Relationships Winter 2017 by Young Life

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Winter 2017 | Vol. 30 Issue 3

Young Life brings the ministry

BACK TO ITS ROOTS 13

COMING SOON

Relationships on your TABLET

CONTENTS | WINTER 2017

JUST THE RIGHT TIME

Young Life brings the ministry back to its roots at John Tyler High School.

WHOLENESS 5 FINDING IN THE EMERALD ISLE

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 2 3 4 11 19 20 21

Bridging divides to share gospel truth with every kid, of every religion, in Northern Ireland.

7 EXCHANGING GIFTS A week at Trail West helps restore the faith of one military family.

9 ALASKA CALLING

ABOUT THE COVER

The long effort to bring staff to Juneau comes to an unexpected conclusion.

Friendships blossom during a week at Young Life camp, where shared adventures, laughs and meals are just part of the fun kids enjoy in a place made just for them. These two WyldLife campers enjoy some quality time while hanging out at Southwind, located in Ocklawaha, Florida.

15 A DIVINE INTERRUPTION How a chance meeting one night saved a life.

FRIENDS, FURNITURE AND FAITH

A story of sacrifice resonates 10 years later with a young leader 5,000 miles away.

Cover photo by Brian Goulet

Publisher/President Newt Crenshaw

Art Director Isaac Watkins

is a publication of Young Life, a mission devoted to introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. Relationships magazine is published three times a year (spring, fall and winter) by Young Life.

Executive Editor Terry Swenson

Designer Joann Oh

Senior Editor Jeff Chesemore

If you’re receiving duplicate copies or would like to switch over to the electronic version, please contact the Young Life Mission Assistance team at 877-438-9572. We can also help you with the change of address or giving information.

Coordinator Donna McKenzie

Contributing Photographers Curtis Irvine Christen Jancola Mike Knowles Brooke Riehl

Copy Editor Jessica Williams

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

COME AND

“

We will be going to villages, communities and cities around the world to ask all kinds of young people to ‘come and see’ who Jesus is, so they can know and experience His saving love for them!”

In John’s Gospel (1:43-51), he relays a series of interactions between Philip, Nathanael and Jesus, where Philip tells Nathanael he has found the Messiah — “him of whom Moses and the prophets wrote.” Nathanael is incredulous, because Jesus is from Nazareth, a little town of no repute. I love Philip’s response, because he didn’t make an argument or apologetic defense, rather he told Nathanael to “come and see.” He believed Jesus didn’t need to be protected or defended; rather He needed to be known and experienced. This approach is what Young Life does for kids around the world as we introduce them to Jesus and ask them to experience Him by becoming His disciples. During my initial months as the sixth president of Young Life, I have been determined to follow Philip’s advice and “come and see” what Jesus is doing in and through our committed, courageous, and persistent staff and volunteers as they pursue unreached kids. This time of listening and learning has been invaluable to me. The report is in — I have been blown away! In visiting nine camps this summer, in trips to multiple cities in the United States and internationally, numerous meetings with leadership, meetings with our generous donors and board members, and in countless conversations and interactions with staff, I have seen and heard how Jesus is at work, through the power of the Holy Spirit, in and through our team of people. Thankfully, the men and women who are drawn to Young Life increasingly come in all shapes, sizes, races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, abilities and disabilities — but they all have a few things in common: they love Jesus, they have a passion for introducing Him to adolescents who don’t yet know Him, and they are like the “hounds of heaven” as they pursue all kinds of kids from all kinds of communities around the world.

What a privilege to be a part of what God is doing to redeem young people! Over the past year, as the entire mission of Young Life has been getting ready to embark in January of 2017 on a new movement we're calling “Young Life FORWARD,” we have been listening to and learning from our global team in all 50 states and in over 100 countries. The feedback regarding the areas of focus has been consistent and faithfully incorporated into our vision for the future. Along with the rest of the leadership team, I have been pleased with the process of determining our direction for the next five years. Given the opportunity to reach more kids for Christ, we need to have a holy sense of urgency like never before! In the midst of this new strategic campaign, you can rest assured that one thing will remain certain: we will be going to villages, communities and cities around the world to ask all kinds of young people to “come and see” who Jesus is, so they can know and experience His saving love for them. Remember skeptical Nathanael, Philip’s friend? In his first interaction with Jesus he declared, “Teacher, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus told him that even greater things were in store for him as he became Jesus’ follower. Indeed, throughout Young Life, we believe even greater ministry in the name of Jesus is yet to come! Thank you for joining us on this great adventure, and please keep praying that God will be glorified in all we do.

Newt Crenshaw Young Life President

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YOUNG LIFE LITE

Rain? Check! By Jeff Chesemore

“

‘Wow, this girl really wants me to come to this thing.’ Clearly, she cared so much about this camp and the fact she wanted me to go meant a lot to me.”

Taylor and Tori at Rockbridge.

