Our theme of “Rescue” for Quakes this year is an obvious shout-out to the feeling that all humanity has that something is not quite right in this world. I lived for a long time (and often still do) ignoring the fact that my life truly needs to be ransomed. Sadly, it is only after reflection that I remember how much a part of this problem I am, and how much I need some sort of life preserver to grasp onto. Thankfully, there is one. The Son of God lived and died for my wrongdoings. He gives a definitive rescue, once and for all, to everyone who believes.
 
At Quakes, Zones, and EDGE, participants and staff are presented with the opportunity to take part in this idea of rescue through acts of service. Youth Encounter is partnered with Feed My Starving Children, Give a Kid a Backpack, and Habitat for Humanity. These organizations deal with direct needs of the people they serve. Feed My Starving Children does exactly what their name states; they collect donations and help volunteers package the food to be sent directly to those in need. Give a Kid a Backpack is another organization that collects backpacks and school supplies to give those children who do not have them. Habitat for Humanity helps the homeless or impoverished into new homes in which they may raise their families. The people who are served by these organizations are being rescued from hunger, homelessness, and poverty. Youth Encounter is very happy to partner with these organizations in meeting needs in the world around us.
 
There are other ways that Youth Encounter lives out the “Rescue” theme. Quakes are great times for youth. They get to hear and worship to great music, meet new people, listen to talks on spirituality, and stay at a really nice hotel. One part of Quakes that many may not know about is the Service Project Room that is often part of our Late Night Activities on Saturday nights. The Service Project Room has tough odds, as it is stacked up against Games with Captive Free, Swimming, the Dance, and the Prayer Room. In my personal opinion, I didn’t think anyone would show up to the Service Project Room. Writing letters to the hotel staff thanking them for all that they do or writing letters to troops overseas might have seemed boring compared to the other activities. On the contrary, Quake participants have written thousands of thank-you cards and letters to troops.
 
What does this have to do of our theme of “Rescue”? Hopefully, in some way, these cards and letters accomplish rescue by validating a hotel staff member’s work in which they were possibly feeling underappreciated. I know this because I have gotten phone calls from the hotels after the Event thanking me for the thank-you cards (to put it mildly, there was a lot of thanking going on). Our servicemen and servicewomen who are across the earth from us may be lonely as well, and a letter from one of our participants may just brighten their day.
 
I just thought that this e-newsletter would be a great time to fill you in on some of the things that we are taking part in here at Youth Encounter. I think that these areas of service are a way to instill the necessity of taking an active part in the “Rescue” of the world around us. There is no greater rescue than what our Lord did, and from that springs our desire to take part in being a kind of rescue for someone else.
 
For more information on our Events, visit www.youthencounter.org/quakes, www.youthencounter.org/zones, and www.youthencounter.org/edge.