Dave Oliver accepts new role at Youth Dynamics

MOSES LAKE - For years, Dave Oliver has been committed to bringing the community's youth to Christ.

Now, he is taking a bigger role toward fulfilling his goal.

Oliver is the new director of Moses Lake Youth Dynamics, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping teens find Christ.

When high school students arrive Monday nights and middle school youth arrive Tuesday nights, they are greeted with activities, snacks, and ministry. Oliver, staff member Sean Sallis and about eight volunteers run the program.

Students who accept Christ are referred to youth groups in the city's churches.

Bringing years of experience in mentoring youth, Dave Oliver accepted a position as director of Youth Dynamics.

In 1988, Oliver first started working with youth through the Christian Missionary Alliance. He is still a member of the organization.

Oliver started volunteering for Youth Dynamics in 2002, during a rough time in his life. His first wife died from cancer in 2001. Within six months, both his sons were away in the military.

Oliver said he always wanted to work with youth full time.

"When you don't have anybody depending on you, it's a little bit easier to make those moves," he said.

Several months after he started volunteering for Youth Dynamics, Oliver took a break to attend Bible school.

"My dad told me I needed to go to Bible school," Oliver said.

He said he was never a standout student and did not know why his dad wanted him to attend, but he learned about Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers in England.

Oliver said he didn't want to leave Moses Lake because his dad had cancer, but his dad promised he would be alive when Oliver returned.

A month after Oliver went to England, his younger sister called and said their dad had five weeks to live.

Two and a half weeks after Oliver came back to Moses Lake, his dad died.

In January, Oliver returned to Capernwray and finished the year.

Capernwray changed Oliver's focus from his own needs to the needs of others, he said.

He said he feels as though it was God's intention for him to mentor youth.

In addition to being passionate about working with young people, Oliver loves welding. He welded for 20 years for Columbia Basin Machinery and volunteers for three hours each day in the high school's welding program. He works alongside teachers Rick Rosenow and Chad Utter.

"I love the trade, I really do. I love welding. I do a lot of metal art," Oliver said.

His work is sold at Elements in Moses Lake and The Home Stretch in Moses Lake.

Oliver believes his desire to mentor youth comes from his experience watching his parents mentor youth. His mom and dad operated a Young Life organization in Moses Lake, from their home.

"It was modeled to us to care for students," Oliver said.

As director for Youth Dynamics, Oliver hopes the organization can focus on building friendships.

"When people come to knowledge about Jesus, it's usually through a friend," Oliver said.

Oliver said the building, where students come to hang out on Mondays and Tuesdays, is only one part of the Youth Dynamics ministry. Youth also go on trips throughout the year with Oliver and other staff members. Students play basketball during lunch at the high school with Youth Dynamics staff supervision.

"It just gives them another thing to do at lunch, if they can't leave," Oliver said.

Oliver said he used to dislike volunteering at the high school because he did not know any of the students. Now, as a volunteer teacher of 60 students every morning, he enjoys visiting the school.

"Really, I'd be up there all day if I could," he said.

As a welding teacher, Oliver learns about the students' lives and personalities. He also helps them turn their welding ideas into reality.

"(It's) good to see their faces, knowing they can make something beautiful with their hands if they put their mind to it," Oliver said.

The organization has presence at other places around town, including Moses Lake Skate Park. Sallis volunteers during lunch at Frontier Middle School and Chief Moses Middle School.

But on Monday and Tuesday nights, students are offered another safe place to play at the Youth Dynamics building.

"Some students can't even feel safe in their own homes," Oliver said.

Students accepting Christ are referred to local churches through the organization, which is non-denominational.

Youth Dynamics is located at 106 E. Third. Ave. in Moses Lake. It is open to high school students from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., on Mondays and to middle school students from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays.

For more information, call 509-765-4184.