WILLISTON, N.D. — Youth For Christ (YFC, www.yfc.net) Campus Life seeks to help young people navigate the pivotal years of middle and high school by relationally uncovering God’s story of hope in their lives. The mentoring relationship between youth and YFC staff or volunteers is key for such a crucial time in a young person’s life.
One excellent example of the power of good mentors is from YFC Williston Basin. During a local YFC meeting, leaders encouraged the team to engage in relational ministry activities. Rosemary, a long-time volunteer for the chapter, asked, “Could I start a quilting group with the kids?”
YFC Williston Basin Campus Life Middle School Director Taylor Richardson responded, “The answer to the question was obvious— yes, absolutely! For a volunteer to teach a skill and share Jesus with young people at the same time—that is what YFC is all about.”
Regardless of skill or experience, Rosemary teaches any student at any skill level, one step at a time. One girl, under Rosemary’s guidance, was able to sew an entire quilt over break. She was grounded from her phone and explained, “Instead of sitting in my room and doing nothing, I decided to sit in my room and quilt!” Rosemary even brought on a few ladies from her church to help teach the students how to sew. They enjoy teaching the kids while meeting at the local church, which is equipped with a sewing room that provides machines and the necessary tools to complete their projects. Rosemary is living out the goal of YFC Campus Life: cultivating great moments of connection and community for young people.
Rosemary’s YFC quilting group has been in operation for about a year and a half and is using their hand-made creations to bless people in their community. The group’s handmade quilts have been donated to the local police department for kids that the officers encounter in emergency situations.
On January 17, YFC Williston Basin was able to present these quilts to the local police department. Rosemary and her students are also making quilts for young people who are in the Youth Correctional Center in Mandan, ND. Before Christmas vacation, the students made stockings which were donated to the local Family Crisis Shelter, as well as making quilts for graduating seniors coming out of YFC Campus Life. Currently, the quilting group is planning to start a quilt that will be auctioned off at the YFC Williston Basin Spring Fundraising Banquet.
YFC chapters impact thousands of communities across the nation, seeking out and serving youth from all walks of life. Young people are silently struggling through a wide variety of challenging issues—and through the YFC ministry God empowers, they see the living power of a loving God. YFC trains its leaders in a proven, relational ministry model called 3Story®, which is the idea that the work of the Gospel happens in the overlap of God’s story, our story, and our neighbor’s story. It’s the DNA of YFC ministry that leaders hold to as they pursue meaningful relationships with young people who are walking through pivotal and story-shaping moments in life.
YFC has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944, when the Rev. Billy Graham served as YFC’s first full-time staff member. Since then, Youth For Christ has continued to be both a rural and urban ministry on mission, and it is always about the message of Jesus. YFC reaches young people everywhere, working together with the local church and other like-minded partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to the Word of God and prayer, passion for sharing the love of Christ, and commitment to social involvement. Youth For Christ operates in over 100 nations and has over 130 chapters that impact communities across America.
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