Despite recurring thunderstorms throughout the afternoon April 7, students participated in the annual ORU Spring Outreach.

Put together by the Missions and Outreach department, more than 150 students visited the Tulsa Dream Center in North Tulsa and 100 visited the South Tulsa Community House to reach out to the respective communities.

“The main goal was color your city and just to go out and show people the love of Christ,” said Aaron Quinn, one of the outreach coordinators. “It was pouring, but there was still a large number of people there, and they all crammed into the gym enjoying the events.”

The events included free food, live hip-hop performances, carnival games, testimonies, step teams, face painting, basketball, a communitywide Easter egg hunt, a health clinic and business seminars.

“I wanted to come and just dedicate my Saturday morning to the kids because I really, really love kids,” said Sheldon Young, a music arts major from Los Angeles.

“If I was back home, this is what I would be doing, so I’m glad I could be in Tulsa and do the same thing.”

Juelie Scanlon, whose soccer-based missions team heads to South Africa this summer, came out with her mission team.

“My missions team wanted to help with the setup and serve food, so we all decided to come out,” said Scanlon.

Only his second time in the Dream Center, North Tulsa community resident Kelvin was happy to attend the event.

“I like that they’re reaching out to all different kinds of people and get them to love one another and come together where the neighborhood is united as one,” said Kelvin.

For many, including McLain High School student Connell Logan and Dwayne Lee from East Central High School, the highlight of the day was playing basketball.

“I came out to have fun,” Logan said.

“And of course, for the basketball,” said Lee.

Free T-shirts were offered to the first 200 participants, and Starbucks coffee, granola bars and bananas were provided.

More than 250 residents and their families came out to the Tulsa Dream Center.

“It was a really big crowd, especially considering all the rain we got, but it was a blast,” said Quinn.

Faith - Faith C