June 28, 2008
Making the Difference: An Interview with Jake
by Jamin Goecker, RTF Staff Writer
Try living a day without hearing bad news. If a politician hasn’t lied, then the economy has shrunk. If the economy’s intact, then someone died. If someone hasn’t died, you spilled milk over the newspaper.
What can one teen do in this world? Jake, a homeschooler from Texas, could tell you.
Jake volunteers at a nondenominational street ministry called House of Faith. A group of teens go to schoolyards in rough parts of town every week and engage the children with games, Bible lessons, and snacks.
The games feel like gang fights sometimes. Most of the kids come from rough backgrounds. What does Jake do? “I am mainly there to interact with the kids. That means playing with them, keeping them under control, and to encourage them,” he says.
But ministry is draining. Jake discovered that one of the hardest things is putting up with a kids rejection. “I hate you,” isn’t an unfamiliar phrase.
But the benefits from ministry pays; even when bruises are the only things that can be counted. Jake says, “When you start seeing these kids mature and give their lives to Jesus, and you really see that they are living it, you just feel so good.”
Jake is a normal guy. And yet he’s changing the world one act at a time, one hostile kid at a time.
“Never let anybody tell you that you can’t do something, or you’re too young to be any good. I talked to somebody once who every time I tried to say something they came back with the comment ‘How would you know? You’re only 16,’ or something along those lines. It was almost like they wanted me to be a brainless, no-good couch slug. Ever since then I have really wanted to prove that theory wrong.”
Jamin will graduate next year. Currently he’s working during the summer at a fast-food restaurant and writing his second book. He enjoys reading history, writing, paintball, running, and Photoshop. Check out his blog at http://scribe-jamin.blogspot.com.
Debbie says:
Great stuff, Jamin! I’m glad you shared that interview. It’s encouraging.
Debbie