Ed Basinger, Campus Life student and volunteer leader through 1975-1985
I think back to a day my life was forever changed
I was 17 years old and my dad died of a heart attack. My dad had been a strong spiritual influence in my life, but now I felt a gaping hole in more ways than I could begin to count.
Train (Jim King) was my YFC leader at that time. He very intentionally poured into my life. I would get calls like, “Hey Ed, I’m running some errands, I’m stopping by to pick you up.” “Ed, I could use some help, how about you come and help me?” He spent time with me, I’m sure listening to all kinds of “issues”. Some of them were serious, but I’m sure he was patient more than once as he listened to normal 17-year-old woes.
I do remember the impact that it had on me. Someone cared, someone listened, someone wanted to invest time into my life. Train was there to point me to Christ as the source of true peace in this pain-filled world.
I will forever be thankful for the impact that Train had on my life.
Later, I had the privilege of serving with Train as a YFC Volunteer Staff. I had learned many foundational truths through my time attending Bible Studies as a high school student. Now I had the opportunity to share what I had learned with those younger than me. I now had the privilege to pour time into high school students that were facing heartache and pain just as I had. It might have looked different, but it was still pain. I could be that listening, caring person that offered them the hope and peace that I had found in Christ.
