Dear Friend,
The colors were unmistakable. Shaker and Saratoga Blue, CBA Purple, Guilderland Red...and of course, Shenendehowa Green. Typically rival teams, these thousands of high school athletes, students, families and friends came together in one night to honor and remember the loss of two outstanding lives. They also came to salute two who had survived.
The scene was a vigil held at Brent Steuerwald Stadium in the Shenendehowa school district, our area's largest high school. By now you've heard about the two students from Shen who were killed in a car accident this past Saturday night. You've also heard the stories of the two survivors, one boy from Shen and a girl from Shaker high school in Colonie. Both of those students lost someone very close to them in the wreck.
At the vigil, relatives, friends and teammates shared their memories of Chris and Deanna, the students who died. They also shared the desire they believed those two would have for their friends and families to remember the good days, remember their lives in a positive light. One of Chris' best friends said that the best way to remember his is to "smile and celebrate the life of such a great kid."
Shen Superintendent Dr. L. Oliver Robinson said that, "events like these cause us to question our faith and our mortality." Question our faith and mortality! I could not stop thinking about the thousands of students gathered Tuesday night and THEIR mortality. So many of them don't know the Eternal, Lasting Peace that Jesus offers them. So many kids battling the grief of losing Chris and Deanna will do so without the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
That thought fires us up even more to keep moving forward in ministry. Even while we have just welcomed four new staff on board (Ashley, Erik, Michelle and Arimentha) and one more probably very soon...there are still so many more areas...so many more KIDS who NEED TO KNOW JESUS. How will they know unless someone tells them? Unless someone shows them?
Please continue joining with us in prayer, in financial partnership to reach more kids with the life-rescuing message of Jesus. Please also pray for Matt and Bailey, the two surviving students as they and their families heal physically and emotionally. And pray for the Stewarts and the Winds, the families who lost their kids too early in life.
Thank you so much for continuing to lift our area teens before our Lord.
For the kids,
John Richmond, Executive Director
The colors were unmistakable. Shaker and Saratoga Blue, CBA Purple, Guilderland Red...and of course, Shenendehowa Green. Typically rival teams, these thousands of high school athletes, students, families and friends came together in one night to honor and remember the loss of two outstanding lives. They also came to salute two who had survived.
The scene was a vigil held at Brent Steuerwald Stadium in the Shenendehowa school district, our area's largest high school. By now you've heard about the two students from Shen who were killed in a car accident this past Saturday night. You've also heard the stories of the two survivors, one boy from Shen and a girl from Shaker high school in Colonie. Both of those students lost someone very close to them in the wreck.
At the vigil, relatives, friends and teammates shared their memories of Chris and Deanna, the students who died. They also shared the desire they believed those two would have for their friends and families to remember the good days, remember their lives in a positive light. One of Chris' best friends said that the best way to remember his is to "smile and celebrate the life of such a great kid."
Shen Superintendent Dr. L. Oliver Robinson said that, "events like these cause us to question our faith and our mortality." Question our faith and mortality! I could not stop thinking about the thousands of students gathered Tuesday night and THEIR mortality. So many of them don't know the Eternal, Lasting Peace that Jesus offers them. So many kids battling the grief of losing Chris and Deanna will do so without the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
That thought fires us up even more to keep moving forward in ministry. Even while we have just welcomed four new staff on board (Ashley, Erik, Michelle and Arimentha) and one more probably very soon...there are still so many more areas...so many more KIDS who NEED TO KNOW JESUS. How will they know unless someone tells them? Unless someone shows them?
Please continue joining with us in prayer, in financial partnership to reach more kids with the life-rescuing message of Jesus. Please also pray for Matt and Bailey, the two surviving students as they and their families heal physically and emotionally. And pray for the Stewarts and the Winds, the families who lost their kids too early in life.
Thank you so much for continuing to lift our area teens before our Lord.
For the kids,
John Richmond, Executive Director
