Hey! My name is Sam, and I was given the opportunity to serve as a volunteer at the Joni and Friends Week 1 retreat. I wanted to take a minute to share my story and how God changed my life over the course of ONE WEEK. This was definitely one of the most life-changing weeks of my entire life.
The week before we left for Joni and Friends, I was actually very nervous. I had some experience working with kids with special needs, but I didn’t think it was enough for what was to come. As the time came for us to load up on the bus and head toward Bonclarken Center, I had been praying for weeks and even months that the Lord would help me set aside my worries and anxious thoughts and help me focus on serving my buddy and the family I was assigned.
When we arrived at Joni and Friends and got settled, I had no idea what would come my way. First, we went through a lot of training and information sessions, which actually got me very excited because various leaders told us what to expect in Week 1 of Joni and Friends. I felt the Lord pour so much joy, excitement, peace, and comfort over me—things only He can give. I knew it was from Him. I was so ready for the week. I was prepared to serve wholeheartedly, no matter how hard or tiring things might get.
On the first day of serving (the day the families and buddies arrived), I was all in. I was eager to meet them and love on them instantly. The family and buddy I was assigned were such a blessing, and I will never forget the moment I met and connected with them. I should mention that I was paired with another person who also had the same buddy. This was amazing and incredibly helpful because, as a first-timer, I had many questions and needed support. I was blessed to have a partner with previous experience with my buddy, which helped us make him feel loved and have the best experience possible.
Once I got to know my buddy better, I had a blast with him. We laughed a lot and talked a lot. The cool thing was that I was able to understand his struggles and difficulties because I could relate to them so much, and his personality was a lot like mine. It was very easy for me to connect with him. One of the other volunteers on the Carmel team, who knew my buddy very well, came up to me and said that my buddy usually doesn’t connect with people as quickly as he did with me. After hearing that, I knew the Lord wanted me there for a reason, and I was there for a purpose—one of which was for God's kingdom and His glory. Some of my favorite memories with my buddy and my partner included walking around and reading his favorite books to him, just sitting and talking, and having laughing fits together. Seeing the joy of the Lord spread to him was such a special and holy moment I will never forget. I won’t forget a single moment of this week.
My number one memory with my buddy and his family was the very last day when we got to pray over them before they left. For me, that was an extremely special and emotional moment because I had connected with them so deeply. I started crying a little because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the fun we were having or to such a great week and holy opportunity to serve others.
With all this said, the Lord changed my life in many ways. One of the main things He taught me was that families with kids or adults who have special needs or disabilities work incredibly hard. The parents pour so much into their children’s lives. Joni and Friends is a week where the parents can rest and enjoy themselves while being with their children. Being able to lighten the load for the parents was a blessing, and I would do it again and again. I remember many families expressing how loved and accepted they felt at the Joni and Friends Retreat, which brought me to tears because of how God moved so powerfully in just a few days. I knew the week would be difficult at first, but as it went on, it got easier. I realized that sometimes the Lord calls us to step out of our comfort zone so He can reveal things to us and teach us new things. When I got back home, I returned with a very strong desire to continue serving, even more than I did before. I even had the opportunity to serve with the same family from Joni and Friends at Carmel in Joy Ministry the following Sunday. I could clearly see how the Lord changed me and how He wants me to be a leader and serve in the future. Joni and Friends impacted me more than I ever thought it would, and the effect it had on me is precious and holy. I cannot wait to go back and serve again with Joni and Friends!
In Christ Alone,
Sam King
The week before we left for Joni and Friends, I was actually very nervous. I had some experience working with kids with special needs, but I didn’t think it was enough for what was to come. As the time came for us to load up on the bus and head toward Bonclarken Center, I had been praying for weeks and even months that the Lord would help me set aside my worries and anxious thoughts and help me focus on serving my buddy and the family I was assigned.
When we arrived at Joni and Friends and got settled, I had no idea what would come my way. First, we went through a lot of training and information sessions, which actually got me very excited because various leaders told us what to expect in Week 1 of Joni and Friends. I felt the Lord pour so much joy, excitement, peace, and comfort over me—things only He can give. I knew it was from Him. I was so ready for the week. I was prepared to serve wholeheartedly, no matter how hard or tiring things might get.
On the first day of serving (the day the families and buddies arrived), I was all in. I was eager to meet them and love on them instantly. The family and buddy I was assigned were such a blessing, and I will never forget the moment I met and connected with them. I should mention that I was paired with another person who also had the same buddy. This was amazing and incredibly helpful because, as a first-timer, I had many questions and needed support. I was blessed to have a partner with previous experience with my buddy, which helped us make him feel loved and have the best experience possible.
Once I got to know my buddy better, I had a blast with him. We laughed a lot and talked a lot. The cool thing was that I was able to understand his struggles and difficulties because I could relate to them so much, and his personality was a lot like mine. It was very easy for me to connect with him. One of the other volunteers on the Carmel team, who knew my buddy very well, came up to me and said that my buddy usually doesn’t connect with people as quickly as he did with me. After hearing that, I knew the Lord wanted me there for a reason, and I was there for a purpose—one of which was for God's kingdom and His glory. Some of my favorite memories with my buddy and my partner included walking around and reading his favorite books to him, just sitting and talking, and having laughing fits together. Seeing the joy of the Lord spread to him was such a special and holy moment I will never forget. I won’t forget a single moment of this week.
My number one memory with my buddy and his family was the very last day when we got to pray over them before they left. For me, that was an extremely special and emotional moment because I had connected with them so deeply. I started crying a little because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the fun we were having or to such a great week and holy opportunity to serve others.
With all this said, the Lord changed my life in many ways. One of the main things He taught me was that families with kids or adults who have special needs or disabilities work incredibly hard. The parents pour so much into their children’s lives. Joni and Friends is a week where the parents can rest and enjoy themselves while being with their children. Being able to lighten the load for the parents was a blessing, and I would do it again and again. I remember many families expressing how loved and accepted they felt at the Joni and Friends Retreat, which brought me to tears because of how God moved so powerfully in just a few days. I knew the week would be difficult at first, but as it went on, it got easier. I realized that sometimes the Lord calls us to step out of our comfort zone so He can reveal things to us and teach us new things. When I got back home, I returned with a very strong desire to continue serving, even more than I did before. I even had the opportunity to serve with the same family from Joni and Friends at Carmel in Joy Ministry the following Sunday. I could clearly see how the Lord changed me and how He wants me to be a leader and serve in the future. Joni and Friends impacted me more than I ever thought it would, and the effect it had on me is precious and holy. I cannot wait to go back and serve again with Joni and Friends!
In Christ Alone,
Sam King