News from Youth for Christ - Sept . 30

Dear Friend of YFC,

When you've helped someone - maybe a neighbor, the family of one of your children's classmates at school, have they ever asked, "Why did you do this for us?" It's a fair question - one that one of our staff got to answer just recently.

Our Teen Parents Mentoring program took a group of teen moms up to the Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom this summer. The girls went without their kids, which is unusual for them. At the end of the day, when they were exhausted and some needed to get back to their children, we found out that our vehicle didn't work.

While other rides were being arranged, the girls took it all in stride. They were even grateful for the help, for the trip to the park...gratefulness is not a typical response for them. On the way to dropping off one of the girls, she asked our Ruth Lightcap, "why do you do this?" Ruth was then able to share that it's because of God first loving us that we love the girls, care for them, help them, are patient with them when they walk away from God, when they complain.

It's all because of Jesus' love! And that's the prime motivating factor behind ALL of YFC's ministry to lost kids - we love them because He first loved us! That core belief will never change!

As we move through this new school year, we are, of course looking forward to the many new ways that we can share the love of Jesus with lost kids through the new recreational center in Halfmoon. The Edge Climbing Gym is progressing VERY quickly. The gymnasium and office space has its sheetrock up and the electrical and plumbing run. In fact, next Wednesday, our YFC staff will hold a painting party for the new offices.

Please continue to keep our staff and volunteers in prayer as we progress through this year of ministry, as we begin preparing for the move to the new building and as we look to launch our three annual banquets at the new site in November. Banquet dates are Nov. 13, 17 & 20.

Thank you so much for your support and prayers for this ministry. God bless you.

For the sake of the kids,

John Richmond

Executive Director, CDYFC

Dear Friend of YFC,

"But, I'm just not comfortable doing THAT!" You've probably heard someone say that recently. Maybe it was a family member, a co-worker, someone on a sports team. The truth is, most of us are not usually willing to regularly step out of comfort zone.

One of the amazing traits of our ministry staff is that, for the most part, they step out of the comfort zone regularly to reach lost kids.

If building relationships with kids means taking on the challenge of the high adventure ropes course - they do it....even if standing on a thin cable 40 feet in the air is not their first choice of activity. If going outside the zone means sitting with a kid they've just met and sharing the love of Jesus to someone who's hurting - they DO IT! Going outside the zone might also mean spending an overnight awake with a group of slightly hyperactive middle school students to play games, have fun and share Christ.

Take Ray Lightcap, our Spiritual Development Director, for example. He and his wife Ruth (Teen Parents) spent the week of Blazefest last month heading up our meal team for both the kids and the artists who came to serve. Saturday, Ray and Ruth served up the hot dogs and soda to the several hundred people gathered for the Fest...and for the hiphop music (not usually on Ray's most-listened-to list) playing there.

A girl named Faith came up to him and asked Ray if he remembered her. He did not, but she went on to tell the story of how he prayed for her at Blazefest last year and what a tremendous impact Christ is having in her life today. One girl, one connection, one impact of Christ over a year's time. It took Ray's going into the uncomfortable zone to be encouraged by Faith's story. Jesus' love for US is the calling on us to serve Him and to share that love, forgiveness, salvation and gift of Heaven with lost kids.

Probably the biggest news at the new YFC rec. center in Halfmoon is the "mud-slinging" going on in the future home of The Edge Climbing Gym. Crews are putting up the cement surface on the walls, in preparation for their final construction phase. Interior wall frames, wiring, plumbing and other sections are now going in...all at the same time, so the place is much busier than it's been in a few months. We even have our front door in now as you see below:

We are grateful for the progress, but realize that we have a long way to go to its finishing, and more people and funds that need to be raised up in order to reach that goal.

Our ministry staff are just about ready to launch this new school year of weekly ministry. Pray for them, their families and our many volunteers. Without our volunteer core, we could not sustain the ministry we currently have as well as move forward to new areas. Specifically, would you please pray that God would indeed bring about new people to become involved as staff and volunteers for YFC.

Thank you so much for your support and prayers for this ministry. God bless you.

For the sake of the kids,

John Richmond

Executive Director, CDYFC

News from Youth for Christ - Sept 1

You've probably seen the TV game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The host asks contestants a series of multi-choice questions. When the contestant wants to lock in their answer, their letter choice, the host asks, "Is that your FINAL answer?"

In the myriad of conversations our staff has with kids, we find often that sharing Christ is more of a continuing conversation than it is a answer at any one given time. Zack was a freshman in high school when we first met him. He went to church and youth group regularly, he claimed that he was a follower of Jesus Christ. One evening in a small group setting, Zack admitted he wasn't so sure any more about his faith. When prodded a bit deeper, Zack said he really wanted to "check things out" about faith in Christ - if he was to be sure about this journey, he wanted to be COMPLETELY sure. So the conversations continued in the months to follow.

Fast forward to Zack's senior year. He said he had found what he was looking for. He said that all of the conversations, all of the reading, studying the Bible he had done had indeed convinced him that following Jesus was the best decision for him to make. It took a few years of relational investment on the part of our staff, but Zack is now a COMMITTED Christian. He now knows his final answer.

For kids like Zack and for others, such as those who attended our recent Blazefest HipHop Camp in Schenectady, a final answer on Christ may come quickly...or it may happen gradually over time. Rest assured, though, that it is our commitment to ministering to kids that we will NEVER give up sharing the Gospel message - never stop asking kids about beginning a relationship with Jesus.

On another note, the construction of the new recreational center in Halfmoon is progressing quickly. The interior walls are going in, the climbing surfaces are about ready to be cemented over and the wiring will go in soon. We are also scheduled to close on our mortgage for the new building THIS AFTERNOON - PRAISE GOD! Please continue to pray that God would bring a buyer for our current offices in Latham.

As we move into Fall, would you also lift up our various ministry staff in prayer. Our weekly Camps and City Life Clubs will be kicking off in a few weeks along with the Teen Parents Mentoring Program and Juvenile Justice Ministries. Pray for those working with our contractors on the new building as well. And please pray for our finances - for ongoing ministry as well as the new facility.

Thank you so much for your support and prayers for this ministry. God bless you.

For the sake of the kids,

John Richmond

Executive Director, CDYFC