“Rain on Saturday” is a pretty depressing forecast. Rank the days of the week you’d want precipitation, and Saturday is probably number seven on the list. Unless your name is Tori Noles, who’s been known to pray hard for rain on a weekend, and makes no apologies for it. In the fall of 2015 the University of Richmond sophomore was eagerly anticipating the Young Life College weekend at Rockbridge; not just for herself, but for fellow sophomore, Taylor Pak. For months, she prayed Taylor would come to Rockbridge with her. When Tori invited her friend to go, Taylor sadly replied, “I can’t. I have a mandatory event for class that Saturday.” Defeat is not in Tori’s dictionary. She calmly went to Taylor’s professor and politely asked if he would consider moving the event so her friend could come to Rockbridge and hear about Jesus. The professor replied, “Well, because it might rain this weekend I may cancel the event.” Challenge accepted. Tori and Young Life College staff associate Casey Doyle immediately began praying for a 100 percent chance of rain in Richmond that weekend! “Honestly, I thought there is no way the event is going to be canceled,” Doyle admitted, “but I was so proud Tori took a huge risk and asked the professor.” The determining factors may have been prayer and persistence, not precipitation. The day after her visit to the professor, Tori called Doyle. “The professor canceled the event … and Taylor’s coming to Rockbridge!” The event — a group-bonding exercise at the school’s ropes course — could be held in the rain. Not ideal, but still possible. No matter. The decision was made on Tuesday — four days before the event would take place. (And in case you were wondering, it did in fact rain that Saturday.) “How crazy is this?!” Doyle later reflected. “This whole story reminds me of Mark 2, where four men broke through the roof of a house to get their paralyzed friend in front of Jesus, because Jesus matters and changes everything. Those friends had faith Jesus was going to do something about that man’s physical need. But Jesus surprised them and not only healed the

man’s physical need, but his social need and more importantly his spiritual need.” Taylor was equally stunned at Tori’s boldness. “I was touched. Tori and I were close but we weren’t nearly as close as we are now, so I was really moved. I thought, ‘Wow, this girl really wants me to come to this thing.’ Clearly, she cared so much about this camp and the fact she wanted me to go meant a lot to me.” At Rockbridge, Tori continued to care for Taylor, helping her process the gospel Saturday night. “Taylor and I sat outside in rocking chairs and talked about how empty she felt before the trip,” Tori said. “How school, accomplishments and the world’s definition of success had clouded her ability to remember what truly matters. We prayed together, cried together and laughed together. It was the first time I’ve been able to walk with one of my friends from death to life to the full, and it was the first time where I knew I had nothing to do with it, but saw it as the privilege that it truly was.” “It was honestly a weekend I will never forget,” Taylor said. “Everyone was so happy and loving. I remember feeling so safe and I just sort of let my walls down and let myself become vulnerable.” After the weekend, Taylor joined Tori in Doyle’s discipleship group, where she learned how to pursue Christ with her friends. “The group has really kept me centered,” Taylor said. “Alexa, Tori, Casey and Steph became my family. Knowing I have four people who really care and believe in me gives me the strength to take on the week. It’s revitalizing.” So because of one friend’s determination, Taylor Pak has encountered the Savior. She’s living with a new purpose, a new hope and a new family. You might say she’s right as rain.

FINDING

WHALENESS IN THE

Emerald Isle By Stacy Windahl

Bridging divides to share gospel truth with every kid, of every religion, in Northern Ireland.

Craig Mawhinney (left) and kids at Cairn Brae, Young Life’s camp in Scotland.

On May 28, 300 kids from five Northern Ireland clubs gathered to mark the year’s end. Kids from the clubs of Ballycrochan, West, Ballygrainey, Lisnabreen and Craigavon were together singing, laughing, dancing, witnessing a friend getting coated with whipped cream and Skittles, and listening to an age-old story that unites them. A total of 300 kids — on a Saturday night — that’s remarkable. But it’s not the number of kids that was astounding. It was the diversity. Leaving behind their various school identities and the uniforms that mark them, in Young Life club they also left behind the divisions of a violent past. And in coming together, Catholic and Protestant, these children of “The Troubles” found truth and meaning in

what so many their age saw as the source of disunity and violence. Ireland, once claimed for Christ by the fifthcentury bishop St. Patrick, is fast becoming an island of “nones” — a demographic who when asked about their religious affiliation, respond “none.” To the south, in the Republic of Ireland, surveys report religion is declining faster than in almost every other country in the world. And to the north? That’s even more complicated. Northern Ireland was created in 1921 by British Parliament amid the Irish war of independence. The tension between Northern Ireland’s population of Roman Catholics and the Protestant descendants of Ireland’s original colonists, erupted into violence in the 1960s. In a country at war with itself for the next 30 years during a time called “The Troubles,” 3,500 citizens died and another 50,000 were wounded. The conflict was political, social and religious. Physical barriers called “Peace Walls” further separated communities already divided along religious lines. In Northern Ireland, the movement toward greater integration in schools is a religious (and political) matter, not a racial one. Add to this backdrop of religious prejudice and mistrust, recent revelations of church clergy abuses. No wonder, when asked, almost 70 percent of today’s Irish students say they do not believe religion makes the world a better place.

Inoculated

Craig Mawhinney, Young Life’s Northern Ireland director, understands why kids are rejecting religion. And he’s actually heartened by the current state of affairs. Far from

grieving the death of Christendom, he believes this is the best opportunity in hundreds of years to proclaim the full gospel. According to Mawhinney, “Kids have been given just enough of an incomplete gospel to make them immune to the real thing.” This is precisely where Young Life enters the conversation asking for a fair hearing about the Jesus kids have never met. “If you’re going to reject Jesus,” said Mawhinney, “at least reject Jesus of the Bible. Let us tell you the real story.” The first chance to do that in a camp setting was in 2011 at Young Life’s camp in Kidderminster, England, amidst the sheep and the cows. Mawhinney took five kids and two leaders to camp that year. Two of the five campers were family members, his son and a niece. Fast forward to summer 2016 when over a three-week period, a total of 227 kids and leaders from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland attended Young Life or WyldLife camps at Cairn Brae, Young Life’s new camp in Crieff, Scotland. The pictures of summer camp have changed a lot in five years, none more striking, though, than this mental picture of Mawhinney’s: two girls huddled together on the club room floor weeping after the story of Jesus’s death. They couldn’t understand how such a good man could die. The girls had never heard the story before, and they were shattered by it. Later that week they would hear that in the final chapter, Jesus, the Christ, lives.

