone had inscriptions of the persons’ legacy left behind. Some messages were inspirational, some were about their service to country and some were about their faith. It brought Amy and I to notice a lot of what each deceased persons’ way they impacted others and to the point if others loved them enough to visit and decorate their place in the cemetery.

This is one of the many photos we took while visiting the 

famous Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA.

 Before departing in 2012, I had the pleasure of having a great French meal with a couple who have partnered with us in this mission since the starting process. Through the meal, I got to know their personal stories, impacts and dreams moving ahead. The one thing that has stuck with me since that day was how Dan shared something very impactful with me in this mission and ministry to military teens. Dan noted, “Phil, what kind of flavor do you want to leave with people you interact with?” Dan was commenting on the ‘flavor’ of French food and it was all about what was added to make the boldness stand out. That’s what Dan was sharing with me at that moment. How do I want these military teens to feel after spending time with me, even for a short season?

David (right) with a crew of our middle school students and
 Cora (front) as we hung out over Popeye's one night.

 Low and behold, I never knew God would flip the coin and He would use the students, their stories and their lives to ‘flavor’ my soul as we start to prepare for the end of the school year this semester and take a glimpse on what has happened in our duration here. From the giant summer kickoff we had last year with laser tag and roller skating where 135 teens showed up to the 55 students who blasted paint all over each other in the color war and the 85 kids who kicked off the school year as we rented the bowling alley, we were able to bring impact by reaching ‘every military teen’ with things they loved to do together. However, God also showed us mightily it wasn’t about the pretty numbers or statistics. It was the amazing 1-1 interactions with our students like Cora on Sundays at Chapel or personal conversations over Popeye’s chicken with David and KyLeah for dinner before Club. But it wasn’t even all of those things completely…..God used other things, too.

Eric with Amy (mama Phil) as he dropped
by Club and see everyone while on leave.

 We saw students share their own personal ‘story’ with their peers and get deep and real quickly like we never have seen before. From Ashanti to Jaylon to Cora in high school and from Kiersten to Chrisraine in middle school, we got the chance to hear our students stand in front of their peers and unpack their lives and where they are coming from as military teens. Then add in the students who crave showing up so early that our small group time becomes the epic hang out for students who are escaping their home lives. They share what’s the latest in their school life, home life, plus shoot around a basketball or hang on the outside wall which has become the new ‘place’ for our Stewart teens. Or the new hangout becomes the place where our past students show up to revisit Club while they are home, as Reggie and Eric did while on leave during their time with the Air Force. It also could look like when a past student from college, Devon, reaches me when he’s in the middle of a big relationship break-up and don’t know where to turn and who to trust with their raw emotions.

Amy and I with Kenzie from Hunter during Easter
photos at Savannah Christian Church.

 Throughout our moments shared here with Fort Stewart and Hunter teens, we have seen an incredible impact through continued efforts where we haven’t given up on what God could do for each teen that walks through the doors of our sites. Keegan, one of our tenured teens at Hunter recently stepped up into a role never seen before by anyone. While shooting hoops, he continued to encourage and work with another student who moved to Hunter recently, named DJ. He was giving him tips on how to do better with shooting, dribbling and his overall basketball game. It was breathtaking seeing God on the move. God is showing me that it’s through vital providing the weekly ministry at any location since our military teens don’t get that in their lives. Adding more of the ‘flavor’ to Keegan’s life includes attending 2 summer camps, spring break work project, weekly Club and moments where I step out and pat him on the back with how he provided that encouragement to a peer. Seeing him step up in maturity rather than be about himself stopped me in my tracks—that’s God.

It wouldn't be Hunter Club until they did something
insane as a group - take this photo as they all chose to
run and flop against the wall. That's our squad!

 Another moment came where I was able to openly ask our teens the following question. “Why do you choose to come to Club every week, such as what drives you to come?” One girl quickly replied, “I come because Mondays suck and this is a place that I need when my week starts off so rough.” Another student said “this is a place where I feel I fit in with everyone else, regardless what or who I am.” Multiple students honestly blurted “I like your talks Mr. Phil, they always seem to grip me right where I am each week.” Really?! These kids actually listen to the ‘waa waa waa waa’ flapping from my big mouth each week?!

