God is so good!
As I finished writing up some paperwork at the end of a Tuesday night drop-in, B, a student who has faithfully attended drop-in for the last 5 years, turned to me and said this:
“Jenn, I have no idea what I would do without this place. This is the place I’ve grown the most. You, Mel and Ainsley have impacted me so much. I want my kids to come here. I won’t force them, obviously, but I want them to have a plce they can go to and people they can talk to when I’m not around. I don’t know what I would do without you guys.”
Wow. A couple of weeks later as she finished organizing the snack bar, B turned to me and said, “Jenn… I love you!” This girl has experienced more pain than I can even imagine. As I type this, I’m beyond humbled to know we are people B can trust and turn to. What a blessing and absolute gift it is to walk alongside students and have them know they are loved and cared for. This is a small glimpse into what God is going in Listowel.
On top of our regular program time, here’s what we’ve been up to the last couple of months!
We took 40 staff, volunteers and youth to the Today’s Teen conference (shown above!)
Eastern Regional Retreat in Cobourg with YFC staff was encouraging, challenging and refreshing; it was great to connect with other YFC staff
Coaching the senior girls volleyball team; it is a gift to have a voice in these girls’ lives
We took a group of students downtown Toronto for TOOLS, a program to learn about homelessness, meet people who live on the streets, and volunteer at a shelter (shown above!)
We’re averaging 35 youth a night at drop-in!
Some lovely staff from Southwestern Ontario Youth For Christ!
Prayer:
In July we’re going camping with a group of girls from the drop-in centre! We long for this to be a time to come away from distractions, cell reception and social media. We want these girls to experience the very presence of God. Pray for us as we plan the details of the trip and that this would be a transformative time for the girls.
Addictions, mental health decline and navigating relationships continue to be regular conversations at the drop-in centre. These kids need the hope that is only found in Christ!
Pray for the Long family as they mourn the loss of a daughter, sister, niece, and friend.
Thank you for your support, encouragement and prayer as you journey alongside me in what God is doing at Youth For Christ. It’s an honour to serve in His kingdom.