Relationships, Not Religion

Mawhinney, an ordained minister, previously worked with kids as the youth ministry training officer for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He knows firsthand about The Troubles. Years ago, he attended an evening church meeting. Ten minutes after Mawhinney and the others had left the church, an explosion leveled it, shattering the windows of buildings nearby. The terrorist act didn’t deter him or his wife, Sonia (a youth and children’s pastor herself), from ministry. He loves the church dearly, but believes all too often, “the church does not go. It waits.” And Mawhinney and his wife are “go to” people. Long before coming on Young Life staff they hosted small groups of kids in their home in friendship and for Bible study. Some years after that incident Mawhinney met up with his dear friend from seminary named Keith McCrory, now a Dublin pastor. When McCrory said he was also serving as Young Life’s committee chair in the Republic of Ireland, Mawhinney replied, “Young Life? That American thing? I didn’t even know Young Life was in Ireland.” McCrory described for him

Young Life’s methods and work in the country. Mawhinney then explained to McCrory he had one year left on his current contract and no plans yet for the future. Mawhinney laughed when the friend asked if he would like to join Young Life. But the next day, as Mawhinney recalls, he “rang his friend and said, ‘We need to talk, don’t we?’” After that talk Mawhinney realized “for 30 years I’d been doing Young Life. I just didn’t know to call it that.” He believes there are others just like him waiting to be found — adults who love kids enough to show them that knowing Jesus is far different than knowing about Him; adults who know that while religion cannot make the world a better place, Jesus can. Lee Corder, senior vice president of Young Life’s International Initiatives, has said, “In countries where acceptance or hatred are determined by labels — Catholic or Protestant — Young Life is both and neither, firmly rooted in the church of Jesus Christ with all believers.” For now, Mawhinney is grateful for the ripple effect of transformed lives. A Bangor club that began in 2010 with 18 kids now hosts 300. Another 150 would be added to that number if every kid whom they meet with were to show up. And these changed lives are impacting friends, classmates, siblings and parents in ministry hubs and beyond. Tom Hammon, who oversaw Young Life’s growing presence in the U.K. and Ireland, isn’t surprised. “Northern Ireland was made for Young Life and Young Life was made for Northern Ireland! Irish kids don’t know a stranger, they love to laugh and sing and they are so personable, so relational. This is a work of the Lord, His kingdom breaking in. It is the fruit of hearts prepared to hear the gospel as witnessed by changed lives everywhere in that beautiful country.” In a place once known as the land of scholars and saints, there is every hope that, united in faith, it will be so again.

Kids at club in Belfast.

The Crawfords during their time at Trail West.

Gifts

By Rich Crawford

Editor’s Note: Every summer Young Life’s Trail West hosts several weeks aimed specifically at ministering to military families. What follows is a story from one of these weeks, as told by Rich Crawford, the speaker for the month. Our week with the camp full of U.S. military families was amazing to witness. The transformation from their stoic, reserved expressions at the beginning of the week to the contagious smiles and laughter we saw at the end was visually stunning. One of our families had a son with autism. As you can imagine, the adjustment to camp life was difficult. At the first club, he had to sit outside the club room with headphones on because the people and noise inside were so overwhelming. Later in the week his parents confessed that they were unsure they could make it through the week. But with the help of the assigned staff and camp teams, the love of Jesus prevailed. Our work crew and summer staff diligently pursued and patiently cared for the boy and his family, being sensitive to his condition. Our young friend was enamored by a couple of the program characters, the “Jedi Dads,” and he would routinely make his way backstage to get a glimpse of the characters. As the week progressed, our two program directors invited him on stage and gave him his own Jedi robe and lightsaber. As impactful as this was for the young man, the reverberations of this interaction spread through the entire camp, most significantly to his mom and dad.

On the last night, at the Say-So (a time where families can tell what the week has meant to them), his mother shared that she had become calloused to the church, but the way her son had been loved during the week had significantly restored her faith in Jesus. The boy’s father also stood at Say-So, sharing that he had seen some horrific things during his service around the world, but this week had restored his faith in humanity and a loving God. Later that evening, as I was walking toward the lodge, I received a radio call that a guest was looking for me. When I arrived in the lobby, I was greeted by the young boy’s father, and could not have expected the conversation that ensued. He pulled from his pocket a small patch, something he called his “unit patch.” He went on to explain that this patch had traveled with him all over the world, including Africa and Afghanistan. When a soldier has been significantly impacted by another individual, it is tradition to give that person their unit patch. He then looked me in the eye, handed me the patch and said, “I want you to have this because of what you have done for me and my family.” While I received it humbly and thanked him, there is no way I could take credit for the change that occurred. I believe the man was communicating in his own terms his experience of Jesus during his week at Trail West Lodge.

UNGLIVN ES YO C E E X P E R I E

ER ON VOLUNRTEETE AM! THE

CHILDCA

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2017 OFFERINGS

WHAT WILL YOU ENCOUNTER? HOLY LAND (MARCH 3-11) Follow in the footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land. ST. PETERSBURG (MAY 5-13) Tour the magnificent city of St. Petersburg, Russia, and witness the 20-year ministry of Young Life Russia. PERU (JUNE 15-22) Experience the vibrant history of Peru in this eight-day adventure exploring Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Inca.

