“Everyone is just worthy of value,” said EDGE program grad assistant Jonathan Lafferty. “And everyone has gifts and talents and passions and ways that God has made them and crafted them in order to do what they are made to do.”
I am sitting in his office with my legs tucked under my chair, intrigued by his story. Lafferty is behind his desk with a poster in hand for the annual EDGE program dance, and passion in his eyes as he talks about his students and the opportunity to minister to them.
Lafferty glances down at the poster he is holding and explains the upcoming dance.
“We put it on every year and it’s always a big success,” he said.
He holds it up for me to see and I think back to last year when I saw the students in the EDGE program lining up to take photos and the enthusiasm on their faces. That enthusiasm is reflected on Lafferty’s face as he tells me about his role in the EDGE students’ lives and about how he came to fill this role that is impacting so many students.
He tells me about his time as an R.A. at Union, when he was an undergrad social work major, and how he would spend time with the students in the EDGE program. Lafferty describes taking them to the store, getting coffee with them, or, the story that stuck with me the most, taking one student for Sunday afternoon drives around the outskirts of Jackson, just because they wanted to go.
I can tell through the stories that those drives, and more importantly, the time spent, mean a lot to the students in the EDGE program.
He goes on to recount one story about a student, Matthew, who recently got a job at Chuck E. Cheese. Matthew plays the mouse mascot, which Jonathan got to watch him audition for.
“When he gets into that suit it’s like he thrives. And the kids love him and he’s like great with the dances and that’s just one way that I’ve seen him just really use the skills and giftings that he has,” Lafferty said.
As we talk, Matthew pokes his head into the office to remind Jonathan to drive him to work in an hour. When Matthew sees me he wastes no time in telling me that I should visit him at work.
When he leaves, Lafferty explains how much Matthew enjoys interacting with the children and parents who walk through the doors of Chuck E. Cheese and I reflect on the beauty of seeing two people who take so much joy in their occupations.
Not only do both Matthew and Lafferty enjoy their daily tasks, but they also love the end goal.
“This job has reminded me, just the fact that every human being is made in the image of God. And because of that you know they deserve value and they are worthy,” Lafferty said.
This perspective on life shows through how he lives his life and the goals he has for the future.
The work he is doing in the EDGE program is a ministry to Lafferty. Later, his hope is to continue this ministry. Whether that be in the EDGE program or by working alongside his wife with refugees and sharing the gospel with them. Lafferty has a passion and a purpose, and even though he is not entirely sure what path that purpose may take him on, he is all in and ready to go where he is called.
Despite feeling that call, that does not mean that everything is easy.
“Every day there are situations that come up….but I think one thing that frequently comes up, as with any college student, is just sort of roommate conflict that people may experience when they are in college.” Lafferty said, describing some experiences that he has had, both as an R.A. and as a grad assistant. “That’s been one thing that I’ve been called to address in certain areas and just helping both the roommate and our EDGE student work together towards common goals.”
Even while he talks about the difficulties that can arise, Lafferty still remains positive and focuses more on the impact he can have by working towards a solution.
I can clearly see the impact Lafferty has on the EDGE program, but I can see it in other places too.
After my conversation with Lafferty, I stroll from his office in the BAC to meet with another grad assistant, Grant Gammon, who has worked with Lafferty during his time in the EDGE program.
I can tell how highly Gammon thinks of his friend. He is smiling as he reminisces about past college memories and he looks me in the eye and as he says with conviction, “I just knew instantly that if iron sharpens iron then I need to find the sharpest guy that I can to try and sharpen myself and that was Jonathan Lafferty.”
