Donovan is one of our interns in the Youth ministry. Part of his role this year includes being a counselor for the seventh grade boys. He works as an EMT and is attending school at Merritt Community College.
My name is Donovan, and I’m currently one of the youth interns here at FCC. Outside of church I’m an EMT at Falck Ambulance, and I’ve been doing that for about seven months now. And school I’m up at Merritt Community College doing my pre-nursing, hoping to upgrade to the medical field.
How did you come to know Jesus?
Right when I was born, my mom was a preacher, and my god-mom was the pastor at the church we went to, so right out of the womb I was introduced to Jesus. I remember growing up going to Sunday School with her when she taught. She answered any questions I had, my god-mom would answer, my grandma would answer, my older brothers, like everyone was involved in church when I was growing up, so I just kind of fit into the group.
Tell us about a time where you experienced Jesus.
I would say one thing when I was experiencing Jesus was when I was asked to be an intern at church. I remember I was on the High School retreat, and I went up to ask [Pastor] Sarah for prayer. I didn’t have any intentions of her asking me this or anything, and I remember I was just telling her stuff that was going on in my life, all this hardship and everything going on. I was like, “Hey, can I get some prayer?” and she just looked at me, and she smiled and she was like, “You know, I’ve been waiting a year to ask you, but I haven't seen you but can you be the youth intern?” And I was just like what? It took me by surprise, and she gave me three months to decide; she gave me a real long time. When we went on a hike, and she asked me again, and I said yes. It just came out like it was the right thing to do, and I love the decision I made.
What does it mean to be a Youth Group intern at FCC?
Being a youth intern here at FCC, means me and Alex, the other youth intern, we work alongside Pastor Sarah and Rhonda. We just help out, and we plan the Youth Group nights, the trips, and we just talk. A lot goes into it - it’s so much actually that goes into it - ‘cause right now we are getting ready for the year, so we are planning out the games, and we’re trying to add new stuff to make the kids really interested in the year. So we’re just heavily involved in the planning and making sure that the kids are safe. Pretty much shadowing and mimicking Sarah and Rhonda, We’re like a little Sarah and Rhonda, me and Alex.
What do you hope the students learn about God?
What I hope the kids learn about God in youth group is that He’s always with them because through youth group, you start off with the kids [in] sixth grade and then senior year, and you know a lot of them leave for school. That’s a big leap in life when you leave so, you know, you could be alone; you’re probably by yourself in a state somewhere you’ve never been to. It's just you, and you have to meet new people. Pretty much the only person that's following you is God. So I hope that they know that God’s with them literally everywhere and all the time. So that's the biggest thing I want them to pull from Youth Group.
Thanks to Maki for helping with Donovan’s story.