9/15/16 Young Life Alumni & Friends and Young Life Expeditions present Encounters — a few spectacular Expeditions planned each year giving folks who’ve had a touch with Young Life past or present the opportunity to go, see and engage with Young Life in a bucket-list destination.

10:58 AM

TANZANIA (LATE JULY) Partner in community outreach with Tanzanian staff, and then enjoy a Safari Trip or climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. REFORMATION TOUR (SEPT. 20 – OCT. 1) Join Young Life in Germany on this fabulous tour for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Find out all the trip details at www.ylencounters.com or 888-963-4443 8

By Travis Johnson

The long effort to bring Young Life staff to Juneau comes to an unexpected conclusion.

Matt Siebert on the Yukon Highway.

“Alaska is not a place for the timid.” That was the thought on Brent Cunningham’s mind at the Young Life Celebration in January 2016. “It takes people who are willing to be crazy obedient ... radical in their love and dependence on Jesus.” As the regional director, Cunningham keeps his finger on the pulse of all 254 communities in the state. The simple fact of Alaska’s size creates a number of obstacles. More than twice the size of Texas, Alaska has only five communities with a population greater than 8,000. Eighty percent of the state’s communities can only be reached by boat or plane. All these factors weighed on Cunningham’s mind in his pursuit of someone to place in Juneau. The state capital had proven to be a real challenge. He thought for months, “If we want to go to the next level ... we have got to get a staff person here.” That’s when his Juneau volunteer leader, Adam Rice, appeared. As the only Young Life leader in the city for the last four years, Rice was running on fumes. Earlier that day, he ran into Matt Siebert, who was volunteering at the conference. Matt saw Rice’s name tag and stopped him in the hall. “I told him my daughter works in Alaska,” he said. “I always thought it would be a great experience to live in Juneau.” So he peppered Rice with questions. “Do you have any Young Life going? What’s it like up there?” The conversation only lasted two minutes, but it was enough to send Rice scrambling to find Cunningham.

The culmination of prayer and obedience Matt had served on Young Life staff in the 1970s and ’80s in Pasadena, California, and Edmonds, Washington. His love for kids led him to start teaching middle school in Monument, Colorado, in 1991; he retired just five years ago. During these years Matt said, “I was able to establish a consistent daily quality time with the Lord. I had never really had that before.

In the process, I kept asking, ‘What do you want me to do next?’” He credits the five years he spent asking that question for what happened when Cunningham tracked him down a couple days after running into Rice. “We just talked for half an hour, I gave him a little of my background, he told me a little about Juneau,” Matt said. “We’ve had a prayer team in Sitka that’s met every Wednesday for the last 15 years praying God would raise up someone in Juneau,” Cunningham said. After all that time, it appeared things might at last begin to fall into place. A few minutes after meeting Matt, he knew he had his man. “It was like, oh gosh, I don’t care if you’re 70. He then told me he’s 62, and he looks like he’s 40!” Matt wasn’t ready to say yes. Not then. But the seed was planted. His wife, Barb, remembers how suddenly it all seemed to happen. When she first heard the idea, she wasn’t very excited. “I patted him on the shoulder and said, ‘Have a good time,’” she said. Matt chewed on the idea for weeks. The decision had consequences, one of which meant leaving family, kids and grandkids, to go on a new adventure 3,000 miles away. “Do you really want to leave your grandkids?” he asked. “And of course the answer is no.” Barb remembers how they both wrestled with the idea. “I love Juneau,” she said. Their daughter had led whale-watching tours in Juneau for years and the Sieberts had visited many times. She understood Matt’s attraction to the opportunity. “He is a very kind, caring, compassionate person. He loves kids. He wants them to know the Lord.” They decided to start pursuing the matter with some intention. “I said ‘OK, we need to follow through, fill out an application,’” Matt said, “‘because God will shut the door if He doesn’t want us to be there.’” God, they discovered, had no intention of closing the door. “Everything kept being a yes,” Matt said. Cunningham remembers how it came together so quickly. “It wasn’t long before Matt was all in,” he said. This past August, Matt Siebert took the long drive up to Alaska, caught a ferry and set foot in Juneau as the city’s first Young Life staff person. His job as area director started right away. “I’ve worked with kids my whole life, but I haven’t done contact work really for 28 years.” “He’s at the school every day,” Cunningham says. “His age is a non-issue.” “I can’t believe I get to do this,” Matt said. “It really is a thrill. And to think that nine months ago, [this] really wasn’t on the radar. And here

Barb and Matt Siebert.

I am in Alaska. You know, 3,000 miles away from where home was ... and we get to create something new, and something of the Lord. I just sense He’s already been here, and He’s been waiting for us to get here.”

