Andrew started coming to the TenTen Center in the summer of 2025.
At first, he would only come into the gym and speak to staff very briefly and then go home. He had recognized some of our staff members from his school as they have been there often to get to know students and connect with them.
After the third time of hanging out in the gym and connecting with staff, he was willing to check out the rest of the Center and get to know additional staff members. He saw that a bunch of his friends from school were at the Center as well, prompting him to show interest and excitement about what we do. He wanted to know more about what days we are open, what the purpose of the Center is, and how he could get more connected.
He asked his mother if he could start coming regularly and she said yes – Andrew started coming to the Center every day we were open without fail for several weeks in a row. He started to get more interested in God and to ask questions about who Jesus is and what salvation means. Eventually he asked me if he could get baptized at Collide Camp, which is a camp that we put on in partnership with Life Center Spokane.
Andrew was adamant about getting baptized at the Camp, but his mother wasn’t sure that she was comfortable with this for him and decided she did not want him to get baptized. Andrew was very sad when he later shared with a staff member that his mother had said no. At the end-of-day debrief among staff members that day, this situation was shared and prayed over for wisdom with how to encourage Andrew.
That same evening, his mother reached out to the staff member that Andrew had shared with earlier that day and she communicated that she did want her son to get baptized after all, but didn’t want to miss out on getting to see his joy in that experience. She said that as long as there were plenty of pictures and a video of the baptism, that she would be happy for Andrew to get baptized at camp!
In preparation for Collide Camp, and the baptisms that would take place there, Andrew was asked about why he wanted to get baptized and if he knew what the meaning of it was. Andrew clearly knew that he had put his faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins and that, through his time being discipled by staff and volunteers at the TenTen Center, his next steps were to share about his faith publicly through baptism. The staff member who had made the initial connection with him and one of the leaders from Life Center Spokane were both able to baptize Andrew at camp while his friends watched and celebrated with him. There were plenty of photos and videos for his mom to feel part of the celebration too!
Andrew continues to regularly attend the TenTen Center and is in a small group Bible study where he continues to be discipled as a follower of Jesus. Andrew still has many questions about God; he cares deeply about reading the Bible and finding answers to his questions there. It has been such a blessing to get to witness the journey of God drawing out the heart of another young person to Himself.