His generosity was endless. This is a video recap of my previous trip to Frontier Ranch, A Young Life camp in Colorado. With their background in Young Life, the Hornsbys knew just what to do. Meanwhile, [Young Life founder Jim] Rayburn was also aware of the ranch, and carried a passion for it that matched the boys prayers. YOUNG LIFE FRONTIER RANCH - Reviews (Buena Vista, CO) - Tripadvisor Young Life is a mission devoted to introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. (For more specifics on the impact of these strategies, please see The Gospel Is On the Move article. They actually prayed Young Life would someday have that camp, explained Bob Mitchell, who was their work crew boss that summer. No adolescent should move past the milestone of their high school years without being sure of that. www .younglife .org. A lot of these kids, Eric said, will be attending school for the first time this semester. Arnie Jacobs dedicated his entire adult life to introducing kids to Jesus, serving on Young Life staff for 64 years and volunteering two more years after that. In the words of Knoxville, Tennessee, committee chair Chris Boyer, Kris and Jeff have been an example of exceptional and unselfish dedication to Knoxville Young Life for nearly 40 years in various roles. She was doing every piece of the job developing committee, finding leaders and training them, leading club, managing finances and doing an exceptional job. God placed a wonderful priest on my path who helped me build my relationship with Jesus, Fr. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, NIV). The two started talking that day and became fast friends. Relationships are strong, and we love each other well. These plans come about because we speak with the One who delights in our asking for His direction.Photo by Kathi Inglesby. This remains as true today, as it did five years ago, as it did 2,000 years ago when Jesus began traveling around Galilee with a message that would change the world. The days activities revolved around armadillo and rattlesnake hunts, hiking and sitting by the campfire at night. He would go on to work with kids in South Carolina, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Indianapolis. The answer didnt come in a few days. It began with prayer. It was Arts turn to pray next and when he did he prayed, Lord, forgive Van for stealing those chickens. Well that broke up the meeting as we all cracked up!, (From Letters to a Young Life Leader, by Bob Mitchell). I had 24 giant packages on my doorstep two days later.. Arnie was preceded in death by Mary Lou, his wife of 71 years. Meanwhile, Jeff was a Memphis, Tennessee, high school kid attending club. With a rallying cry of In Christ for All Kids, we have focused on four mission strategies: Deeper in Christ, Together, Innovation and Growth. Thanks to the pandemic, his social life at Baruch College in New York City had been as chilly as the empty benches in Central Park. Young Life Camping Operations and Administration. They were taught a little English while they were in the Freeman. In the image, Chase is flat on his back in the middle of the 21,500-square foot Ulysses Skate Park. As you read these pages, may you hear God telling you a small bit of what Hes up to, and may these stories deepen your walk with Him. I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19, ESV. Activities; ukaszs relationship with Jesus began when he was 13, but he didnt encounter Young Life until he was a 30-year-old priest serving in west-central Poland. I would like to be called a safe person for anybody, but particularly high school kids.. Eric quickly filled Felix in on the situation unfolding at the Coliseum. In October, Ted Benson came across an ad in the back of. I didnt share the gospel. I tried all kinds of things, but it was hard to get anything going, Ryan said of his early months in the city as college director. Third, I pray we would stand against everything that traps and hurts kids from experiencing new life. I will forever cherish my conversations with Chuck. A kid bet Chase he could jump over him on his bike, Elsa said. College freshman Dylan was scrolling through his Instagram feed one frigid afternoon last February. We let them know: wherever you go, you can just type that address in, find a Young Life group. The young married couple are Young Life in Marfa, a town where the vast majority have never heard of the ministry. Matt said, It meant so much to know I have Chuck as a steady, reassuring voice in my life. No longer alone, Em, Mi Quan and Houng have found their place in the family of Christ and their identity as daughters of the King. Melanie would need that encouragement even more than she realized, when the world soon shut down halfway into her first year. Lost in the music, the teenager experienced small moments of freedom from his shame and embarrassment. God answered Jims prayer and over the next 76 years countless kids lives would be changed during their week at camp. Throughout Scripture, from Genesis 1 through Revelation 22, He reveals His divine creativity and inventiveness. He is survived by his son, Larry, daughters, Suzie and Julie, and their families. His leader played a very important role. The Young Life College Manhattan group representing 16 different countries and myriad faiths grew to 21 friends, with 15 committed to meeting weekly. Its been amazing to see how quickly everything happened, Rachel said. After speaking with the young man at length and managing to get a smile before leaving, Eric and Felix returned to their posts to find themselves in hot water. He married the love of his life, Mary Lou, and officially started with the mission in 1955 in Dallas. I believe we can rise above the divisions and Young Life can be the bridge that unites all people., In 1970 Kris, a high school junior, discovered Young Life in Amarillo, Texas, when her parents helped start the Young Life committee there and hired Tom Wilson as their first area director. Like the city itself, the group was made up of young adults from all walks of life. I agreed to help because I wanted to get to know this new, interesting organization, Fr. Ive got nothing to lose.. After camp, leaders invited Thuyet to grow deeper in his faith through Campaigners. Host virtual events and webinars to increase engagement and generate leads. Jimm Edgar faithfully served on Young