The gift of presence.

"Let's try to make the game more difficult by adding in more to hit." Garrett excitingly suggested as we played our makeshift version of Fooseball in the upper room of a small pizza joint. It had been our 2nd official hangout night with Garrett after watching him play in the marching band for the football game. Garrett has just begun junior high and really only has one friend, Corey, due to being homeschooled and being rather shy. Not only that, but Garrett has a mild case of asbergers syndrome which I have rarely dealt with. Corey, the most extroverted person I have ever met, sees Garrett for who he really is and has been looking out for him in band. Corey however is Mormon, so Garrett is the only student over 6th grade who attends our church. 

As an intern at the church I have even been tasked with building up a youth ministry beginning with relational tasks with Garrett and his friends. This task seemed daunting at first, but the more I have talked with Garrett the more receptive he has become. Our first outing after his game was to Taco Bell and one could see he felt that Corey overpowered his talking and he had to warm up to us. This pizza joint was our second time together and he was so warmed up to us that he made sure to point out when his next home game was. It did not take us long after we finished our pizzas to rush upstairs to compete in Fooseball.

 Once we arrived we quickly saw the ball was missing and when I was ready to just give up, Garrett improvised and showed us what we could use for a replacement ball.  This led to many stylized and unique games of Fooseball. I've been learning in the end youth ministry is about walking with students in their life events and giving them the gift of presence. But you do not just give them the gift of presence, they return it. When you and your students are fully present with each other it creates a trust that should continue to grow. Programs are much needed and very beneficial, but at the end of the day if no one in your group feels loved then your programs have not done what they were created to do. I would like to end by sharing that I am learning so much from the mind of my friend Garrett that I hope to take what I am learning with me once I go into other ministries in my life journey. 

Disclaimer: this is a true event, the names for the teenagers have been changed for privacy for themselves.