Once Upon a Time

Kids grew up without the threat of knives, guns, and shattered dreams. They hung out in playgrounds, played double-dutch, and licked ice cream cones on hot summer days without the fear of drive-bys or the intimidation of gangs. Most young ladies could reach womanhood without abuse, and young men had role models to lean on, to learn how to become a real man. School was a safe place where learning outpaced discipline, and graduation was the norm.

‘Once upon a time’ is gone forever, but not in the hearts of students who God has brought to Himself. In relationship with Him, they are learning how to become men and women who set a higher standard, and who call others to join them.

Here are their stories.

Jasmine

Jasmine is a sophomore at Leadership High in Manhattan. She is a sweet girl with a great heart. Her home life, however, has been very hectic. She has been moving back and forth from her mother’s house to her aunt’s house. Her relationship with her mother is very unstable and there isn’t a firm support base there. She has been coming to Student Venture from day one this year. Every week she would come and every week she would have sincere and good questions. One of our volunteers, Susan St. Cyr, really made a strong effort to get to know Jasmine. In March, Susan and Jasmine got together to talk about the Gospel and how to know God personally, but at that time Jasmine was not ready to make a commitment. Yet, Jasmine continued to come with an open heart. In May, Jasmine came to the meeting and said she had an announcement. She was at home praying and decided to say yes to Jesus. We were all very excited! Just last week Susan bought Jasmine her very first Bible. Jasmine is excited and eager to grow in her new found faith.

Jorge

I met Jorge during our first student conference. Jorge’s bright smile connected us immediately, which is surprising, because there’s not much in his life worth smiling about. He goes off to school in the morning around 7:30 am and arrives back home to let himself in to an empty apartment around 3:45 pm. His mother, Anna, is a single mom who works long hours in the Bronx to make ends meet. His dad stays close by their house, but his addiction to drugs and alcohol keeps him much farther away. Jorge is different. He wants to accomplish something in his life, so that he can go back to his neighborhood and make a difference. He wants to be a cop! He has great goals for his life, but also great roadblocks. His mom didn’t have the resources to buy him glasses, so his grades began to suffer. We put out a plea for help and two men from Chattanooga, TN said they would buy Jorge glasses. You should see him now. He has more confidence in himself, and he is also the envy of the neighborhood because of his new specs. Jorge is just one student who, with a little help, is going a long way.

Dwayne

Dwayne Walton was attending Magnet High School in Queens when he saw something one day he couldn’t quite figure out. A group of “white folks” had visited his class and invited him to a gym night that evening at the school. He loved basketball, and decided to attend. Those ‘white folks’ just happened to be Student Venture staff, who were partnering with a local minister in reaching out to the school. That night after playing ball and eating pizza, Dwayne sat down with one of the strangers and heard for the first time how he could know God personally. He gave his life to Christ and filled out a comment card. A couple of days later the local minister came into his classroom. “I’ll never forget that moment,” he recalls. “I looked up and he pointed right at me, and motioned for me to follow him. After that, I didn’t have a free weekend for the next three years. He poured his life into me and gave me the direction that I badly needed.” Today Dwayne is an intern in the Philadelphia area with Student Venture, and ministers to 200 youth a week at a recreation center.

Jennille

Jennille: I am a drama major at LaGuardia High School. This past fall, my friends invited me to a weekly dinner and Bible study at the home of a Student Venture staff person. I was not a Christian. In fact, my mom was a different religion and I was confused about what to believe. When I was at the study, I felt content, but afterwards, I would always fall into sin and get frustrated. But at the SV winter conference called Fastbreak, I finally gave my heart to the Lord. I made this decision because I was tired of being something I dreaded — and I dreaded sinning so naturally. My life has really changed. It is much smoother and I don’t have to handle it alone. I have Jesus’ help and blessing. Now I want to branch out and spread the knowledge of what I know to my friends. I tell many of my friends what God has done in my life. I also helped to organize a big outreach at my school this spring. There were about 200 students who came to hear a speaker share what God has done in his life. My goal is to impact at least one student for Christ. Student Venture is the backbone of my coming to the Lord!