Half-pipe full Gospel
HARRISON KEELY Sentinel Writer

Marcus Keely/ Sentinel Photo One of the many skateboarders at FUEL Skate Park shows-off his high-flying moves.

When the only thing on your mind is going forward and the only thing under your feet is a skateboard flying you to into the blur of what's ahead, it's nothing but a rush of adrenaline, an excitement of merging wind and wheels and air as you soar.

Living Word Revival Center, a nondenominational church in Hayesville, has been offering such experiences to youth and the county in general for well over a year now through biweekly "skate parks" hosted by the church's FUEL youth group.

"We saw a need in the community and we said, 'we have to do something,'" Victoria Swisher, the ministry's director, said. "I saw the need when I went to college. I saw that some ministries were doing [a skate park]. And I saw the impact they were making."

Swisher then worked in association with "Livin It," a skateboard ministry co-founded by actor Stephen Baldwin.

"I said, you know what, we can do that; in little Hayesville, we can have a skateboard ministry, " recalled Swisher. She presented the idea to the leaders of the church and moved forward from there.

The skate park, which stays outdoors even in the winter and despite any snow and rain, is usually open on the second and fourth Fridays of the month. The average attendance is approximately 60 area youth, and for those without skates, the youth group provides extras. Recently, the church has introduced live music to the events through its band.

Donations play a large part in keeping the skateboard ministry active. The church has made use of donations as massive as a stage used in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and as weightless as air.

Swisher said that The Factory, a subsidiary of Drake Enterprises in Franklin, donated use of the stage, which folds out from the frame of a large truck. Approximately less than fifty were ever made. Waldroup Trucking and Grading donated time and a truck to bring the stage over the mountains for the church. Abbie's Flowers & Fiddles donated air for balloons used at the event.

"It's really cool how the community's working together to help us put this on," said Swisher. She said that the church felt like it had a job to do in the county, raising standards, bringing back moral values and showing that everyone is accepted into the kingdom of God.

"All you have to do is ask and reach out. That's what we want to do- reach out to all. Not just to our congregation but to everyone. The majority of people who come to our skatepark, they don't even fellowship in our church services but they're getting impacted and they're getting blessed and that's what we're all about. We're about sharing the love of Jesus and providing a place that people can feel safe... and be encouraged."

Recalling one earlier evening at the skate park, Swisher said that her team was just waiting and no one came. She said that as they believed God for visitors, around ten people finally arrived hours later. Just like every time, an evangelistic message was presented, but no one came to the alter.

"We thought, no problem, we sewed the seed," said Swisher. "Afterwards a young boy came up, he was probably about ten years old. He pulled my sleeve and I looked at him and said 'yes?'and he He said 'I want to know more about your Jesus.'" Swisher and a couple of the leaders prayed for him together and he received Jesus.

"God sent that one little kid and he just left with a smile and he comes every time now and brings friends," she said, adding that his mother had mentioned that her son had been impacted by the entire ministry.

Swisher stressed that providing the park is an outreach for the community that started with the young people. In the future, she hinted, FUEL may hold events on the town square or do more evangelizing in Murphy. Swisher said that once attendance grows larger, she'd like to see an after-school program functioning at the church.

"We're starting to form a relationship with these kids. It's so cool because, as we give the love of Jesus, in return we're seeing our seeds that we're sewing," she said.

"The youth group is excited to be able to have a skatepark for the community and we're really blessed to be servants," Swisher said. "FUEL youth ministries is not just a place where young people gather, but it's a place where young people have fellowship and a relationship, but most of all have a Christian foundation."

"When youth come here I want them to feel safe, I want them to feel loved and I want them to feel encouraged because a lot of times they don't get that at home or from their families." Swisher said that a main goal is to share the love of Christ with all of them. "Over the past year we've had about 15 get saved through our skateboard ministry."

The Mountain High skate park, the only other in the county, donated ramps to the church for use and constantly encourages their skaters to attend the FUEL events as well, according to Swisher. The other ramps were constructed by attendees of the church who labored every Saturday for months.

"When they leave," Swisher said, "they leave with a smile. And when they come, they have a smile and they want to hug us. It's because of the love of Christ that they see in us. It gives them hope a lot of times in a hopeless situation."

To comment on this article, email Harrison at hkeely@gmail.com.

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