Eight young adults lit a flame of inspiration across Eastern Washington this summer. The group called His Travelers, visited 16 churches around the Upper Columbia Conference conducting Vacation Bible Schools, community service events and youth ministries. The goal was to simply be a blessing to churches by assisting their ministries and by creating awareness of the church within the local communities.
"I am a big fan of the His Travelers program," says James Shires, Lewiston (Idaho) Church pastor. "Their youthful enthusiasm brings a fresh spark and new dimension to our church. Their energy is a big boost for our adult members and a wonderful inspiration for our youth members. These kids are especially spiritual, and they are a powerful tool in the Lord's work."
When His Travelers arrive at a church, they immediately get to work, getting members excited about ministry and teaching others how they can be role models. They bring church youth alongside them as assistants and leaders.
"After His Travelers came to Lewiston last year, I noticed a big difference in our youth," says Shires. "A few months after, I could see our kids were much more confident about getting up front and leading out."
"Some churches are small and don't have a lot of help, so it is refreshing for them when we come and give them fulltime workers," says Mena Ikladios, a senior high school student from Abbotsford, British Columbia.
While in Lewiston, Idaho, one group of His Travelers spent time each day at the park after VBS. The first day they gave out popsicles and GLOW literature tracts. The next day they played sports. Soon children were opening up to them, and His Travelers had a chance to share spiritual ideas. Eventually one of the local children said, "I am going to go home and read those papers."
"We have to depend on God to lead us to ministry opportunities," says Jonathan Sharley, a sophomore music and pre-med student from Yakima, Wash. "On the last day of VBS at the Ione Church, I felt impressed to invite a 7- or 8-year-old girl to ask Jesus to come into her heart. She had been so open and sincere all week, and I just felt she was ripe for harvest."
There are many more miracles that happened with His Travelers this year, and by God's grace the impact of their ministry will have a lasting effect in the months and years to come.
Jonathan Sharley, His Travelers member, is a sophomore music and pre-med student at Walla Walla University. Here he teaches children at the Spokane Valley Church Vacation Bible School program how to sing loud enough for even Grandma and Grandpa to hear them in the back row.
Shalise Gross, in her second summer with His Travelers, listens carefully to a Vacation Bible School student.
Sharon Jeon, freshman biology major from Southern California, gets ready to lead her students to the next activity at the Spokane Valley Church Vacation Bible School program. Jeon joined His Travelers this summer because she wanted to do something she had never done before so that she could learn to totally depend on God.
His Travelers members this year are: Re'Jean Coons, Shalise Gross, Mena Ikladios, Sharon Jeon, Jonathan Sharley, Sierra Walley, John Wilson and Amanda Withers.
