Amid the crowds, activity, and summer heat of the Berrien County Youth Fair, thousands of visitors found something a little different—a place to sit down, cool off, receive a bottle of water, and connect with someone who cared.
Amid the crowds, activity, and summer heat of the Berrien County Youth Fair, thousands of visitors found something a little different—a place to sit down, cool off, receive a bottle of water, and connect with someone who cared.
From August 17–22, “The Resting Place” returned to the fair as an outreach designed to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of those passing by. Organized and spearheaded by Kelsey Webber, the tent brought together volunteers from Pioneer Memorial, Village, and Stevensville Seventh-day Adventist churches to create a welcoming oasis in the middle of the busy fairgrounds.
Throughout the week, volunteers distributed more than 4,000 bottles of water along with hundreds of pieces of health and spiritual literature. But The Resting Place offered much more than relief from the heat.
Children could participate in crafts, story times, and a puppet presentation, while other activities included health presentations, youth programs, music, and “Discover Your Health Age” assessments. Volunteers were also available throughout the week to welcome visitors and build relationships.
One of the most visible reminders of the deeper purpose behind the outreach was a prayer wall. Fairgoers were invited to write down their prayer requests and place them on the wall. By the end of the week, several hundred prayer request tags had been added—each representing a person, family, or need entrusted to prayer.
The Resting Place reflects an approach to health ministry that seeks to care for the whole person. A bottle of cold water can meet an immediate physical need, a health assessment can encourage positive changes, and a conversation or prayer can open the door to something deeper.
It also demonstrated what can happen when churches work together in service. Members from three area congregations gave their time and talents to create a Seventh-day Adventist presence focused on caring for people in their community.
The full impact of those encounters may never be known. Some visitors came for water, others for an activity or health assessment, and hundreds shared requests for prayer. Yet each interaction provided an opportunity to demonstrate Christ’s care in a practical way.
As another Berrien County Youth Fair came to a close, the prayer was that the Lord would continue to bless the many seeds planted throughout the week—and the divine appointments that took place at The Resting Place.
