Two years ago during Spring Break at our Tillicum City Life Center, we put together a Leadership Day Camp featuring activities and conversations about topics like healthy relationships, setting goals, and observing the assets in their neighborhood. If you’re not familiar with Tillicum, it is one-square mile isolated by a lake on one side, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the freeway on the others. It is easy to do a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood to see physical signs of progress and growth, but also to see signs of decay and abandonment.

One of my favorite activities that Spring Break week was walking the neighborhood with the students and seeing Tillicum through their eyes. Some of the strengths they saw were recreation offered at the city park, fast food restaurants for them to hang out at, and the library. Weaknesses they shared had to do with people who are homeless, dealing with addictions, and have limited transportation options to leave the neighborhood. When we discussed the opportunities, they shared how they envisioned helping their hungry neighbors, cleaning up garbage on the street, and having a community barbecue at the park. 

Walking with these teenagers was inspiring. When they shared their thoughts it helped me see things that I hadn’t before. Their concern for the difficulties facing their families and neighbors gave me a better understanding of their stories of hardship. Their ideas of helping others gave me hope about how they could improve Tillicum that I didn’t have before. 

Young people are resilient. Young people are intelligent. I love ministering with them to share God’s love through authentic, Christ-sharing relationships so that they can use their resilience and intelligence for His glory!