After six years of involvement with the youth group, Derek and Sophie Wei are preparing for change. We had the opportunity to talk to them about their time here, and learn a bit about what their future may look like. They moved to Ithaca in the fall of 2019 as newlyweds because of the academic opportunities provided to Derek through Cornell. They quickly got connected to Bethel Grove and a corresponding small group, which aided in their new found love for Ithaca.
Derek’s first major youth group involvement was going to the Reset Retreat in PA with former youth leaders, Michael and Sarah Kuhn. Not much later, both Derek and Sophie joined the leadership team for the youth group. Over the years, some of their favorite things have been leading the middle school camping trip, whole youth group bonfire nights, and seeing growth, spiritually and mentally, through their relationships with the students. It has been rewarding for them to bring an energy that includes students and allows them to have fun, even when students are reluctant to open up.
Although their future plans are uncertain, the Weis have loved Ithaca and the community that they have built through their time at BG. If possible, they would like to stay in the area if a job opportunity displays itself, and would appreciate prayers for the next chapter.
Looking back, Sophie acknowledges that she had doubts about her leadership qualifications, but she encourages others not to let those thoughts hold them back. Giving it a chance by checking youth group out allowed her to learn for herself while teaching others, and she motivates others to lean on God when facing the unknown.
For Derek, an important aspect of leading is not worrying about being silly because he believes that that can allow students to feel more at ease. Overall, Derek and Sophie feel they have learned and grown alongside the students and hope for others to experience the same things.
Thank you, Derek and Sophie, for your encouragement, wisdom, and goofiness. We wish you the best for the future!
