Torch, Spring 2005

Spring 2005 / TORCH 13 Personally speaking, Gibbs has been blessed with the relationships she has built through Veranda Life. She testified, “I have had the opportunity to build friendships with some great students. I feel as if I have benefited from and been challenged by them possibly more than they have been by me! It is wonderful to interact with these students and hear about their hopes, dreams, and struggles, and it is neat to see how God uses my life experiences to help them. I love it!” As the popularity of Veranda Life grows, Gibbs looks forward to the changes that will follow. “We continue to adjust and grow and develop the targeted junior women,” explained Gibbs. As more students get involved, more mentors are needed, so wives of faculty and staff members are now encouraged to participate along with female faculty/staff. The level of involvement and time commitment varies with each relationship. Mentors agree to meet at least once a month with their students. “Some relationships turn into more regular meetings while some don’t,” noted Gibbs. “There is no typical meeting, because we leave it up to the mentor/mentoree to shape the relationship to whatever works best for them. So, some eat lunch in the dining hall, others invite the mentorees into their homes, and some do special projects together.” program each year,” she stated. “It would be neat to someday have such a demand for mentoring/women’s ministry at Cedarville that we could add a full-time position to fulfill those needs.” For more information on Veranda Life, contact Gibbs at 937-766-7872. T