By Love Pickle – Loveland, Colorado … Students in the seventh and eighth grades at HMS Richards Adventist School are reaching out to the community by participating in the literature ministries (LM) program.
The program has been a mission of seventh and eighth-grade teacher Carey Jordan. “It’s been a dream of mine since I started teaching,” said Jordan who has been working with Matt Hasty, RMC literature ministries director, and the school board to make this dream a reality.
After recent approval by the school board, the students have been able to go out twice and plan to continue once a month for the rest of the school year.
This experience has created a desire within students to continue sharing the gospel in their community. “LM is actually a lot of fun. I am glad to bring people to Christ, and maybe they can be saved,” Warren, a seventh-grader, enthusiastically shared. When asked how it felt to be rejected, he responded, “I respect their choices, and I don’t want to force anything upon them.”
Another seventh-grade student said, “LM is great, but sometimes I get nervous when I don’t know something.”
Jordan told how she witnessed the students’ attitudes change during their first LM outreach: “The kids started so nervous, but when they came back, they asked when they could do it again.”
Being part of literature ministries requires a lot of patience, determination, and the mental capacity to overcome challenges. Another student, Elin, found it difficult to talk to strangers and pray with them at first, but still pushed herself to do so.
Eighth-grader Michelle recalled an unforgettable experience where she and her peers knocked on a door and met a woman who had undergone many brain surgeries and has an uncertain prognosis. Hence, the students gathered and prayed for her. Seeing seventh and eighth graders reaching out to adults in such a way made school secretary Aubrey Nelson emotional, with tears rolling from her eyes. Reflecting on the event, Michelle added, “It makes me feel better to pray for other people.”
Even when people don’t make a purchase, the students are still happy when people who open the door, are filled with hope that they might open a lot of hearts.
The money collected from LM goes toward sponsoring a mission trip for the students. If pandemic restrictions prohibit the trip, the funds will be sent to Maranatha.
–Love Pickle is a senior at Campion Academy; photos by Carey Jordan
