Usually when telling the story of a special event, the story comes to life from the event itself. Then there are the stories that don’t come to life until long after the event is over. This is one of those moments, friends.
Campus Life in University Place (UP) recently finished our summer activities with a Color War. If you’re wondering what a Color War is, it’s pretty simple. It’s safe chalk that you can throw at each other. Super fun, super messy, and oh-so-amazing to see the colors blend.
UP Campus Life partnered with a great church in UP called New Life Church for this amazing event. New Life invited several of their students who attend their church and Campus Life did the same. We had well over 20 students join us for our Color War. As many students began to arrive, Bob, one of our volunteers, and I prepared for the fun to come, providing hotdogs, drinks, and candy for the students and parents to enjoy. We played games of Gaga-Ball, and basketball and had good old-fashioned conversation. As the time went by the big moment had finally come. It was Color War time!
We gathered up the students to go over the rules, set up teams for the game, and make sure they understood that they should strive for fun. It did take some time to go over the rules with the students and break them up into teams. Now this is the moment our story truly takes shape. Sure, all the games had been fun and the Color War that was fixing to begin was great, but in this moment of breaking up the teams had an impact on one of the students that I would only be made aware of later.
Bob, our volunteer, had invited his niece and her kids to join us. Her oldest, a middle school girl named Amber*, was shocked to have two things happen to her. One, she was the first student to get picked for a Color War team. She had never been picked first for any fun game in her life. She felt seen, appreciated, and ready to play. But it was the next thing she needed more than just being chosen first.
In the process of her being picked for her team, I felt that I needed to tell her that she was an amazing human who had worth and was so loved regardless of how she felt. I also said she must not let people think or treat her otherwise. In the moment I thought nothing more of it. It was what I needed to do and exactly what I did. We are always looking for ways to share the truth about how kids are loved by God.
After this the teams were set and the game began. The Color War itself lasted for a good 40 minutes and was full of amazing and spectacular colors. Bright puffs of chalk exploded in the air. Big laughs were had, a few photos taken, and we cleared up and headed home.
When the next day came, Bob told me that his niece’s daughter Amber had shared with her mom what I had said. It turns out that Amber had needed to hear it. Her mom told Bob that no one outside the family had ever encouraged her like that. This had a huge impact on how Amber saw herself. It gave her confidence in herself and strength to love herself.
This is why we show up. This is why we speak encouragement even in the most mundane moments. Because we never know who is listening and who needs to hear the message we are carrying.
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:4-5 “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.”
We are given a comfort from Jesus so that we can be a comfort to others. I am thankful for the moments that Jesus has been a comfort to me so that I can be a comfort to students like Amber, and so many more in UP and beyond. Will you be a comfort for those in need?
Thousands of students in Pierce County need us to be for them what Christ has been for us. Let’s meet the “Ambers” of our county and see their lives change.
To learn more about Campus Life or how you can join in the work of bringing God’s love to the youth of Pierce County, click below
Jesse Restuccio
University Place Campus Life Coordinator and resident YFC Star Wars expert
*Student names and images are changed or modified to protect their privacy.