God turns the next page

Barb joined him in their new home about five weeks later and the possibilities that await them have kindled new excitement. “Typically the parents stay put and it’s the kids going off all over the country. We’re doing the exact opposite,” she said. “There could be some crazy things God asks us to do. And we need to be open to hearing what He’s asking us to do and not necessarily stay with the status quo.” Matt begins each day asking God to show him where to walk. As he We get to create learns students’ names, and as he something new, meets more people in the community, he has started laying the groundwork and something for a deep ministry. “The big thing is of the Lord. I just I keep showing up,” he said. “We’re sense He’s already here for the long haul. This is an ultrabeen here, and He’s marathon. We’re going to do it right. If it takes time, which it’s going to, that’s been waiting for us what we need to do.” to get here.” “It is a miracle,” Cunningham said. He sees the arrival of the Sieberts as the culmination of God’s long, assiduous work. “Really, this is God’s story,” he said. “This is Him doing a work to reach kids all over Alaska.” “We’re going to witness a lot of miracles, I think,” said Barb. Matt views the work ahead with tireless awe. He feels the confidence of who God made him to be. “He’s the one who called me here and we’re expecting Him to show up in lots of different ways,” he said. “He wasn’t ready to show me until my heart was right. God can use you in kids’ lives no matter what your age is.”

Reaching a

World of Kids On these two pages we pause to celebrate Reaching a World of Kids (RWOK), the mission’s seven-year initiative to double our outreach from one million to two million kids per year. Begun in 2009, RWOK ultimately helped the mission reach more than 2.1 million kids, mobilize more than 72,000 volunteers and establish more than 7,300 ministry locations.

During this time, we also witnessed club attendance more than double from 354,352 to 804,966, affording even more kids the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus’ love. We’re thrilled at what the Lord has done over the past seven years and look forward to how He will continue to move through the mission of Young Life in the future.

JUST SOME OF THE AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING RWOK REACHING A BROADER LANDSCAPE OF KIDS • Texas Latino Initiative • Young Life College – 30 to 180 schools • Explosive growth in focused ministries such as Capernaum, YoungLives

• The Atlanta Project

RAISING UP MORE LEADERS • Developing Global Leaders • Latino Student Staff

U.S. ministries grew from 3,769 in 2009 to 5,217 today.

CREATING MORE CAMPING OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS • New camps in Scotland, Armenia, Missouri, Oregon and North Carolina

• Campership Legacy Fund • Camp on Wheels in Latin America and Africa It took the mission nearly 70 years to reach 1 million kids. Through RWOK, it took us just seven more to double that.

COUNTRIES WHERE YOUNG LIFE MINISTRY BEGAN DURING RWOK

Abkhazia Bangladesh Belize Bulgaria Burundi Colombia Côte d’Ivoire Cuba Djibouti Ecuador El Salvador Georgia

Ghana Honduras Hong Kong Israel Jamaica Lithuania Macedonia Mali Morocco Mozambique Nigeria Northern Ireland

Palestine Panama Poland Puerto Rico Scotland Senegal South Africa Swaziland Tajikistan Vietnam Zambia Zanzibar

Right-hand page, clockwise from top: Bangladesh, El Salvador, Mozambique, Ecuador, Scotland, Palestine.

Just the Right Time Young Life brings the ministry back to its roots at John Tyler High School.

By Leslie Strader For more than 20 years, Jane Rogers said the same thing to every area director who ever led Young Life in Tyler, Texas: “If you bring Young Life back to John Tyler High School, I’ll come out of retirement.” Rogers stepped away from direct ministry in 1993 after being a volunteer leader for 10 years, but she’s longed for Young Life to be back on that campus for decades. Rogers said Young Life “was where I grew as a Christian. It’s a great vehicle for kids to meet Christ and grow in their faith. But it wasn’t available at John Tyler, and that just didn’t seem right.” Johnny Russell heard Rogers’ offer when he came to serve as Tyler’s area Young Life began at Tyler director in July 2010. He High School in 1942, during filed her promise away, but the mission’s infancy, just didn’t forget. In fact, he was one year after the mission burdened as well, and prayed for five years that the Lord was officially incorporated. would re-open that campus to [Jim Rayburn, the founder the mission. of Young Life, began the In October of 2015, Rogers finally got the call. And the mission’s first club at 60-year-old mother of five was Gainesville (Texas) High true to her word: she came School in 1939.]” out of “retirement” to lead Campaigners for freshman and sophomore girls at John Tyler High School — the newest club in the oldest area of the mission.

Missing Young Life Ministry

This story isn’t too out of the ordinary for those who’ve seen God work through Young Life, unless you know a little background: Tyler has been a two-high school town for decades, but for the last 40 years, only one of those campuses has had Young Life. Young Life began at Tyler High School in 1942, during the mission’s infancy, just one year

after the mission was officially incorporated. [Jim Rayburn, the founder of Young Life, began the mission’s first club at Gainesville (Texas) High School in 1939.] Tyler High School became John Tyler High School in 1958 when a new high school, Robert E. Lee, opened. Funding and support from John Tyler students and parents dwindled after that, and the last John Tyler Young Life club took place in the fall of 1974. Volunteers kept club going at Lee, making Tyler the area with the longest consecutive-running club in the world, once the ministry in Gainesville ended. John Tyler High School — known as “JT” — is 60 percent Hispanic, 37 percent AfricanAmerican and 3 percent Caucasian. Russell knew moving Young Life back into JT would be a spiritual battle, so two years ago he challenged supporters at the annual fundraising banquet to “come out of the wilderness” after its 40-year absence and be part of bringing Young Life back to John Tyler. From that event, a door opened for him to speak to the school’s administration. “They said, ‘We like what we see, but we don’t know you,’” Russell said. “They were essentially inviting me to earn the right to be heard.” So, Russell volunteered for one year with an after-school program, hanging out at lunch, sitting in the stands at practices and just being where the kids were. “Young Life’s incarnational model of ministry works anywhere and everywhere,” Russell said. “I got to show up as a 40-year-old, gray-headed white guy picking up trash off their table at lunch. They’d ask me, ‘Why are you here?’ And I’d tell them, ‘Because I care about you.’”