 If it isn’t being slapped on the ‘caaalllfff’ by Ethan or Justin at Hunter, it could be the outrageous welcoming and somewhat overbearing ‘HI!’ to our arriving students at Stewart, each of their own personality has rubbed off on us in one way or another. Every one of these amazingly incredible teens has been a ‘seasoning’ upon our hearts. Continue to pray as we are given moments with them through our finish of the school year and into summer camp. Rich moments like these are forever.

Leaving our ’flavor’ with the teens who leave theirs within our souls for God’s glory,

Phil and Amy Parsons

March 2016 Newsletter

"Spring Break Recharge"

March is the time in the school year where students pause and are granted a week-long break from their tireless efforts since the new year began. The weather is warmer, and the spring season is in full swing with budding trees, flowers blooming, and greening grass. In the military, these breaks are so precious to the families we serve. For some families they mean vacations, others capitalize on spending time together as a family around town, while some are preparing to move to their next duty station. In previous years, we have opted to utilize spring break for a service project or a retreat for our students. This year, we chose to allow families the opportunity to spend time together, since it seems that those opportunities to have everyone together are becoming more and more scarce. 

We also capitalized on the opportunity to spend some quality time together as a family. If we're not careful to maintain a steady pace with the ministry, we find that it can quickly consume us. We were blessed by a good friend's very generous anniversary gift last year, but never carved out any time in our calendar to get away, unplug and enjoy time together. We came to quickly realize the need to rest and recharge, so we made sure we planned our calendars accordingly this year. Since our anniversary is in July, it usually falls during the dates for summer camp. No different than a kid with a Christmas birthday that chooses to celebrate their special day in the summer, we committed to celebrate a few months ahead since it worked better with the calendar. 

We got in on an amazing end-of-year special sale right after Christmas and booked a 7-night cruise to the Western Caribbean. It was an incredible time of rest and relaxation. The international waters forced us to unplug from all technological connections, which really allowed us to connect with each other and the people we met along the way. 

Amy and I with Pedro (front right) at the shop where they sell their goods
in Roatan, Honduras.

We weren't really sure what to expect on our adventure, but didn't dream of all God would have in store for us. In each port we visited, He showed up big through the people we encountered. In Roatan, Honduras, we stumbled into a little shop for a few minutes to escape the hot sun. The store was ran by Canadian missionaries that had been serving there for 9 years. Several teens and families make crafts, artwork, and jewelry and bring it to the store to sell in order to support their families. We met Pedro, an 18 year old young man that had been working in the store for 9 years, one of the first children the Canadian couple encountered when they first arrived. He shared with us how his father died when he was 11, and last year his mother left him and his siblings and moved to Panama, forcing him to step up to raise and support his siblings. We also met some young boys in the street that were finishing up their school day and what some may have viewed as an annoyance, we saw as an opportunity for connection. As tourists would walk by on their way back to the ship, they young boys would try to hustle them for money. Many walked by ignoring them, and we figured they were pretty used to that, so we decided to surprise them. We had a few bucks in our pocket and walked up to them and engaged them, giving them each some money. Although our encounter was brief, we could see how impactful our generosity was to them. Their faces just lit up. We ended our interaction with them with fist bumps as we made our way back toward the ship. Our hearts were full as we reflected on the opportunities God had provided us. 

Amy and I with Liz and her son behind us as we took the photo at the port
in Belize City, Belize.

In Belize City, Belize, we walked for miles exploring the city. We found ourselves in a pretty rough area of town, but that didn't stop us. We walked by a few churches and were able to pop in a few that were open and look around. Many of them also operated schools, so we ran into many school children as well as we passed through the streets. It was sobering to see how little these children had, yet see the smiles on their faces as their hearts seemed to be so full of joy. An older lady was selling her handmade goods in an open market area. We made our way toward her to check out what she had to offer, not really intending to purchase anything. As we looked around, she was brutally honest with us in her desperate need for us to buy something from her because she so badly needed our money. Her son who appeared to be in his early 20's, was with her. She began telling us all about the Mayan culture in Belize and the popularity of worry dolls. These tiny little handmade dolls are believed to serve as an outlet as you cast all your worry onto them. We listened intently to her story, but saw an opportunity to share of Jesus, the One we can cast all of our cares upon. We patiently waited for the right time, and just then, she shared how she believed in Jesus and doesn't believe in the power of the little dolls. Instead, she told us she likes to call them friendship dolls and uses them to spread the love of Jesus to others. Our conversation shifted and she shared more about her story and how she rides the bus 3 hours each way to sell her goods to the tourists in the market. We told her a little about our story and how we work as missionaries serving military teens. We offered a generous donation and weren't looking to take anything away with us other than the wonderful memory of our conversation with her, but she insisted that we take a little bundle of friendship dolls to remember her by and share with our friends back home. 

