Jen Sallwasser

As an eighth grader, I didn’t believe in God. At least, I didn’t believe he had anything to do with my life… until the REAP Team came. I went on a REAP retreat, and the testimony and witness of one of the team members struck me as being real and awesome. I invited God into my life and everything changed. I had a new best friend who would listen to me all the time, who was always there, who lived in my heart.

I joined the REAP Team the following year and found it completely nerve-wracking, but exciting and fun to give retreats and talk about my faith to my peers. I gave up weekends and days off school to help out whenever my parents would let me. I had given my life to God because of one person’s testimony—I hoped that God would use me to do the same for someone else. After jumping around at colleges and doing a semester internship with the REAP Team, I ended up at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where I completed a bachelor’s degree in theology and history. Now I’m back in St. Louis, working as a religion teacher at St. Dominic High School in O’Fallon, Missouri. I recently took nineteen students on Life Matters with the OYM, something I couldn’t have done on my own! It’s my first year, and it’s tough! I have a lot to learn, but I want to learn to be excellent, because the person I’m teaching about, God!, is the most important thing they will ever hear.

I’m glad to be a witness to the power of God working through the OYM. Through their ministry, God touched me in eighth grade, then I was able to assist in ministry in high school and college, and now, as a high school religion teacher, I can take part in their ministry again.