Street Youth Ministry Celebrates Christmas!

Every Tuesday, UPC hosts a Bible Study for Street Youth Ministry. This ministry was begun by Terry Cole, member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin. He recently sent an update, describing how he and street-dependent youth celebrated the holiday.

Please visit Terry's blog to learn more about this incredible ministry. Here's what Terry has to say about Christmas Celebrations this year!

Wednesday -- Gingerbread House Therapy

For 2 days, about 20 youth and I worked to build a gingerbread mansion out of graham crackers, cookies, cereal, marshmallows and lots of candy. It was an amazing building complete with landscaping. While we built it, we explored feelings about the future. The youth made a story to go with it. They imagined it to be a green and sustainable building. And it acted as a home for traveling kids from all over. Additionally, they had a solution for the strife between themselves and community. Read their story and see more pictures on my blog.


Friday -- Christmas Stockings on the Street

This year I got an amazing present from Bags of Grace ministry. They prepared and gave 100 large red stockings. Each contained a hand-made scarf and hat, a signed Christmas card, a bag of toiletries, and some candy. Some youth said "No" to receiving these at first, but then sheepishly would grin and say, "Sure!" One said, "This is the only Christmas I've had in three years." One said, "The bag is nice, but the real gift is this card that someone wrote to me."


Tuesday: Christmas Party

We had 35 youth come to our first ever Christmas party this year! Wow! It was mayhem, but I manged to get them to sing Christmas carols! We watched a funny video of the 12 crazy days of Christmas and then shared ideas on the real meaning of Christmas. I gave a mini-message: "We are each are favored by God, chosen by God, and unconditionally loved by God. Even though we run away from God, he pursues after us, never ceasing to love us." These youth have few models for unconditional love, so I brought up an image they are familiar with: the love of a dog for its owner. "Imagine a big warm dog with paws on your shoulders, licking your face and lying on your lap. This is sort of what it feels like to stop running from God and let his love cover us." Then we watched a brief video which brought home the idea of "God With Us." It challenged them to wonder if the greatest gift we can give anyone this Christmas might be giving ourselves to God.

We enjoyed sausage wraps, cookies, oranges, eggnog and cokes. Everyone received gifts, all of which were donated to SYM by people like you. I handed out flashlights and radios powered by hand cranks instead of batteries. I handed out bags with Bibles and devotionals. I handed out wash clothes and tee-shirts and socks. I handed out tiny decorated rosemary trees so that any youth could have a Christmas tree if they wanted. I handed out a Christmas book. I gave out oranges and bags of candy. I gave out more stockings, including to one girl who just got an apartments. "Now I have a stocking to hang in my house!"

We finished by watching the gospel according to Charles Schulz, "A Charlie Brown Christmas." After the party, many stayed to help clean-up. They were so overwhelmed by the generosity of those who support me in ministry toward them. One youth stopped by for counseling and gave me a huge hug, a first for him.

Austin Agape and University Presbyterian Church are grateful for this ministry!