Us together with Rolando and the masterpiece he put together for us.

As our journey continued, we were quickly understanding that it wasn't so much about the places we were visiting that were impacting our lives, as much as the people we crossed paths with. In Cozumel, Mexico, we wandered into a square where a middle-aged man was knelt down on a rotating piece of plywood, creating beautiful paintings, using spray paint. We stood and watched him for a few minutes and then he asked us in his broken English, what our favorite color was. We told him we loved all colors and he stopped working on the project he had been working on and began with a clean sheet of paper. It was mesmerizing  to watch his talent unfold as he painted a beautiful sunset landscape. As he was painting, we noticed he had a Spanish Bible next to him, along with several scripture references painted on his workspace. We told him that we noticed his Bible and he was so excited to meet fellow Christ followers. We purchased the picture he painted for us and told him we would return the next day to have him paint another picture for us as we were going to gift the one he had just finished to our dear friend whose gift allowed us to take this trip. We returned the next day to his spot, but we were disappointed when he wasn't there. We decided to pull up a seat on a nearby park bench and wait for a bit, hoping he would show up. After about 30 minutes or so, he did! He was blown away to see that we had kept our word and returned for another painting. He walked into the square with his bicycle and a plethora of supplies on a makeshift trailer in tow and proceeded to set up for his long day of work in front of him. He shared with us that he has been married for 30 years, has 5 children and has been painting for 28 years, with no professional training. As he continued to get everything set up, a young man came through the square and stopped to talk to him. We watched as he grabbed his Bible, opened it up, and proceeded to share some scripture with this young man. The young man sat and listened to him for a few minutes, then got up and left. We talked with Rolando about his conversation with him. Sadly, he wasn't open to hearing the Truth. We told him that we would be praying that God would soften his heart and some day soon, he will be opening to listening, Rolando replied, "exactly!" He got started on our painting and we really enjoyed our time with him. We were able to draw up some extra business for our new friend from some other tourists passing by from other cruise ships that had docked in the port. He was grateful to get some extra income. It began to sprinkle a few raindrops and we feared that he wouldn't be able to finish our picture. Thankfully the shower was very brief and he was able to continue, making yet another marvelous masterpiece. 

Just as quickly as Rolando finished our painting, our vacation was over. We have returned to the fast-paced routine that comes along with military youth ministry, but have returned feeling rejuvenated and recharged, ready to finish our last semester here at Ft. Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield well. No different than the opportunities we were presented with when meeting our new friends on our vacation, we hope that you will prayerfully consider either joining us as ministry partners or remaining with us financially and in prayer on this mission to serve military teens and their families as we transition back to Kansas. There have been several changes within Club Beyond, mainly in that contracted youth ministry has come to an end. The way ahead will look a little different, however our mission to reach military teens remains strong. There is a lot of uncertainty ahead of us, but we trust in God's plan as we move forward. 

Join us in celebrating as of late:

• Coming back from our cruise, Amy and I are fully refreshed and energized to finish the semester well!
• Impact is being made on so many fronts when our leader team is choosing to share our story specifically when Phil shared his story and a student openly shared that is directly what happened to them as a middle school student. 

Please join us in prayer as we have these requests: 

• Please be praying for the students and families we serve as we have had to break the difficult news of our departure this week.
• Please be praying for a buyer for our home as we listed it for sale this week, as well as provision of housing when we move back to Kansas.
• With the loss of the financial support that our contract has been providing, please pray that new ministry partners will step forward to stand in the gap as we will need to raise an additional $2,000 per month. 

Humbly, we thank you for believing that we are on Christ's mission, reaching EVERY military teen possible no matter where HE sends us. 

Phil & Amy Parsons

February 2016 Newsletter

"New Games are Essential for Connections"

 

Our middle school girls lined up for the

candy cane competition!

