Article 1: How Would Jesus ~?
by Scott Gronholz, Youth Director

When I was a teenager, a bracelet that became a major trend was: “WWJD?" “What would Jesus do?”
A lot of people find this question in following Jesus each day. However, this question is now becoming "HWJ~." “How would Jesus ~? ” The emphasis on “how” leads to an understanding and experience with Christ and is important to ask before approaching the “what” moments of our lives.

The big “what” for our H.S. youth this summer was a 10-day mission trip to Pasadena, where they served in groups of 10
(2 leaders, 8 students) at 4 different ministries helping the community of Pasadena:

1. Harambee Christian Family Center
   www.harambee.com
2. Elizabeth House
   www.elizabethhouse.com
3. Door of Hope
   www.doorofhope.us
4. Hope Again
   www.hope-again.org

One ministry was a community center and private grade school in a dangerous part of town. Another was a house for homeless pregnant women. The trip was organized to give the students 3 days to think, pray, and prepare their hearts for a 5-day work week, then work on site with ministries.

The benefits of these 3 days were tremendous. The “how” question encouraged youth to check, for example, that they were encouraging one another in their tasks. They were aware of needing Christ to live through them as they worked, and to see Christ living and speaking through those they came to serve.

At the end of the trip, tasks were completed. More importantly, they had kept Christ at the center of the trip. Everyone was affected because of this and articulated their experiences in varying ways during our debriefing. During that time, students seemed to have ready and thought-out answers as to how they served their ministries.

Now that we’ve returned, our youth continue to ask that question. I only hope and pray that this concept sinks into our hearts and that I won’t catch any youth making a quick buck someday on “HWJ~?” bracelets.

Article 2: I Am Unimportant
by Ryan Pearson, sophomore at Garfield High School

My work group was made up of very unique people, all gifted with some kind of talent or skill. We used those talents on the trip, playing the guitar or painting a wall. As the week went on, my heart became more and more aware of one fact that stood out loud and clear to me. I am unimportant . Every time I did something, I’d realize either how bad I am at it, or how good someone else was. It was almost like my soul itself could only notice the worst parts of my own reality.

Then on our last day at Harambee Center we began painting a broken door white, then with a red cross. Then we started writing out Rev. 3:20. I didn’t want to help because I felt I would mess up. But, one of our leaders, Katie Harding encouraged me.

I picked up the brush, dabbed it into the paint, then began writing the words “voice and.” I started with the V and suddenly saw how wide I had made it; the color and quality of the paint as it started to dry also seemed alarmingly wrong. I finished the “oice” faster, then walked slowly away instead of finishing my assigned part.

I walked to the stairs in front of a Harambee house. All of a sudden tears streamed down my eyes. I couldn’t stop them. I had tried and failed. I felt lonely, ostracized, and useless. Never had I felt that useless.

Later, I walked back and saw some members of my group putting our painted door into the Harambee Prayer Garden. I starred at it in shock. Everyone’s writing and paint styles were different, not just mine! Some of the writing was big; some of it was of darker shades.

I remembered a Bible passage that our youth group had focused on when preparing for the mission trip. Romans 12:4-5, which states that we are all parts of the same body of Christ. We are all important. As my youth pastor says “Christianity is all about responding to initiated love.”

During this trip I whole heartily believe that we responded to initiated love, not only by helping those we came to help, but by standing together as one body.