I saw his face two rows over, and there was sudden recognition. How did I know this kid? I had never been to this school cafeteria, and yet, somehow, I knew the young man. Intrigued, I made my way to the table where the middle schooler sat clustered together with some friends.

“How do I know you?” I asked. He recognized my face as well, and after a few sleuthing questions we determined that he used to attend a chapel youth group at the military installation from which I had just moved.

As I spoke with “Nathan” and his group of friends, I soon learned that they were all military brats. I wasn’t surprised. For military teenagers, a shared culture creates a sense of community, and that community is essential to their resilience. I could tell this little enclave was a life raft for Nathan, a means of staying afloat in the waters of transition.

For a group of kids who move an average of 6-9 times from kindergarten to graduation, a familiar face makes a world of difference.

And that’s the beauty of Campus Life Military. Caring adults create spaces for kids like Nathan to not only keep them afloat but to also help them thrive. Through creative connections, trips, and events we foster relationships. We prayerfully walk beside kids in the struggles of military life and introduce them to the one relationship where there will never be a “goodbye.”

As these teens meet Jesus, we watch them start to thrive on all levels.