For Him and Them by Dean Cowles, YPN President

A monthly message from YouthPartnersNET President Dean Cowles.

For Him and Them by Dean Cowles

November 2005

Here's a "World Champion" from Chicago you probably haven't heard about. I love seeing God do amazing things in the lives of amazing inner city kids. The following story is about a changed life at the SAFEPLACE Afterschool Program and Day Camp, one of our ministry partners in Chicago, Illinois.

For the past three summers, I personally have been to Chicago to see and experience the SAFEPLACE Day Camp. This year I got soaked in the water balloon toss. Thanks from all of us at YPN and Jan Shed, the director of this wonderful program. Most of all, here's a heartfelt personal word of thanks from Jackie, an amazing young woman who has overcome amazing odds.

One day I was invited to attend SAFEPLACE Day Camp at Edgewater Baptist Church. It was there that I accepted Jesus into my heart. After that, I never looked back...

The person who has been the most instrumental in my walk with Christ is my mom. If it wasn't for her willingness to let me choose my own religious path at such a young age, I would not be here today. Throughout the years, I have been blessed enough to make a difference in my family's own walk with Christ. Since I first came to Edgewater, my mom, Julie, has rededicated her life to Christ. My cousin, Andrew has accepted Jesus in his heart, and my aunt Rita, has accepted Christ just recently as well. Now, all four of us consider Edgewater our home.

At this point in my life, I feel I am being called to serve in a more instrumental way. I feel that my future involves working with children. I don't know in what capacity, but I feel strongly that God is pointing me in the direction of young children, or possibly teenagers, to be part of my future."

Jackie Quintero is what I would call, a "World Champion Changer". She is now a sophomore at Senn High School and was on staff at the Day Camp this past summer and is now an active volunteer for the Afterschool Program. Christ has changed her life and she is a leader in the making! It all started because a local urban church reached out to its needy neighborhood.

And more good news from Edgewater...Kristen is the Youth Director at First Baptist Church in Camilla, Georgia. She and her youth group served at Edgewater's SAFEPLACE Day Camp for a week in July with our Urban Connexx program. Kristen called and asked if she could return to Chicago and serve again during their Afterschool Program. They immediately scheduled her to come for their Fall Fest which is a fundraising event for both SAFEPLACE programs.

Not only did Kristen volunteer during the Fall Fest, led worship, sang with the praise team, tutored kids at the Afterschool Program, but she returned to her church youth group in Georgia with the desire and knowledge of how to expand and reach out to the non-church kids in their neighborhood. Even more, Kristen's youth group is planning a fundraising event to raise money to send more kids to Edgewater's SAFEPLACE Afterschool Program and Day Camp. Now that's a connection!

YPN was able to recently send Edgewater a grant to help support these programs through your faithful support. Keep the good work going in Chicago and around the country! Contact Shelley at swallen@youthpartnersnet.org if you, your church, or school is interested in raising funds for a specific need with children and youth in America's high-risk communities and we will work with you to make it happen!

For Him and Them,

Dean Cowles

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