Summer brings all sorts of images to our minds. The beach, vacation, boardwalk, waves, backyard BBQs...and ice cream. Nothing hits the spot on a hot summer day like a good old-fashioned ice cream cone. Did you know that there are parts of the country, sections where it's hot often, where they don't have ice cream stands? Unbelieveable!
As I've told you before, Youth for Christ uses a wide variety of methods and ministry models to build relationships with kids. Ice cream is one of those models.
This week, we were blessed to have 40 kids come to the Schenectady City Life Banana Split party. Now you need to know that our banana splits are not your average 6-inch paper bowl with a few scoops of ice cream, a half of a banana and some random toppings. We go BIG when we do ice cream! We fill several (brand new and clean) plastic rain gutters with ice cream, toppings and bananas. This is a split like none you've probably seen...or eaten. Kids LOVE it.
I could end the story there and you might say, "hey, that's great, YFC provided kids ice cream and fun." But you know us - that's just not enough. We used the banana splits as yet another point of relationship-building with kids. After the ice cream was consumed, our staff shared a very clear message about Jesus' love and forgiveness.
The bottom line is that we are not ashamed; we're not ashamed to have loads of fun with kids, to get messy (and believe me, some splits have produced PLENTY of that); we're also not ashamed to clearly, lovingly share the life-rescuing gift of Christ with every young person we meet. It's a privilege we don't take lightly.
So, the next time you sink your teeth into a big, double stacked, extra toppings waffle cone, remember how such a simple treat can help us tell kids about Jesus. Thank you so much for praying for us through a very full summer of ministry. Thank you for your generous giving - we rely on those gifts every day to keep reaching more lost teenagers.
P.S. Here are a few photos from our
just completed canoe trip down the Allagash River in Maine.
