Ana Martin
Opinions editor
Though college students are known for committing to various social issues and community service projects, the motivations behind these causes and actions are not always made known. One particularly noteworthy group of student-servants at Shorter is the Kids Extreme volunteers, and they themselves have a number of sources they cite as inspirations for their work.
First, as senior music education major Lauren Daniell notes, Kids Extreme “is a group of college students and adults who bring the Gospel to the community though Bible stories, games and loving on children and their families.”
Anthony Dyches, a senior secondary education major who volunteers with Kids Extreme, notes that while his role in the outreach is simply to “do whatever needs to be done,” he is personally motivated by the fulfilling relationships he is able to build through the ministry and service.
Dyches himself found his inspiration to serve after a mission trip to Arlington, Texas, where he recalls coming to the realization that he did not have to travel to serve and share the Gospel “when I had the opportunity to do something here when I had free time.”
Junior communication major Carrie Deese cites a similar reason for wanting to serve. Deese notes, “I feel like children and missions are my two passions. Through this, I see the joy on the kids’ faces. I get to God work in their lives and to see them grow…(and that) is what motivates me.”
Also, she realizes that the children she works with “may not have other people in their lives to look up to.”
However, though the students note how compelled and driven they feel, they also admit that the work is not without its challenges. For example, Dyches says that one of the hardest things they see in the ministry is that “sometimes we have older kids who are responsible for their younger siblings. They want to come (to Kids Extreme) but they have so many responsibilities that they can’t leave.”
The occasional language barrier and shortage of volunteers is also noted as problematic.
However, Daniell comments that these challenges are not overwhelming or discouraging because of “the love of Jesus Christ,” which she claims is her personal source of motivation. As she puts it, “He’s given us so much love and I want to share it with others. It’s through His strength and His power that I am able to do it.”
