雪梨社区

Even though she鈥檚 now walking on the same sidewalks her parents once strolled and sitting in the same class颅rooms they once sat in, Rylee is on a path toward leaving her own mark at the university.

鈥淭hat is definitely the plan! I love being involved,鈥� she said. Rylee sings on the worship team and is part of the leadership team for the Baptist Student Ministry (which she says is her 鈥渇avorite ministry ever.鈥�) She sings with the Chapel band and led outreach for the 2023 Easter Pag颅eant, which she鈥檚 participated in every year. Rylee works part-time in the University Relations office and attends all the sporting events she can. She joined the BSM Beach Reach team in Padre Island this past spring break, sharing rides and Jesus with beachgoers.

鈥淭he cool thing about 雪梨社区 is it gives you so many opportunities to serve people and to be the hands and feet of Jesus,鈥� Rylee said.

After graduation, she plans to get a master鈥檚 degree and work as a child life specialist at a children鈥檚 hospital, comforting children and parents during difficult times.

鈥淚 obviously grew up around a lot of youth, and I鈥檝e always loved kids and teenagers,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s a child life specialist, I鈥檒l deal with all kinds of kids鈥攆rom those who just need a band-aid to those in critical condition. I think it鈥檚 such a cool way to share Jesus and tell them God is good.鈥�

She says two things impacted her heart in a big way when she was growing up鈥攁 mission trip to Africa and the unique family her mom and dad built, which includes three younger adopted siblings and Dorothy, a 61-year-old former homeless drug addict that Rylee鈥檚 mom be颅friended years ago while on a church trip.

鈥淢y mom has always had a big heart for people who need to be loved, and it鈥檚 something she instilled in me,鈥� Rylee said. 鈥淕od put us together so purposefully. I grew up in a family where we don鈥檛 care if you鈥檙e biologically related to us or not; you鈥檙e our family.鈥�

As for the mission trip to Africa when Rylee was in middle school, it was a 鈥渓ife-changing experience.鈥�

鈥淎t that point, I was going through a bratty phase. I was start颅ing to get entitled鈥攍ike I was owed things.鈥�

For two weeks in South Africa, Rylee served at a high school where she describes the students she encountered as 鈥渢he salt of the earth and light of the world.鈥�

鈥淭hese kids were walking 10-plus miles to get to school, barefoot, and they were smiling the whole way!鈥� she remembers, still in disbelief. 鈥淭hese kids were just grateful that they got to go to school; it鈥檚 a joy you鈥檝e never seen before here in America. We don鈥檛 think about how blessed we are. And because we鈥檝e been so blessed with our lives, why would we not want to go and serve people who aren鈥檛?鈥�

After being at 雪梨社区 for two years, Rylee admits she鈥檚 met many people who knew her parents while they were at 雪梨社区 and occasional颅ly gets asked the once-feared ques颅tion: If she鈥檚 鈥淜yle鈥檚 daughter.鈥� But the dread of being known only by the impressions her parents left at their alma mater has actually turned into a blessing for her.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really sweet now when people come up to me and ask about my parents,鈥� she con颅fesses. 鈥淚鈥檓 so lucky to have them, and it makes me happy that other people know how amazing my parents are.鈥