2012-2013 Annual Report

Whether students’ passions are for children’s ministry, hospital or nursing home visitation, or small group discipleship, they find places to serve and grow that match their gifts, interests, and abilities. Nearly 70 teams serve local churches, schools, agencies, inner-city outreaches, and other programs, bringing the compassion of Christ and the message of His Gospel. I am the team leader for the Dayton Children’s Hospital ministry. We have teams that go to the hospital for two days a week for two hours each day. I look for children who are crying or lonely, or who have been waiting all day for a volunteer to play games with them. The children love having us there and often ask if we can come back the next day. Although our focus is the children, we minister to their parents as well. Parents often arrive while I am there playing games with their child, and they thank me for being there and ask why I take my time to be with their son or daughter. Hospital policy and HIPPA laws prevent us from initiating a spiritual conversation with children or families, but because my faith is a part of everything I do, I am able to show the children Christ just by being there when their families cannot be. If parents ask me why I am different or why I take the time to be there each week, I am able to have spiritual conversations with them. Although we are often exhausted by the end of the week when we go to volunteer, we come back from the hospital full of energy from seeing children’s faces light up when we play with them. I love being a part of a ministry that allows me to share Christ’s love with children who need it most. Jenny Curley ’15, Nursing Ministry Team Leader MINISTRY IMPACT 5