The holidays are over and the New Year is well under way. Students are back in school pressing through to the end of the school year that will soon be here before we know it. Stores are trying to rid themselves of their post-holiday inventory with drastically reduced prices on everything from décor to Christmas-wrapped candies. We are always looking for new games to introduce to our middle and high school students to keep things fresh and relevant at club. 

 Via social media, we were able to find just what we were looking for. Immediately it was a hit with our students. A huge mound of candy canes are laid out on a table and each student is given one to hold in their mouth with their hands behind their back. The object is to “hook” as many candy canes from the pile as possible using the one held in the mouth and successfully drop the ones that are picked up into a bowl, with the winner being the team with the most candy canes collected. Our students formed teams of boys vs. girls and had a blast as the blaring music in the background served as our signal that the time had expired for the round. The new game provided a platform for students to have fun, connect as they cheered on their team to victory, and test their hand-eye coordination. 

"Never Give Up on Invitations"

 Three weeks ago was nacho night at Hunter Club. In walks one of our middle school girls with a friend in tow. Sydney is kind of quiet and prefers to be behind the scenes rather than in the limelight. We quickly notice a face we have never seen before, and introduce ourselves to her friend she has brought with her. We meet Valeria and learn that she lives across the street from Sydney in one of the neighborhoods on post. We break the ice with the animal game while we wait for our nacho cheese to melt into golden deliciousness for mealtime. 

Sydney and Valeria (left) 

 As we sit around and chat over nachos with the students at club, we worked to get to know our new friend better. Valeria was quick to make new friends and connect with some kids she knew from school. She was able to strike up a conversation about anime. Several of our Hunter students are crazy about anime--the Japanese style of hand-drawn or computer animation. The night unfolded and we continued to have fun as we made connections and laid the groundwork for building a relationship with our new student. Sydney and Valeria shared with us how Sydney had been trying to get Valeria to come to Club with her for 2 years, but she just never did. Sydney didn’t give up on her friend though, she kept inviting, and finally, she came. 

 After Valeria’s first experience checking out club that night, she was wondering what took her so long and wished she had gotten plugged in sooner. Valeria is hooked on Club and has been coming each week since! We’re so glad that Sydney was persistent in sharing her experience at Club with her friend Valeria, inviting her to join us, and didn’t give up on her.

"Their Story Matters, Each Time We Gather"

 “Hey Mr. Phil, I want to share my story!” is a phrase we’ve been hearing a lot lately from both our middle and high school students. Using the 3-story model, we seek to connect to our students by listening to them share their stories of who they are. By doing so, we earn the right to share a little about our own story with them and introduce them to Jesus as we point them toward God’s story. During mealtime at club, we have created a space for students to volunteer to share a bit of who they are with other students and the leader team.

 

Ashani taking a pose before we start Club.

Ashani, one of our high school girls offered to share how a severe car accident that left her with third degree burns requiring multiple surgeries and skin graphs helped her to see the hand of God in her life. She talked of how she was teased and made fun of for looking differently from other students, but also of how that has helped to strengthen her and build her up. She talked about the heap of fiery mangled metal, how she had to be extricated by emergency crews, and how she shouldn’t have survived the crash. Her beautiful story allowed other students to see that even the most horrific things we experience in our life, God can work together for our good.

 As students brave through their fears of public speaking or judgment by their peers, to

Jaylon as he shared his story with us

during the meal at a recent HS Club.

unfold the story of who they are, others are encouraged to speak up and approach us about wanting to share. Jaylon is one of our high school boys that recently shared his story. His story included a recent arrest at the beginning of the school year and a trip to jail that left him missing quite a bit of school. He shared about how before his arrest, he was all about goofing off and living on the edge, in which he admitted to making some pretty poor choices. His time in jail gave him a lot of time to think about life and how he could begin to make better choices and do things differently. Upon his release, he returned to school. He had to work hard to get caught up in his classes as well as implement ways of not falling back into his old patterns. He spoke about how he considered consequences before taking action and how doing so guided him in a different direction most of the time.

 An astonishing 85% of the students we reach through Club Beyond are un-churched. By creating a safe place where kids can come and unpack the emotional baggage they carry, provides life and freedom. They are not met with shame or judgment, but with love and encouragement. Sometimes students question how we are able to love them through their mess, which opens the door for us to share with them how God loves us in the same way, no matter how dirty or broken we feel. We all have a story; we just have to be willing to share it with others.

