Hello! Welcome to our FCA WY Blog.
We hope that the stories and updates here give insight into what God is doing in our square state. We want to engage, equip, and empower our WY athletes and coaches, along with our amazing FCA community of volunteers and supporters.
That’s why…
We would like to share with you in this post about our first Laramie FCA Field Day Event from guest writer and Staff Stacy Frude, UW/Laramie FCA.
About the Event
Hello, this is Stacy and I am excited to tell you more about our FCA Field Day. The first ever Laramie FCA Field Day came together with many sanitized hands, physical but not relational distancing, some smiles hidden behind masks, and God’s direction and power, which remain the same regardless of the changing times.
Overall, it was a win to get these kids outside and moving, and growing in their understanding of Jesus!
Covid-19 and Camp Cancellations. The night before the first ever Laramie FCA Field Day I felt panic begin to mount. I could hear my computer bing with each new registration. 89, 90, 91… Any other year I would have been rejoicing that 91 kids and counting were signing up to attend an event where I knew they would hear the gospel and get to enjoy an FCA power camp experience.
However, this is not “any other year.”
This is the year of the shutdown; the year of canceling events, even ministry events. This is the year of COVID-19. Already our overnight FCA Camp
and regularly scheduled Power Camp
had been canceled and most other ministry events had moved online.
This event would resemble last year’s
Laramie FCA power camp, but would be modified to one full day instead of 4 half days. We would also incorporate the theme “field day” to resonate with every participant who had their school field day canceled in the spring due to school closure.
Most importantly, we would have the opportunity to share the gospel with 3rd-6th grade students, a particularly vulnerable and affected demographic amidst the pandemic.
Moving forward in faith. Our concern for the physical health and safety of people in our community led us to adhere to the local and state recommendations for ministry early in the spring and into summer. Yet, our concern was also for the spiritual well-being of people in our community, which had never abated.
We finally felt the best way to begin effectively sharing the good news about Jesus Christ with kids again, would be to take on the challenges with minimizing the danger of spreading disease as much as possible.
But...
This also meant stepping out in faith, to reach young people with the message of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, this message will create an eternal impact.
And, THAT is what compelled us. Every soul will spend eternity somewhere.
Breakdown of Field Day
Aaron and I moved forward confidently with the plan and recruited volunteers to provide food and equipment, to lead huddles, speak and share testimonies. Aaron never waivered in his conviction that this was the right play, but the night before the event I was waffling.
Was this the right decision? What if someone got sick? What if we were unable to implement our health and safety plan? What if someone thought we were being foolish to do an in person event? What if over 100 kids came when we had prepared for under 100. What if…what if…what if?
Challenges.
It was a restless night before an early morning which began with a huddle leader canceling at 6:30 am because he wasn’t feeling well. Sound equipment and our hand washing station from the local sanitation department were late. Kids started showing up before the 8:00 start time.
A friend saw my panic and pulled me aside to pray. She reminded me “God’s got this.”
And He did.
After the initial chaos, the pieces began to come together. Eventually 95 kids stood in line to get their temperatures taken by registrars who smiled with their eyes behind masks. Once cleared they were assigned their huddle number and directed toward the hand sanitizer and breakfast station.
And then we were off to the races!
Blessings.
Morning power up, co-ed soccer stations, snack, speaker, huddles, volleyball and football stations, sack lunches, field day events, snack, speaker, huddles. Before we knew it, it was 2:45 and fire trucks were pulling up on the north end of Kiwanis Park for the much anticipated “surprise” the kids had been chattering about all day. The fire trucks sprayed the screaming kids in the hot July sun.
One parent who walked up to pick up her kids said, “It was so great to walk up and hear kids screaming and laughing in the park again.”
Smiling soaked kids drove and walked away.
There was no doubt they had had fun.
Opportunity to Serve and Share the Good News
More importantly than the fun...
They had heard a clear gospel message from youth pastor Jeremy Smith. Jeremy did a great job engaging the kids as he explained that the God of the Bible created and loves them and challenged them to personally respond to the free gift of salvation offered through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Each participant also left the camp with a rubber bracelet stamped with the four icons which help explain The Four, as well as a Sports New Testament.
At the end of the day, we know that God has called me and Aaron to Laramie and the University of Wyoming. We want to preach the good news, using the platform of sport. And, even a world wide pandemic doesn’t change that call.
We felt compelled to help meet the spiritual need of young people in our community, even if it involved some challenges.
In fact, several kids indicated they prayed to receive Jesus as their savior for the first time, and even apart from the positive feedback we have received again and again from parents and volunteers, we ended the day with a resounding, “it was worth it” echoing in our hearts and minds.
Souls are always worth it.
-Stacy Frude
UWYO FCA/Laramie Campus Rep and Communications
