From www.taylor.edu - Taylor University, integrating faith and learning
Ministry and Service

ReaLife Ministry

Over 40 members of the ReaLife staff distributed presents to 132 children on Saturday, December 5. ReaLife members minister to inner-city children in kindergarten through fifth grade in Marion, Indiana. Taylor student Lauren Harmon '10 and Katie Harvey '11 from Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) are serving as co-directors of ReaLife. They are in charge of the approximately 125 kids that come into the program every Tuesday night.

ReaLife gift givingTaylor and Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) students had the opportunity to sponsor children from ReaLife's program.  Students purchased a gift for a sponsored child by choosing a gift tag/ornament with the child's name off a Christmas tree on each campus. Presents typically cost $15 to $20, and students who purchased the presents wrapped them. "All of the gift tags were taken off the trees quickly!" said Harmon. 

Sarah Nicewonger '11 coordinated the Christmas gift drive this year. "One parent asked why we were doing this, and we simply said, 'Because God loves your kids and so do we;' they were truly touched by the generosity of the community we have around them."

"It was so wonderful to watch their faces light up, even if it was clothes - a school uniform or a winter coat. They are so grateful and that is precious to see. It is a different side of them than we see on a typical crazy Tuesday night!" Rachel Beeh '10 added.

Nate Luers, '12 serves as a chaplain for ReaLife this semester. "I organize weekly prayer times for Taylor staff and check up on the prayer times for IWU. Also, I organized a 24 hour prayer time for ReaLife and the devotional times at the beginning of each night."

Luers participated in the Christmas drive and said it was one of the most rewarding experiences of this year. "(At) the first house that we went to the dad greatly appreciated the present that we gave to his son. He told us that he was not sure how he was going to be able to provide his son with any gifts this year because of their finances. When he was talking he started crying because he was so thankful," said Luers. "It was truly a blessing to see the impact that giving his child a Christmas present brought to him and his son."


Harvey enjoyed seeing the happiness and joy the children received, " ... Not just from the gifts, but from the ReaLife staff coming to their houses on Saturday," said Harvey. "It was a surprise for many of them, and they wanted to give tours of their rooms and houses and just talk!"

The ReaLife Program

College students in the ReaLife program pick up kids at their homes every Tuesday night and take them to the Boys and Girls Club of Grant County. They begin the night with prayer and cover the rules-respect God, one another, and the Club. During the night the kids play games and listen to a Bible story.

"After I returned from my first semester studying in Ireland, I decided to try ReaLife and see if this is where God wanted me to spend my time while at Taylor," said Harmon. "I knew that I wanted to pursue a career teaching inner city elementary so this seemed perfect for me. What has encouraged me to continue with ReaLife from my freshman year until my senior year is the desire and passion God has given me to work with children, more specifically inner city children."

Nicewonger leads the kindergarten and first grade group.  She notes, "During the lesson, we read from the Bible, pray, sing songs and learn a specific point about knowing and loving God. We try to focus on the basics since a lot of these kids have never been to church and are not Christians."

"We live in a community in need of a Savior," said Harvey. "You don't have to travel across the world to be met with poverty or neglected children. ReaLife is an amazing opportunity to spread the love of Jesus Christ to a young generation craving for someone to love them," she said. "As college students money is not something we have a lot of -- why not give the gift of yourself and make a difference in the life of a child?"

Interested in joining ReaLife at Taylor University?  Email realife@taylor.edu to find out how you can give the gift of your time to mentor a child.