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Connecting Kids And Christ
Since Young Life began in 1941, its leaders have cared enough to leave the comfort of their adult worlds and enter the arena of high school and middle school life. You will find Young Life leaders sitting in the stands at football games, walking the streets of inner-city neighborhoods, driving carloads of kids to the shopping malls or tutoring students in study centers after school. In fact, you will find them almost anywhere you can find kids. Young Life leaders model trust, respect, and responsibility to their young friends, and they do it within a meaningful context, within the context of a teenager's world.
Young Life also provides healthy, creative fun. From weekly clubs to seasonal camping experiences to daily outings with leaders, Young Life is known around the world as the organization that knows how to have fun while introducing kids to Jesus Christ. In fact Young Life’s founder, Jim Rayburn, coined the phrase, “It’s a sin to bore a kid with the Gospel.”
"Young Life" is the name of our organization, and it's also what we call our outreach to high school-aged kids. We have named our middle school ministry "WyldLife" to differentiate between the two age groups and their varying developmental stages and maturity levels. Both ministries stay true to the time-tested practices we've been using for more than 65 years: going where kids are, loving them unconditionally, earning the right to be heard and communicating God's love in terms kids can understand.
While it is the goal of Young Life to be in 7,500 high schools and middle schools in the country by 2010, it is our desire to be in 15 middle schools and high schools in the Eastern Ottawa area which will include: 3,000 kids known by name; 1,000 kids who have come to club; 300 kids at campaigners; 300 kids going to camp; 100 leaders; 100 leadership support and committee members (including sub-committees); and a $250,000 budget. We currently are working in 11 schools: Hudsonville High, Baldwin Street Middle, Riley Street Middle, Unity Christian High, Jenison High, Jenison Jr. High, Allendale High, Allendale Middle, Allendale Christian Middle, Coopersville High, and Grand Valley State University (YL College--in partnership with the Campus Ministries program at GVSU).
If you would like to hear more about Young Life please give me a call at 745-8500. I would love to sit down with you and tell you more. If you would like to receive the monthly prayer email update, please send an email and I will add you to the list.
Shalom,
Daryl Michael
Area Director
Eastern Ottawa Young Life
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