They also partner with the juvenile detention centers in Clark, Montgomery and Greene counties.
The two after-school programs include Ark of HOPE, which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays for elementary students, and Rock of HOPE, which meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for middle and high school students.
Since October, Cedarville students have served at H.O.P.E. Ministries by helping to plan activities, offer academic support and meet basic needs by providing food and a welcoming environment.
This includes sophomore and biblical studies major Grace Anderson, from Elkhart, Ind., who spends her weekday afternoons primarily in the Rock of HOPE program. Students can enjoy structured hangout spaces, games, an art room, a computer room and basketball courts.
“Being at Cedarville is awesome, but it also can be a bubble,” Anderson said. “A lot of students don’t have names of people who don’t know Jesus that they can pray for. Going to the Rock has helped keep me grounded. It’s nice to be around other Christians all the time on campus, but there’s such sweet ministry when you can talk to someone who doesn’t know about Jesus.”
Although Cedarville students don’t initiative faith conversations unless asked, the school’s spokesman said the ministry still maintains its spiritual foundation as Bethany Birkhead, co-director of H.O.P.E. Ministries, leads a 15-minute devotional during program hours.
“We know each child and teen has been made in the image of God and has God-given potential,” Birkhead said. “We meet kids where they are at to give them an oasis in the midst of a lot of pain. Just this past year, we’ve had close to 200 kids walk through our doors, and six kids gave their lives to the Lord.”
“It’s neat to meet physical needs and spiritual needs,” Anderson said. “Sometimes, you can’t even talk about Jesus, but you get to show love in way where they can hopefully see Jesus in me. That’s my prayer.”
H.O.P.E. Ministries, founded more than 30 years ago, has partnered with Cedarville University for the past decade.
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