Living it Out “In my opinion, the best way to show God’s love to people is to serve them. God is love. Through showing care to other people, we can let them know what God is like.”
Ben said, “Knowing that I could pay something back to the community that has given me so much, that’s a big memory for me. Knowing we could help that gentleman was huge. I’ll never forget the people I’ve To Benjamin Nichols, ’24, connecting with met through MO or the experiences I’ve others comes naturally. One of his goals had.” before graduating is to meet as many new people on campus as possible. He enjoys Many in the community think of MO as walking up to a total stranger, smiling, being the ministry that builds a home for and striking up conversation. His business a family during summertime. While that is administration major suits him. true, it’s been eye-opening for Ben to see all the other projects MO does, since he’s Though loving others comes easily to Ben, working for the ministry behind the scenes. he recognizes that it also takes hard work to make a real difference in someone’s life. And the construction skills he is learning have already come in handy at home; “You have to have a plan of action,” he said. his mom has enlisted him to make new “You can’t just say you love someone and window shutters and do paint jobs around have a desire to help them, you need to the house. Even more important, Ben is act on it. And it takes more than just you; watching the Godly examples set by the it takes people coming together to make a men he works under. difference.” “It’s very humbling,” he said. “They’re good Ben is a presidential work-study student in people. They have so much experience, Mountain Outreach (MO). Though COVID and they want to teach, they want to help, precautions have forced outreach to look they want to show Christ to as many people different (e.g. fewer in-person events), MO as possible. I’m just here to learn and love has figured out ways to continue serving on people. The more of their example I can the area. For instance, earlier this year, the get, the better.” MO team built a deck and wheelchair ramp for an elderly gentleman who had been Observing the Godly people around you, falling down his front stairs when he tried learning all you can, and doing your best to to leave the house. Fearing injury, the man use what you glean to show God’s love to secluded himself, shut out from the rest of others – really, that’s the picture of ministry. the world. Thanks to the work MO did, he Ben is happy he gets to live it out. has real freedom again.
I ACT because. . .
I want to do anything I can to help somebody out. Benjamin Nichols, ’24
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