Jr. High NSHVLL Week, July 6-9

“We have been changed, to bring change, to bring change…” That song lyric seemed to be the consensus for the Junior High school students that attended SLAM’s NSHVLL Week July 6-9th. Four churches brought their youth to come and minister to people all throughout Nashville. Greencastle Christian (Indiana), Cherokee Hills Christian (Oklahoma), Christ UMC Franklin (Tennessee), and Tullahoma 1st UMC (Tennessee) were all present during this event.

Each day, participants volunteered at various locations throughout Nashville and tended to present needs. Some cleaned apartments of those incapable due to injury or mental condition. Their lives were changed as they heard stories of the residents’ childhood….their experiences, mistakes, lessons learned, and time of joy. They were also there to hear their battles with illness, lack of family visitation and even depression. Others helped with renovations at Grace M. Eaton Childcare Center, a 3-star learning facility dedicated to giving low-income families a chance to ‘get back on their feet.’ Students worked by the sweat of their brow pulling weeds and vines allowing the kids to have a safe place to play. Other project sites included Feed the Children, Trevecca Towers, Nashville Rescue Mission, McKendree Towers, Campus for Human Development and Napier Community Center. All the students worked hard at every location in the name of Jesus and his love for those who are needy, sick, broken…the least of these.

In the evening, students spent time in the Word coordinated with a theme “The Pursuit.” Evening session speakers asked the questions, “What are you pursuing?” and “What should you be pursuing?” The students were challenged to hear that their pursuit should be Jesus and him alone. Throughout the week’s progression as the students served and then heard the word of God taught, they recognized that the pursuit of God is lived out by loving other people. This inevitably requires faith especially within a youth culture that is focused on the individual. The Junior high students were challenged to take the love they had both given and received back home with them to their homes, churches, schools, and in their everyday relationships.

God moved in a mighty way in the hearts of all the middle school students present. They were encouraged, challenged and ready to share what they had learned with those closest to them. During the times of testimony about how God had changed them this week, many were compelled to become ministers of God themselves whether that be a youth pastor or a missionary. Others were determined to share Christ and his love with their atheist parents or to their Mom who had just gone through a terrible divorce. Some from the Nashville area vowed to go and visit the people they had met during the week at their service projects. It’s moments like these that are testimony to how God worked and planted seeds during NSHVLL Week. God is not finished with these middle schoolers…they will change their home, church, city, and the world.