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The WHY of Young Life                                            

      In talking about God’s plan to reach the world, David Platt says “This kind of movement involves all of us. Every single follower of Christ fishing for men. Every single disciple making disciples. No more spectators. Instead, ordinary people spreading the gospel in extraordinary ways all over the world.” 

     I read that quote and I think of Young Life leaders all around the world, entering into the culture of teenagers and sharing Jesus. It is a huge calling and not easy, but sometimes we do get glimpses of how God uses that investment. I recently received the following note from a former YL kid in the Dominican Republic explaining why she is thankful for those leaders.



    “Many will tell you that being a high schooler, in almost any part of the world, is not an easy task. Having lived my high school years in a society where last names, cliques of friends and attendance to parties clearly marked your status, added an extra challenge…. Young Life fed life, hope for a future and joy to all who came. It was the safe place to be who you truly where without worrying about social status or school cliques. Week after week, leaders gave their time and efforts to show Jesus to us, through their actions, without asking for anything in return. May I add, we were a stubborn bunch.….They may not have reaped the fruit of all they did but they surely planted the seeds of many lives that are now changed and restored in Christ thanks to their efforts and obedience to The Lord. (I want to thank you) for not giving up on me. For speaking life over me, guiding me to walk in purpose and understand Gods plan for my life. That plan would have not come to fruition at that time, had you not been obedient to the work He had placed in your hands. Thank you, because today, I enjoy a life full of His goodness, His love and His mercies.”



Young Life leaders at training in Ecuador

    
     So thank you for helping us mentor and train more of these ordinary people spreading the gospel in extraordinary ways
 

You were made for this… 

      Jenn has been mentoring Young Life missionaries in International schools for over a year now. Tragically, one of those leaders she was mentoring recently passed away. Here’s Jenn’s perspective on it:  On May 14^th, Megan Garven was welcomed into her heavenly home hearing the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 

     Megan was a volunteer team leader for Young Life at Santiago Christian School. She was killed in a tragic car accident while bringing kids home from an impromptu trip to the local frozen yogurt store. Even in her last moments she was hanging out with high school students and loving them in a way that spoke to their hearts and showed them Jesus’ love for them. 

      I was able to travel to the DR just days later to be with our team there and walk with them through this very difficult time. I was also able to be at Megan’s memorial service. As I sat and listened to story after story about Megan and the ways she loved people, especially the high school students she spent time with, I was reminded of Young Life’s slogan– “You Were Made for This.” The high school girls that she led in Bible study told stories of the fun they had with Megan. They talked about how they could have a fun and crazy time with her, but also knew that they could share any difficulty they were going through with her. They could laugh, cry, question and search with Megan. In all of their interactions with Megan they always left knowing two things: Megan loved them no matter what and so did Jesus. The student that was in the car with Megan at the time of the accident put it this way, “Every time that I was with Megan she was attempting to introduce me to Christ and she did it in so many different ways.”

     Megan spent her life living in such a way that others saw Jesus in her and wanted to get to know Him because of how He shined through her. She will be dearly missed, but touched so many lives in her short time here on earth.  High schools students in the Dominican Republic were changed because of her love for Jesus, her love for those students and her desire for them to know Him. Well done, Megan. Welcome home.    

Pablo (L) and Edgar (R). New leaders in Ecuador

ECUADOR   In June we held a training camp with leaders in Ecuador. Our Young Life ministry in Ecuador is only a little more than a year old, but is already showing great growth. We have one active club in Shell, but at the training camp we had leaders from 4 other teams in Ecuador that are hoping to start club in early 2014. One of these leaders is Pablo. He came to our outreach camp in November to see what Young Life was and he found it very interesting, but didn’t think he could do it. I liked Pablo a lot and was disappointed it didn’t seem quite right, so I was both surprised and very excited to see him on the list for this training camp. When I saw him there, I asked what had changed. He said over the last 6 months God just kept bringing the needs of teenagers in his neighborhood back in front of him in different ways—at his church, through his wife and her job, and through some students at the local high school—and more and more he felt challenged to leave his comfort zone within his church’s walls and called to go help these teens meet Jesus. So Pablo, his wife and a couple friends are starting Young Life

in their neighborhood. They are going to the park and school and meeting kids and praying for teens with the goal of starting our first club in Quito in 2014. Please pray for them and pray God would keep calling other leaders like Pablo.

What is DGL? Developing Global Leaders (DGL) is a Young life program where some of the best students and leaders in the developing world receive a scholarship that allows them to go to college,

receive training and mentoring as a YL leader, and serve in their communities. Since many of these students could not otherwise afford college, it’s a very strategic investment that provides life-changing impact. Students are challenged in DGL to become ‘multipliers’ – to pray for and recruit leaders to come 

Chema


alongside them in ministry. In the world-wide program to date we are averaging over 3 leaders recruited per student every year! This is part of why Young Life is growing rapidly in the Latin America, Africa and Asia.
      A great example of DGL students in Latin America is Chema from Nicaragua who I’ve met while leading training camps there. Chema’s father passed away when he was 11 and to make money he joined a gang. He learned from this gang how to drink, smoke, steal and fight—and he was good at it. The first time he was invited to go to YL club, Chema said no because he knew some members of a rival gang would be there. The gang was his life. However, some leaders began to connect with Chema through baseball and through them he came to know Christ and his life was changed forever. Chema is now a club leader in Nicaragua and thanks to the DGL program is studying finance and accounting. He is a tremendous leader with a bright future who impacts teens for Jesus.
       DGL students are sponsored—much like a child would be through  Compassion or similar organizations. If you’d like to see more stories of students like Chema or consider sponsoring a student visit ylgloballeaders.org. We have 25 new candidates for Latin America this year and would love your help in finding them sponsors to help them change the world.