Hey!
I am back and as this is my first youth report of the year – Happy New Year!!
I thought I would take this time to reflect a little bit about my time in America and how valuable it has been for my ministry here in Liberton Kirk. While I was there I spent 2 weeks having the full Young Life Experience. I stayed with a Young Life family, ran a program (program is all the activities which happen at a camp – both morning and evening clubs and activities) at a camp for 800 young people, saw how they run weekly clubs and bible studies, and met some incredible people who are on fire to spread the Gospel.
The biggest thing that hit me while I was there was at the camp. With 800 teens aged between 15 – 18 and over 100 leaders, I was one of the two leaders who were paid to do youth work. This blew my mind. There were over 100 volunteers, mainly aged in their 20s, giving up their weekends to be shining lights to the young people who they work with every week. Not only that, but almost all of these volunteers run a 2 hour club (like our Delta) every week, a bible study (like our Connection Groups) every week and give up their time to build relationships with kids in their own free
evenings – all around a full time job.
This sort of commitment and vision is there because many of them were Young Life kids themselves, and saw their YL leaders commit their lives to serving them in as many ways as possible. What struck me so hard is the amount they give every week to serve the lives of these kids. For me, this was inspirational. Youth work is way more than a job or a
profession, for these volunteer leaders it is a way of life. Every meal is shared, every spare moment is filled, and every life they touch is one touched by Jesus. Imagine what this area would be if we, together, had this vision for our
local teens. Imagine if every table had an extra space set, if every moment was a chance to share and if every teen was touched by Christ . . . Imagine.
For some dates for your diary, through to the Summer, see box at the top of the next page.