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Fuse
09-12-2007 | Christchurch Blog | Church | 07 Review »
FUSE started in September as the new look version of our old Phase 2 youth group. Gavin Smith and others had spent months investing into this crazy bunch of young people from the Bettws, Duffryn, Pill and Alway areas of Newport. These guys had previously been helpers with Kidz Klub but with FUSE we gave them a group of their own, on a more frequent basis. We started the year doing various trips and activities such as visiting the Millennium Stadium, going down the Big Pit, taking part in a DJ workshop as well as the normal manic Saturday morning club!

The young people are aged between 11 and 16 and have come to be real friends with one another. This is quite unusual as kids from these estates would normally only have friends from school or their street. As the weeks have gone by the FUSE workers have done a good job of seeking to earn the young people’s trust and friendship. For example, one girl thought that I was ‘a bit strange’ (thanks!) at the beginning, but now sees me as a friend!

One of the highlights of the year was when our good friend Dai Hankey came down to give a DJ workshop. We had an excellent opportunity after he had given his testimony to chat with the kids about their own lives and struggles and how really the only answer to all of their problems was Jesus! Each week we are being given more opportunities to talk about real life situations and the gospel as we engage with these young folk. They don’t get on with each other all of the time which, despite being challenging to group dynamics, gives a great window to talk about reconciliation and how Christ reconciled us to God!

Perhaps the most exciting development was when the FUSE group started to attend the VJ nights. Not only are we able to bless these twenty plus kids with a fun night out but they are also exposed to gospel truths in a clear way. At the last VJ Dave Taylor and Dai Hankey both did a great job of explaining the problem of sin, the holiness of God, his mercy and the solution found in the gospel. Afterwards was a rich time as we spoke to some of the guys and gals. Some of them are starting to have a sense of guilt for what they are beginning to recognise as sin. How encouraging that over the coming weeks and months we will be able to tell them again and again how Christ died to remove that guilt! While there is a long way to go yet it is encouraging to see these kids coming back each week and seeing the work that God is doing in their hearts.

The job I have always serves to remind me of how thankful I should be for the wonderful family he has given me in Christchurch. We could do none of what we do and plan to do with the FUSE kids if it were not for the way that you give so generously! Let’s pray that FUSE, and our other youth outreach work continues to run so effectively, so that by God’s Grace these young people, “May believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing [they] may have life in his name.” (John 20:31).
Dan Gaweda