For Him and Them by Dean Cowles, YPN President

A monthly message from YouthPartnersNET President Dean Cowles.

For Him and Them by Dean Cowles

August 2005

Summer is always a busy time for YouthPartnersNET and all of our ministry partners around the country. As we roll into August many of our partners summer programs are winding down. But the work never stops as they prepare for After-School tutoring and mentoring programs.

In addition to helping our partners with direct support YPN has been networking with other groups to enhance bringing volunteers and resources beyond our imagination and reach to help our partners in places like Denver and Chicago.

I just returned from Chicago and visited many of our partners who are host work sites for a project we call Urban Connexx, which is in it's second year. YouthPartnersNET has teamed up with M-Fuge, a division of Lifeway Publications, to bring youth groups to the inner city of Chicago who serve for a week at one of our ministry partner's site and in that neighborhood.

Last year around 900 students participated in this new "summer in the city" program. This year over 1700 came to Chicago and over 300 to DenverLinx, another summer project YPN started this year with Colorado Christian University. 1000 are already signed up in Chicago for next summer. Wow, what a great impact. 2000 suburban youth helping urban kids.

I can't describe to you what a joy it was for me to see the teams and what a great impact they are having for our frontline partners. Every urban director that I talked to said that these eight weeks of Urban Connexx helped them in many incredible ways. Many teams helped renovate ministry buildings, sanctuaries, apartments, parks, picked up trash, etc. Some held Vacation Bible Schools in empty lots which they called "peace zones". They first had to go pick up all the glass and trash and then canvass the neighborhood in the morning. The afternoons were filled with games, water balloons, snacks, bible lessons and walking the children through the "salvation bracelet" with the many colors showing the plan of salvation.

It was also a special delight for me to close the week in prayer with the youth group from my first ministry assignment. These urban youth (who were small children when I knew them) drove up from Indiana to help serve urban kids in Chicago. That's what it's all about. I'm reminded of Matthew's words, "Just as the Son of Man did not come to serve but to serve and give his life a ransom for many" (20:28)

Here's some fascinating figures for you. These 2000 teens averaged 40 plus hours a week for a total of over 80,000 man hours of service. The IRS says that on average each volunteer hour is worth $16 x 80,000 = $1,280,000 of donated labor.

Thanks again for your support and prayers. And bring your youth group to Chicago or Denver to join us in "serving the city next summer".

For Him and Them,

Dean Cowles

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