In April, five hundred volunteers came to the warehouse in Minneapolis to help pack Easter Bags, an outreach tool used by our church partners. Among the volunteers was Jacques.
Jacques grew up in a broken home in East St. Paul. He became acquainted with the inner-city ministry of Cru® more than half a decade ago when he was a student in the youth program at Payne Avenue Evangelical Free Church, one of Cru’s partner ministries. In her first year working with the inner-city ministry of Cru, Renae Kemp was volunteering with an after-school S.A.Y. Yes!® program when she first met Jacques. In discussing with the teens the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection, she asked, “Does having Christ in your life make a difference?” Jacques’ response was firm and blunt: “No.” To him, Christ made no difference in his life.
Jacques had begun attending this church after Pastor Larry Willman, who lived across the street from his family, reached out to him. Jacques admits he did not really believe. He only wanted to go if there was a big event. But after Jacques’ father was sent to prison, Jacques felt like he was in a dark place. God graciously worked in the midst of this however, and Jacques sought help from those around him and took questions to his pastor. He started praying and reading the Bible, searching for God.
A couple years ago, Jacques got baptized. Now graduated from high school, Jacques is volunteering with the youth program at his church. Cru hosts a weekend “Man UP!” retreat for teen guys and their mentors, which Jacques used to attend as a student. Last month, Jacques came to the retreat again, but this time he brought younger guys who he is mentoring! During the retreat, Jacques shared his story of how God met him in his pain and brokenness with the lovingkindness of Christ. When Christ is in your life, He does make a difference. Jacques now testifies to that, and God is using his story to impact the lives of others!
Please pray with us that God would continue to raise up young men who will become godly leaders in their homes, churches and communities!
