Fragrant Testimonies on the Four Initiatives

Establishing Relationships with Young People

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Not very long ago I joined the serving team in Alhambra, then naturally I picked up the burden to serve the young people here. I have been told a lot of times before that the thing that really matters for serving the young people is to love them, otherwise do not touch them, yet this word eventually becomes real to me after I started to get involved into this service.
To build the relationship of love, we need to know each other first. I think since I am still kind of new here, I am still in the stage of knowing them and allowing them to know me. To build up a relationship of trust is not easy, especially with the young people. It usually takes quite a time for them to really trust a person, and for sure, they can tell if you are genuine or not, and if you really care for their person or you just care for the quote unquote “work”.
Sister Jacklyn is my good pattern and good companion, she helped me a lot during this transition time. We started to visit the young people one by one, as long as they are open to our visiting. For most of them, we got the opportunity to talk to them personally. I did not go to visit them with any intention other than knowing their person, and I also need to take the Lord’s heart to have a genuine interest in each one of them. My joy is to see them opening their mouth to talk—no matter what they talk about, I just want them to feel comfortable and safe to share. I am still learning the skill of asking the questions. By having the conversation with them, I started to know what they like, what they hate, what they care, what they dream of, and what they need, so I know if there’s anything I can do to make them happy or to help them. For example for one of the young people, she needs some help for her AP class, I think I am capable to deal with what she’s learning so I volunteered to help. Actually, I was so happy when she asked for my help afterwards. I believe both of us had a good time studying together. She is really a sweet girl.
For the ones whom we didn’t get the chance to talk to when we were visiting, we took the opportunity to talk to their parents. We do believe on the matter of raising up the next generation, the parents and the serving ones are partners and fellow workers, we cannot go on without one another’s support and the genuine fellowship together. We are all fighting for our kids, the precious inheritance of the Lord. It is always sweet to fellowship with the brothers and sisters, and it is also very encouraging to discuss building the family time with the young people at home, so both parents and young people can have a time to open to one another and to pray for one another. When I prayed with some moms, they shared their family time with me, which is really touching. I pray there will be more fellowship between the parents and the serving ones, so that we can always adjust our service in a timely way.
Now, apparently, it is not a good time to do visitation any more. But all the young people serving ones keep praying for them, our hearts are all the same for our precious young ones. And since they are all “trapped” at home now, we are trying to have two gatherings online each week corporately, and to have personal connection with them individually. I don’t know when the Lord is coming back, but I haste the Lord’s work to get our next generation prepared for that day. Hope all the brothers and sisters can join this praying for our own young people, so that the Lord will take good use of this time to gain much transaction with them and their absolute consecration.(Sis. Shiying, Church in Alhambra)