We ask you to continually pray and lift up our leadership and students as each of them look to share their own ‘story’ with us, allowing us the opportunity to know them and each student to be known and loved in the eyes of Christ.

Ever so thankful for each of you.

Phil & Amy

January 2016 Newsletter

New Year, New Beginnings 

  Ringing in the New Year typically will make folks start to assess things in the past year along with what God holds in store for the upcoming one as well. Amy and I feel that 2016 will be one of many new starts and transitions for us and ministry and a number of ways. 

  As you all will see, Amy and I have chosen to produce our own newsletters in-house to be more diligent with the funding that we receive and cut our costs and see letters be more efficient in the near future. We are excited to provide this to our partner team and keep the information new and fresh and up to the minute for all of you to be ‘in the know’ as it unfolds.

  Join us knowing that 2016 will be a year of many ‘firsts’ with our ministry as we have retreats planned for the spring and a brand new summer camp planned which will happen in June in North Georgia. We feel this will be another Christ-infused banner year!

"It's never goodbye when you're family."

  

Chrisraine being baptized.

Chrisraine prepares
for her baptism.

 Farewells at any time of year are especially difficult, however mid school year moves are so tough on our teens due to the uncomfortable adjustments and integration into an already begun school year wherever they move. One of our longest-tenured middle school teens had to say farewell to us this season, however, God showed us that we needed to be feeling tears of joy with one of our dedicated MS students was moving when she shared “how Club Beyond taught her what it really means to be a follower of Christ and they were being baptized because of Club Beyond.” Humbly we are thankful for sending her.

Sharing our part of the world with others

   Over the recent Christmas and New Year holidays, we welcomed Amy’s folks and her sister to come visit us in our neck of the woods and experience our part of the country and where God has been working in us and the mission for military teenagers. Throughout their time with us, we enjoyed moments of rest and relaxation at our home in Hinesville, plus we got to take them to Georgia’s Golden Isles, aka, the islands off the Georgia coast. Being that we experienced above normal seasonal temperatures at this time of year in their visit of 80 degrees and above, it was fitting to show them some of our own favorite spots along the coast.  

All of us at the Tybee Island lighthouse.

  Amy and I love to have people come visit us in this wonderful place we call home and work alongside so many wonderful military families and their teens. It’s such an honor and blessing to be able to host as many people as we have throughout our time in Southeast Georgia. We have been able to provide a refuge for other YFC missionaries looking for a few days of respite outside of the communities they serve. In addition to hosting friends and family when they come to visit us, we have also used the extra space in our home to add to our family. In September, we welcomed a young man named Alex into our home. We came across this young man through our life group and he was in need of a place to stay. We thought we could provide something temporary for him, but his presence in our home grew on us and we discovered he had taken up permanent residence in our hearts. Although he is 22 years-old, we have adopted into our home and our hearts as part of our family. Alex is very gifted in many areas including photography and carpentry. He has been working on two home renovation projects and has even helped us on a few home improvement projects around the house.

Amy's folks with us at the St. Simmon's Island lighthouse.

We realize that not everyone can make the trip to our corner of the country, but should you ever find yourself in or near Southeast Georgia, feel free to let us know and we would love to share our part of the world with you. If your travels don’t bring you to us, we enjoy sending out our monthly newsletters to each of you every month so that even through this small snapshot, we can continue to share a piece of our world and the work we’re doing for the Kingdom of God with you.

All of us with Alex (behind to the right of the pirate) at the Pirate's House Restaurant in Savannah.

Humbly thankful for each one of you that continue to keep us on mission in 2016,

Phil & Amy Parsons

Celebrate with us!!

• One of our amazing students, Chrisraine, chose to dedicate her life to Christ in baptism before moving to Italy! 
• Bradwell Institute, which is one of our local high schools, has allowed us to bring our ministry and mission to their school starting with a morning small group on Fridays!

 Join us in prayer: 

• Over half a dozen of our students and their families had to move mid-year and we had to say farewell to some impactful loved friends. 
• As we start our Spring '16 semester, pray for new starts in many areas as well for our mission as we are awaiting news on direction soon.