My Short Time at The Wesley: Tayt Thomas

My college experience as it relates to socializing has been less than ideal. I would join organizations, pay their member fees, and then not go to a single meeting. I would spend weeks working up the courage to talk to someone in class, only to talk to them one time. There were times my freshmen year where I wouldn’t go to the cafeteria, even when I was hungry, because I didn’t want to be around so many people. If it wasn’t already clear, I am not a social butterfly. The few friends I did make in high school all ended up going to separate universities, and although I was fortunate enough to have some social roommates through college and reconnect with some older friends, it was still a difficult time socially. I had tried visiting church groups in Ruston, but there didn’t seem to be much of a fit where I did go. It was hard to find a group of people where I felt like I fit in. Eventually I landed at The Wesley, and it’s definitely the place for me.

It was sometime in October when The Wesley reached out and touched me in the real world. I had seen their emails for their Thursday $1 lunches, and I had wanted to go, but it always conflicted with my class schedule. I was eating lunch in Tolliver Hall when two members of The Wesley asked if they could eat lunch with me. We had a great conversation, and at the end, they invited me to come that night for their Tuesday night service. I did go, and I enjoyed the service and the people there. After that I started going to one event a week. Then two. Then three. I began going to their Tuesday night service (The Well), their Thursday $1 lunch, a Thursday night small group, and just began hanging around or doing schoolwork in my free time in the days between. I realized that I was spending more time at The Wesley than I had intended. They had gotten me.

Although I’m sure a place by itself can have meaning to someone- like a national park for its natural beauty, a desert for its serenity, or maybe a restaurant for its great food- I believe that for most people a place’s meaning to someone usually comes from the people there. The Wesley wouldn’t be what it is without the people there that make it special. The work that is put into this ministry by the staff and students there is inspiring, whether that’s making sure the Thursday lunch happens, preparing for small groups, writing homilies, outreaches, or all of the unseen work that goes into making The Wesley go round. When I come here, there are only open arms and welcoming faces.

One of the things that I love most about The Wesley is the $1 lunches that they put on every Thursday. It might be because it’s just so representative of what goes on at The Wesley. It serves as an outreach to Tech students for many reasons: a cheap meal for students on campus, a place to socialize and meet new people, and a chance to serve others. You can often find that when a member of The Wesley isn’t working some part of the event, they’re eating and socializing with the people that have come. I’ve helped with food prep, setting up for the event, taking up money, serving food, cleaning up afterwards, and I’ve also helped with eating the food, which isn’t a hard thing to do because it’s delicious every time. It’s a satisfying experience to be able to help The Wesley do these things, because they are partially what kept me here.

Another thing that I’ve involved myself in at The Wesley, with the suggestion and support of the Wesley folk, is joining this year’s mission trip to Ethiopia. Not only is it a great opportunity to serve people in a much different community, but it’s a chance to grow closer to a number of people here. I can’t imagine myself going on a mission trip so far away if it was with any other group of people.

I can honestly say I love The Wesley, and one of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t come here sooner. The idea that I could have been spending the last three years among such fine people is saddening for me. Although I am a senior now, I will have to take another year of school. This was also something that was saddening for me, but because I will be spending another year at Tech, that means I will also be spending another year at Wesley. That extra year now seems to be a stroke of luck instead of something to be regretted.

Tayt Thomas is a senior at Louisiana Tech majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies. Kind, patient, and easygoing, Tayt’s presence at The Wesley this year has been a huge source of encouragement to our community- a timely reminder that our work is not in vain. He enjoys camping, bird watching, video games, and sci-fi media. Tayt is a tremendous blessing to us, and we love him dearly!