“Best Decision of My Life”

During those same years Russell was praying and showing up at the school, Nathan Ledkins was teaching and coaching at a middle school less than a mile from John Tyler. But he was

more than a coach; Ledkins was building relationships with his students because he “fell in love with the kids and felt burdened for their situations.” He left teaching but stayed connected with his young friends. And he was always looking for a better way to reach out. Last October, Ledkins got the same call about JT — a mutual friend introduced Russell and Ledkins, and Russell explained the opportunity. “Johnny said, ‘Let’s talk,’ but I didn’t need to,” Ledkins recalled. “I was on board from the start.” Ledkins offered to host the first meeting, and word spread that “Coach” was having a barbecue at his house. So transportation wouldn’t be an obstacle, Russell recruited volunteers to pick up kids at the football stadium after practice. That night, 25-30 JT guys and girls showed up and piled into the cars and SUVs of committee members, volunteers leaders and adults who just wanted to help. One of these students, Daiston Keeton, a junior at JT, was blown away by his first time at club. “I didn’t know what I was going to,” Daiston said, “but it turned out to be Young Life. Johnny was right there — loud and obnoxious, and asking how I was doing. “I’ve always believed in God and gone to church, but I never really understood it. And I’m the only youth in my church. So being there that night with my peers and hearing them teach in a way I could understand … I never knew all that before. “I see the progress in my life now, and I owe it to God, who led me to Young Life. Going there that night was the best decision of my life.” In the months after that, 30-35 kids consistently came — rides provided — to Campaigners, where Ledkins’ wife, Kat, known as “Mom” to the boys, cooked every week. Haivynne Mumphrey, a junior at JT, was invited to Campaigners by her cheer coach,

Aubre Killman, who co-leads the girls with Rogers each week. “We think of them as our other moms,” Haivynne said of Rogers and Killman. “I can go to them for anything. They’re always positive, and they bring hope for all of us girls. We look at them and think that’s what we need to be like. “I tell everybody I know to come with me. I love Young Life. I’d drop anything to go to Young Life.” After a solid launch at JT, the next step was camp. Russell prayed five JT students would sign up for the freshman beach trip and five for Frontier Ranch. Russell said, “People said, ‘No way, I’d be surprised if you got two.’” Thanks to a discounted price due to generous donors, 20 JT students went to camp last summer: 12 to the beach trip and eight to Frontier. These trips were full of “firsts” for these teenagers; Russell said they “lived all week with their mouths open.”

From left to right: John Tyler kids serving at the 2015 Young Life “Round Up” Banquet; Demondre and Cameron on the hike up Mt. Chrysolite near Buena Vista, Colorado; The boys rafting at Noah's Ark in 2016.

Time to Renew

With years of prayer, history and need for this Young Life “regeneration” in Tyler, it’s hard not to ask “why” — why now? And why not sooner? “God’s plan obviously wasn’t mine, but to see what He’s done in one year is such an affirmation of His timing,” Rogers said. “I’m so thankful to be a part of it, and I’m looking forward to more people at John Tyler knowing what Young Life is and being excited about this ‘new’ thing.” Russell added, “This is the fruit of prayer and of all that’s happened. I don’t know why now is the time outside of saying, ‘because Jesus says it is.’ Sounds cheesy, but it’s true. So many things came into play — Jesus raised up leaders, He raised up funds and He raised up lots of opportunities to meet kids on their own turf and win the right to be heard. All of it, at just the right time.”

INTERR

TION By Steve Rawls

Danny was very much at the end of his rope. He had grown up in a rough home in Chesapeake, Virginia. His dad passed away when he was five and shortly after his mom began a losing battle with alcohol addiction. A little later, Danny’s mom began dating a guy and things grew worse. While his mom struggled with alcohol, her boyfriend became physically abusive. Danny, understandably, became angry. Angry at his mom. Angry at her boyfriend. But mostly, angry at God. Danny wasn’t sure God existed. But if God did exist, Danny was mad at Him. Danny fought his way through middle school while battling depression. When he entered high school, he was prescribed anti-depressants and wrestled with the reality that his only source of hope came from medication.

I’m so thankful that Chris drove his bustedup, purple, two-door Chevy Cavalier down to Hickory that night. My friend Danny is alive because of it.”

A Change in Plans

One day while skateboarding, Danny met a guy named Chris. Chris was a college student who knew some of Danny’s friends. Danny assumed Chris just needed guys to skateboard with, but Chris was a Young Life leader, who hung out with Hickory High School students. Chris continued to run into Danny — at school, sports games and while skateboarding. Danny knew Chris cared about him despite the fact Danny had never been to a Young Life meeting. Meanwhile, the violence in Danny’s home continued to escalate. One night following a fight with his mom’s boyfriend, Danny had finally had enough. He grabbed a knife and left his house — with every intention of walking to a field to end his life. While he was walking down the road he saw a familiar sight — a busted-up, purple, two-door Chevy Cavalier. It was Chris. Chris had been trying to find Danny to invite him to the Young Life Fall Weekend. He pulled up to Danny, who unbeknownst to Chris, had both a knife and a plan. Chris asked him if he needed a ride. Danny climbed in and proceeded to break down. He told Chris everything. Chris proceeded to tell Danny about a God who loved him more than he could possibly imagine. Danny listened.

