Rambling for YFC from July 19, 2007

A little over three years ago something very special happened. Campus Life returned to Chillicothe. In the 70's Campus Life seemed to hit it's stride. I watched as my older sisters got involved. I tagged along to some of the larger "bashes" as my dad worked a grill or helped in some other way. They, adults and kids, really seemed to connect. In my young eyes I saw something I really looked forward to.

Skip ahead 30 years. I watch my son and his friends as they watch me help out a bit. We talk about someday when he will be old enough to...

Rewind 25 years. I sit at IVC and hope I am not noticed. Please, don't let the Campus Life leader see me. Don't let him come to the table I am at in the commons with my friends. I will show up on Thursday nights to the boring club meetings, but don't bring the boring club to me at school. Not in front of my friends. Oh I wish I was sick and not at school today. I wonder if the other 6 Campus Life kids got out of the commons without being seen. They are so lucky.

Skip ahead 15 years. They still have Campus Life in Chillicothe? Do any kids even go? Who? Who is the director? Oh, I think I have heard of him, maybe. Where do they meet? When?

Fast forward 7 years. If Parr's can't host, what will happen? No one else has enough room. Oh I hope the other adult leaders can come, there are too many kids. How many guys is Brent taking to the U P this summer? Hope all is going well in Africa for Kenny and the others on the mission trip he (IVC senior Kenny) planned. Brent, you are on the phone all the time, these kids won't give you a break. Your meeting starts in a few minutes Brent, you can't go through the commons, you'll never get out of there, use your school keys and go another way. She killed herself, they all need to talk to you.

Chillicothe. It is different. The Campus Life Director, Brent Fox, is different. From the very first day Campus Life returned to Chillicothe it has been different. The club was rolling full steam before a club night was even planned. Campus Life has traveled on two feet ever since. Brent began by taking it to them before he ever asked them to come. The number of kids involved grows and the burden on Brent grows. But we pray for more kids to come and meet Jesus, at the same time we pray for more Jesus followers to come help Brent serve these kids.

The Chillicothe club is not a club with great noticable parental participation (yet). It is a club that is driven by the desire that these kids have to relate to someone, something meaningful. These kids drive this club as Brent guides it's direction. These kids see Jesus (sandals and all) in Brent everyday.