1DayLA
I'm super thankful I was able to be a part of the team on the Los Angeles mission trip. While I was definitely intimidated by the idea of going to a bunch of different skateparks in the LA area without having any experience on their individual communities and cultures, it was super encouraging to see how God provided opportunities for us to share who Christ is and make connections. I felt that even at the well-known and more exclusive skateparks, the skaters there were open to hearing the Gospel and were excited that we were throwing spontaneous contests that everyone could participate in.
“While it was amazing to be able to sow seeds and share the Gospel with a large number of people, we saw a lot of fruit in the individual conversations that happened while we were just hanging out on top of the ramps waiting to skate.”
I was able to witness many instances of our team having one-on-one spiritual conversations throughout the week that usually started with other skaters being interested in why we would travel across the country just to give out free gear. It was especially cool seeing the dynamic between packed skateparks and almost empty skateparks with how we were able to approach skate ministry from various angles, whether it be throwing a large contest or just having a friendly game of S.K.A.T.E.
Finally, it was awesome to meet a bunch of people in the area who had a heart for missions in the skate community. Once I was able to see the scope of how many people there were also utilizing action sports to fulfill the Great Commission, listen to their testimonies, and see how God had been working through their daily ministries, I felt extremely encouraged and thankful that I was able to be a part of this experience. I can't wait to see how this trip will impact skaters, not only in the LA area, but also through the skaters we connected with who went back to their hometowns throughout the US.
Alex Khoury, Ride Nature Apprentice
