A group of children along with University of Wyoming Campus Ventures and Casper College Campus Ventures take a moment to pray for neighborhood safety, last year. (Photo: Brittany Henderson)
The group of 15 Campus Ventures members will travel by train from Denver to Chicago, following a group of members from Casper College. Campus Ventures is located on several campuses in Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota and Mexico.
Casey Valkenburg, a Campus Ventures member, said the trip is designed to share the gospel with children and adults, as well as work with kid’s ministry, praying with community members and playing games with children.
The group will be staying at the Urban Youth Outreach center in Englewood. The center serves approximately 80 community members, ages 1–26, Valkenburg said.
The Casper College group has been visiting Englewood for more than 25 years, Jennifer Valkenburg, Casey Valkenburg’s wife and Campus Ventures member, said.
Englewood is one of 77 communities in Chicago. Jennifer Valkenburg said the crime rate in Englewood is very high, rising almost 40 percent in recent years. The area is 98 percent African-American, she said.
Religion is already very important to the community of Englewood, Jennifer Valkenburg said. The Campus Ventures group will attempt to discuss community members’ personal relationships with God, she said.
On Dec. 27, 2011, a shooting occurred in Englewood that resulted in two deaths. Both the shooter and the victims attended Urban Youth Outreach, Jennifer Valkenburg said.
The UW Campus Ventures group decided to travel to Englewood after the Valkenburg’s pre-marital counselor suggested it to them.
Campus Ventures usually meets at 7 p.m. every Tuesday on the UW campus. The meetings are open to anyone interested in ministry, he said.
For more information about Campus Ventures or the Urban Youth Outreach, visit www.campusventures.org or www.urban7.org.