That night all of Danny’s plans changed. Danny realized there was more to his life that he was so close to ending. Instead of taking his own life, he surrendered it to Jesus in Chris’s car. The next day, Danny got on a bus to go to Fall Weekend in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Danny heard more about this God who loved him and His son who died so Danny could live. Danny continued to fall in love with the One who has always loved him.

More to this Life

Since that weekend, Danny has continued to grow in his faith. He attended Young Life Leadership Training in the hopes of becoming a Young Life leader in Chesapeake. In the spring of 2016 Danny did in fact become a leader at Indian River High School. Danny desperately wants to tell hurting kids in Chesapeake about a God who loves them. He wants to show them there is more to this life than they could possibly imagine. As the area director in Chesapeake, I’m so thankful that Chris drove his busted-up, purple, two-door Chevy Cavalier down to Hickory that night. My friend Danny is alive because of it. Life and death collided that fall night on the side of the road in Hickory. A Young Life leader simply showed up, changing the trajectory of a life forever. Danny and Chris.

Always at your fingertips

CE DE

GOOD NEWS!

In the next month you will be able to download a digital version of Relationships magazine for FREE from the Apple App Store. Go to younglife.org for details.

Friends,

Faith

and

By Ryan Mohling, Developing Global Leaders director

A story of sacrifice resonates 10 years later with a young leader 5,000 miles away.

Mansur and Ryan.

Mansur grew up as an orphan in a poor, closed Muslim country in Central Asia known for its persecution of Christians. Eventually taken in and raised by his grandparents, he started going to Young Life, where he began a relationship with Jesus. Disowned by his grandparents for his new faith, Mansur moved by himself to Russia to look for better work. He moved from city to city, often suffering mistreatment as a poor immigrant. In every city he visited across Russia, Mansur looked for Young Life. He eventually landed south of Moscow in the city of Lipetsk, where there is, in fact, Young Life. Mansur quickly began volunteering with Capernaum (working with kids with special needs) and also served with a local homeless ministry. Two years ago, he was nominated and selected for Young Life’s Developing Global Leaders (DGL) college scholarship and leadership development program. Fast forward to the Former Soviet Union All Staff Conference in April 2016. During our DGL time, Vova, a Ukrainian pastor, spoke on finding joy in the Lord (the talk was in Russian so a few of us Americans in the room were getting little bits and pieces translated, but not understanding much). After the talk, Mansur came up to me and asked in broken English “for the names of friends who sell furniture.” I had no idea what he was talking about. “Are you referring to something from Vova’s talk?” I asked. “Yes.” “I didn’t have anything to do with putting this talk together with Vova,” I explained. “You need to ask Vova.” Frustrated, Mansur disappeared for a few minutes and came back.

In his thick Russian accent, he said, “No, Ryan, Vova talk to Utkin [our Young Life Ukraine regional director]. Utkin talked to you. So tell me names of friends who sell the furniture to give money to Young Life.” And in that moment, I knew what he meant.

One Piano, Several Postcards and Countless Prayers

Back in 2006, when I was an area director for Young Life in Costa Rica, some friends, John and Lori, supported my work on a monthly basis. While not my largest donors, they never missed a month; they responded to every one of my email updates, and always wanted to meet up whenever I was home visiting. One time I went to their house for dinner, and as I took off my coat inside their front door, I noticed an imprint in the carpet from something heavy that used to sit in their living room. I didn’t think anything of it, but they saw my glance and explained, “John quit his job to go back to seminary in order to be a pastor, so we’re just on one salary right now. Things have been a little tight so we sold our piano to make ends meet last month.” I was taken aback. I was a 26-year-old working for Young Life. I didn’t make much money, but living in Central America, I didn’t have many large expenses either, and was saving money every month. And here were some of my most faithful supporters with three kids, selling some of their furniture in order to not miss a month supporting me in my work. I spent the rest of dinner trying to think of how to tell them I needed to cut them off from supporting Young Life without making it sound demeaning. But finishing dinner, I noticed my Young Life Costa Rica postcard stuck to their fridge. “Hey, that’s the postcard I sent you,” I exclaimed. “I assumed everyone just throws those away when they come in the mail!” They responded, “No, Ryan, we put it up there on the fridge so we see it every day, remember you and the kids you’re working with, and pray for you all!” I then noticed four or five other prayer cards next to mine … Pray for Jimmy in China … Pray for Christine serving in Kenya … and I realized this is just what these friends do. “It’s so great getting to be a part of what the Lord is doing all over the world through supporting these friends of ours,” they told me. I knew then this family wasn’t going to stop supporting me even if they had to sell their piano to make ends meet.

A Picture of Joy

Back in Russia with Mansur, I had the sudden epiphany he was referring to the faithfulness of John and Lori — an event that had happened 10 years before on the other side of the world.

I don’t recall ever telling the story to Sasha Utkin, our Ukrainian regional director, on a previous visit in 2012, though I do mention it every now and then to share an example of the type of people who financially and prayerfully support our DGL students. Sasha apparently told his pastor, Vova, who remembered it, and shared it at the conference this past spring as a picture of joy in the Lord. When I returned from Russia, I shared with John and Lori how a DGL student from the former Soviet Union came to tell me a story about them! I met them for coffee, shared the whole story and then hand delivered a letter from Mansur. Part of it read, “When I heard about you and your love of Jesus, I was in shock. I’ve never heard of anyone loving Jesus that much and hope that I can love Him like that too. Thank you.”

Ryan with John and Lori, after delivering Mansur’s letter.

