|
 Young Life!
2007-2008 Young Life
We have been averaging around 40 students at our bi-monthly clubs. It's been exciting to see kids want to bring their friends to club or to visit the homes of staff. The gospel has been presented, good prizes have been awarded, and lots of hugs and contact work are afoot. My brother, David, is working at Galena YL full-time now, which has been a godsend.
Thank you for supporting this ministry with your prayers for our teens.
2006 Young Life Camp
Teens from all over the state of Alaska met in Anchorage to travel together to Young Life Multi-Cultural Camp at Timberwolf Lake in Michigan. A number of the teens had never been outside Alaska, so this was a remarkable experience for them even in the travel alone. But once they got to camp, they were all exposed to the potential for another remarkable experience when they heard the Gospel clearly and in a way to which they could all relate.
Along with hearing the Gospel, teens had the opportunity to challenge themselves physically and emotionally through events like the obstacle course and the ropes course. When they weren't at these activities, they had the opportunity for free time at the water front, cabin time with their Young Life leaders, excellent meals at the Dining Hall, Club meetings where they got to sing, watch skits, play games, and hear more about Jesus.
One of our YL teens opted to go to Timberwolf Lake as a Work Crew volunteer. Before being approved, she had to fill out an extensive application, which proved difficult; because she lives in Tuluksak and we're in Galena, we had to assist her with the form via phone and fax. But all of the efforts panned out to get this young lady to work crew as a server with the Dining Hall wait staff. Her humble service was a witness to her fellow students. One teen boy from Ruby, Alaska commented about how he couldn't understand how she could serve us so happily when we're just her peers. Her tour of duty was scheduled for several weeks beyond our camp experience there. She called me from the camp to tell me about the amazing experiences she had in serving, in corporate worship with other teens, and in discipleship. This young lady is a senior this year. Please pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen her to share His Truth & Love with her peers, and that He will guide her post-high school path.
On the bus ride back from Multi-Cultural Camp, Alaskan teens had the opportunity to Say So. Say So is when people who committed their lives to Christ may say so in front of everyone. Two young men shared that though they believed following Jesus was the right way, they could not choose Him because they just couldn't live that way back in the village. David Pavish took the two boys aside later to expound upon the Truth - so they would understand that the Holy Spirit would empower them to live for Christ. Please pray that these young men will choose Jesus one day.
Another boy who chose not to speak up during Say So did commit his life to Christ. Pray that he will receive discipleship from a godly man and that he will continue to grow in faith.
Join us in praying:
- that students will be open to the Gospel and choose to follow Christ
- that God will provide the financial needs for the February YL banquet in Galena, especially through Table Sponsors
- that God will provide a full-time Young Life worker in Galena who will be able to help the ministry expand to the nearby Yukon villages
- that God will invigorate the volunteer Galena YL staff and strengthen us to do His work here
---------------------------
2005 YL Camp
Young Life of Galena trekked to the midwest this summer to enjoy what most called the best week of their lives: Young Life Multicultural Camp at Timberwolf Lake near Cadillac, Michigan.
Students from both Galena City School and Project Education Residential School flew to Chicago with Dave, Jenn, Brad and me, and spent one day at Great America before driving north to Michigan. Some of the students had never been on a roller coaster or a jet plane, so that day was full of newness. Even the weather was new - humid heat.
After staying the night at a church near Chicago, we drove up to the camp entrance where we were met by Ronald Charump. Mr. Charump stated that he was a multi-ga-zillionaire who would take over the camp in three days to bulldoze it and make it into a strip mall. We were escorted further into the camp property by Charump's security people and then met by a sea of blue-shirted volunteer workcrew teens, cheering for us. Then we were directed to a small stage and greeted by the lovely Miss Jenna Rosity, top super model. She introduced us to J.T. (Justin Time) and Skylar, male models (pronounced modelles) whose goal was to make this camp 'The Most Beautiful Camp in the World... world...world...world..world...' (yes, that was an echo). Skylar modelles for such famous companies as Lucky Charms, Microsoft Windows and Tarjet.
But that was just the beginning! Ask one of the fourteen Galena Young Life teens who attended about their favorite aspect of camp. Was it the Zip Line, the Rope's Course, the Mountain Biking, the Jet Ski Rides? Was it the family-style meals, Cabin Time, Club, music, awesome skits with Non-Stop & Hip-Hop? Or perhaps meeting so many urban teens from all over the country or hearing the gospel poignantly presented all week by Joyce of Seattle Young Life.
Three young men from our group committed their lives to Christ! That was the most exciting aspect for me! I also was thrilled to get to know our teens better and make new friends with folks from Louisville, Omaha, GR, Detroit, Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis... And our leadership meetings were bar-none... the BEST ones I've attended.
Teens from Young Life of Galena perform the Reindeer Love Song (Yup'ik Dance) at the camp's Talent Share.
Props to all the leaders of the Multicultural Camp. It was just what the Great Physician ordered.
Here's a sidebar, for those who attended camp:
THE TRACK:
My name is Non-Stop My name is Hip-Hop
And all the girls flock to us cuz we WAY too hot We the backstage dancers for Snoop & FiftyCent
If ya see us on the street well ya better represent If ya try ta keep up ya gonna walk away sadly
Cuz we got more game than
MILTON BRADLEY!
aahhhh, ahhhh awww yeah ahhh
(Please email me your corrections - I'm sure you remember it better than I do!)
|
