Eleven Columbia Adventist Academy (CAA) students from Battle Ground, Wash., gave up a week of their own classes and activities to present week of prayer at Tri-City Adventist School in Pasco, Wash. The theme? “Do Something,” which CAA students certainly did as they lived the message they shared in being active in their Christianity.
The eleven students were all part of the Life With Christ class, a Bible elective taught by chaplain Aaron Payne that helps provide students with the opportunity to be involved in ministry. Students in the class broke into groups of two or three to take on different grade levels of Tri-City’s kindergarten through 10th-graders and give talks throughout the week. For most of the CAA students, this experience with public speaking was new and nerve-wracking.
Junior Kenny Garcia was nervous going into his talk but says, “Once I started talking it was amazing. I completely forgot about all my nervous feelings, and I was just focused on talking. These kids were so accepting.” Many of the students expressed similar feelings.
CAA students did more than just talk; they had opportunities to be involved with the Tri-City students in other ways as well. They played with the kids during recess and PE and helped out in the classrooms, getting a chance to brush up on their own elementary math skills or help kindergartners with geography. One group of CAA students even joined the fifth- and sixth-graders in another ministry: volunteering at the food bank.
Students also enjoyed some downtime with each other, taking time out to play hide-and-seek tag, go to the river and go out for ice cream. They also got to enjoy dinner at Round Table Pizza, thanks to a grateful Tri-City family. The group appreciated time to form new friendships and strengthen old ones.
The Life With Christ class experienced the joy of active Christianity and the ways it strengthens our relationship with God. Junior Mariah Fernando observes, when you say yes to God, “You’re not only bringing others closer to God but you, yourself, get closer to Him.”
Kenny Garcia agrees, saying, “It is a humbling experience that I feel drew me closer to God.”
Freshman Madi Carlton encourages everyone to take up active ministry: “Jesus is calling all of us. He may not be calling you to go speak to a bunch of kids for a week, but He is most likely asking you to do something in your skill set but still out of your comfort zone. You just have to say yes.”
The Life With Christ class members certainly left their comfort zones in order to experience the blessing of “doing something.”
Alana Sheideman and Baylie Ermshar help in the classroom.
Sydney Dozark and Gaby Irias help at the food bank.
Brooke Wegner reading to students.
The whole CAA group leads song service at Tri-City Adventist School.