Developing Global Leaders (DGL) is Young Life’s college scholarship and leadership development program designed to identify, support and equip talented young leaders outside the U.S. to make an eternal impact in their home country. DGL targets Young Life leaders in developing countries who have already demonstrated exceptional leadership and service. The vision is that DGL graduates will play strategic roles as Young Life staff and as professionals in other fields such as education, health, business and government. For more information about DGL, go to www.YLGlobalLeaders.org.

PASSAGES

Brad Baker Dec. 15, 1947 – Aug. 7, 2016 By Jeff Chesemore When many think of Young Life in Memphis, they immediately picture Brad Baker. Born and raised in Memphis, Brad met Jesus at Young Life’s Star Ranch while attending White Station High School. He graduated from Memphis State and in 1971 came on Young Life staff, where he served for 43 years until his retirement in 2014. In those more than four decades, he ministered to thousands of kids, leaders and staff in Jackson and Memphis alongside his beloved wife, Marcia, who preceded him into glory in 2013. In a letter to Tennessee staff announcing Baker’s retirement,

Senior Regional Director Steve Chesney reflected: I wonder how many kids, how many leaders, how many adults and committee folks has Brad touched deeply? How many ski trips, how many family camps, how many cross-country buses has he slept in? How many prayer meetings to start new areas, how many banquets, how many golf tourneys, and how many late night fundraising letters has he typed? How many phone calls has he fielded from worried parents and how many times has he reassured teachers and principals and pastors? And most of all, how many kids has he known and loved? How many kids

Marcia and Brad Baker. has he hoped for? How many layers of callouses cover his knees? How many ways and how many times has Brad Baker pushed the boundaries of eternity in thousands of teenagers’ lives to make sure they heard about our Savior? And how many grandparents today tell The Story to their grandchildren that they first heard from Brad? How is heaven’s population changed through his labor of love? Please pray for Brad’s two sons, Chris and Drew, and their families as they mourn their loss and celebrate Brad’s life and legacy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUNG LIFE! To commemorate Young Life turning 75 on Oct. 16, we’ve put together Made for This: The Young Life Story, our 220-page coffee table book celebrating all the Lord has done through the mission. Made for This is glossy and fun to look through, with lots of facts and graphics, great photos and a fascinating review on all things Young Life. It’s not only a great book to hold in your hands, it’s important. The story needed to be written down, detailed and shared through the lives of people whose hearts have been changed because of Young Life.” – Joni Eareckson Tada

I congratulate you all. Made for This is beautifully done, the layout, the content, everything was good and very accurate.” – Bill Starr, Former Young Life President THOUSANDS ALREADY SO LD !

There’s still time to order for Christmas! younglifestore.com

YOUNG LIFE SPOKEN HERE

YOUNG LIFE’S MISSION IN

ETHIOPIA Ethiopia is the oldest independent African country dating back to 5 B.C. — with ties to King Solomon. The population is 102 million, with 34 percent Muslim, 44 percent Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, 18 percent Protestant and indigenous beliefs making up the remainder. The main language is Amharic and English is widely spoken. Ethiopians are elegant, industrious and have a rich warmth commonly found in African cultures. Ethiopia was the first country in Africa to have Young Life and now stands second only to the United States in the number of kids reached by the ministry (123,372). Today Regional Director Moges Berassa leads a team of 23 national staff, 11 students involved in Developing Global Leaders and 491 volunteers.

EST. 1998

Addis Ababa

BY THE NUMBERS

Total ministries

14,026

Average number of kids in club weekly

6,987

Average number in Campaigners weekly

5,285* Kids to camp this year

* This number would have been higher by almost 3,000, but six camps had to be postponed due to political unrest.

CELEBRATING 75

Then and Now Look through old pictures and what do you see? Maybe crazy (by today’s standards) fashions and styles. Look a little deeper, though, and you’ll also see the faces of today’s parents and grandparents. During their Young Life days, they had the same hopes and dreams as today’s kids do … and the same need for the gospel. It’s been a high calling and distinct privilege to walk alongside kids like these for more than seven decades, and we’re excited to continue doing just that for years and years to come!

Would you like to find your old Young Life leader or track down friends from camp or club? Young Life’s office of Alumni and Friends would love to help! Connect at alum.yl.org. 22

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P.O. Box 520 Colorado Springs, CO 80901 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Give Smart!

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It’s not just a financial objective. It’s also the name of a series of informative pieces from the Young Life Foundation designed to address specific opportunities you may have to Give Smart!

Values over Valuables Pass down more than just your possessions.

Continue Your Life’s Story Five ways the average person can leave a legacy gift.

Smart Selling A strategy for minimizing taxes due upon the sale of a major asset.

Life Income Gifts Create a lifetime income stream AND give to charity when you die.

Oil, Gas and Mineral Rights Gifts What to know about gifting these kinds of assets.

Stocks/Bonds/Mutual Funds/Stock Options How to give these assets.

Smart Strategies for Taxable Estates How to give more to your family and charities you care about while giving less to Uncle Sam!

To receive any of the pieces mentioned above, clip this ad, indicate which pieces you would like to receive and send back to Jeff Rudder at Young Life, Box 520, Colorado Springs, CO 80901 or call Jeff at 800-813-1945 | jrudder@sc.younglife.org The information contained herein is for explanatory purposes and is not intended to be used as tax or legal advice. The Young Life Foundation recommends that you contact a professional tax advisor who can provide you with information on how the use of techniques and ideas in this piece may apply to your personal tax situation.