Life staff for 52 years. After their indirect influence on the work in Korea, Bruce and Beth Sundberg left the states in 1972 to make a direct impression on the Philippines and other parts of Asia. Many said two or three hours away; for staff in Alaska, it could be about eight hours away. Thats how that day ended.. Phone: 719-381-1844. It was predicted that by 2016, over half the population would be wiped out. Or even months. Every Tuesday at Central Park, new friends are showing up, asking questions and getting connected. Second, I pray we would speak and proclaim the gospel in all we do. If there is one trip you can send your child to, this is . While they would not allow the girls to be away from home overnight, they did give their blessing for them to attend one full day of camp. Ministry continues to grow in Mali, thanks to the leadership and investment of Senior Regional Director Tiowa Diarra (who now oversees Burkina Faso, Cte dIvoire and Senegal) and Regional Director Assata Deborah Samak. we opened our first camp in Texas, the state where it all began. What follows are just a few of these modifications, and how theyve helped kids better enjoy the greatest week of their lives. Since the beginning, Young Life leaders had been taking kids to camp, but nine years ago the mission decided to flip the script! A well-respected pastor in the village who was friends with Houng visited the parents and suggested that it would be good for the girls to meet each other and come experience Young Life. Volunteers - LoneHollow Ranch Young Life Camp So we continue to kneel before the Lord of this work, thanking Him for all He has done in the past 80 years and seeking His leading in our efforts to reach adolescents. Fr. About Young Life; Philosophies and Methods; Mission and Vision; History; Get Involved; Young Life Leadership; Legacy Program; Ministry Statistics; Young Life Foundation; . They are both enthusiastic encouragers of people. Pam is someone who has made it this far in Young Life and is thriving; she could offer encouragement from the other side, a perspective I didnt have yet. 2004-2023 Young Life. For her part, Elsa learned ministry doesnt have to be complex. His consistency in the way he loved and supported the ministry and our family through all the challenges we faced, was extraordinary. As Emile Cailliet wrote in his book, Young Life, From beginning to end it was all a miracle beyond belief.. She is paving the way for more female leaders in Mali to rise into their God-given gifts of leadership. We got shut down. Since that time, our Lords tender mercies toward Young Life can be seen in the millions of lives Hes changed, the camps Hes provided, the work Hes begun in new places and so much more. Jerry Kirk | A Young Life Story on Vimeo Young Life is a mission devoted to introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. By 1958, Young Life was in need of a horse ranch for its three Colorado camps: Silver Cliff and Frontier Ranch in Buena Vista, and Star Ranch, in Colorado Springs. An end-of-semester weekend at Lake Champion resulted in six students becoming more involved in group leadership and more invested in developing a relationship with Jesus. Elsa Puerner quickly adjusted her iPhone into photo mode. 1988. From this humble beginning, the good news has spread slowly but surely, resonating for 2,000 years. This has been one of the most revealing and hardest years of my life. Over the last 25 years, Jimm was a true ministry partner in the FSU, always available to do anything he could to advance the work. As I write this in late February, we are eagerly anticipating the coming of spring, and with it the promise of new life trees, flowers, grass all reappearing to the delight of everyone, especially the Father. We do well to remember, however, that the ministry began years before, 60 miles north in Gainesville, Texas. GROW. We have put the infrastructure in place to keep reaching more kids with the gospel. In this issue we focus on two major themes in our 80-year history: prayer and innovation. 15870 County Road 162, Nathrop, CO 81236-9703. We prayed in every building in that place, said Roy Riviere. Finally, we have been able to place 107,500 (English and Spanish) Bibles in the hands of kids during Forward, in our continuing efforts to equip kids with the tangible gift of the good news. The boys gathered around the young man who was preparing to leave, they extended their hands toward him and prayed for his journey. Even though she was in a small-town setting, Melanie felt OK about heading into her first year on staff. In the days that passed, Decontee memorized Psalm 91. Through the fall of 2021, Ryans original group will walk through phase two together called Come and See. And at least two more new groups of 10 to 15 students each will kick off phase one, building trust and friendships through deep conversation in a safe space. By 1992, they found a property in the mountains and began developing a Young Life camp, La Finca, which is now also where 41&Change coffee is grown. These plans come about because we speak with the One who delights in our asking for His direction. The leader approached one girls mother and shared about club, asking if she would allow her daughter to have an opportunity to have fun and make friends. My dream for every encourager in the project is to visit the staff person and be boots on the ground walk the area, see whats going on and meet the key people. Theyre just wandering back and forth, and going where, nobody knows.. In all those years, this summer seemed especially significant in the deep life transformation that took place in the hearts of our campers and interns. If its authentic, kids will follow. It took two forms of identification just to get in the door. Eventually, she was moved to the hospital where she fell in and out of a coma. Houng and the girls were elated. This introduction to the Savior changes the trajectories of their lives, thereby changing their friends and families lives as well. For more information about Young Life Adventures, contact the Thomsens at info@adventures.younglife.org. To call her introduction to staff a challenge would be an understatement; six months in, the pandemic hit and the small town ministry shut down. Freeman Coliseum is in our area, firmly on the east side, Eric Collins, area director of Young Life San Antonio East, said. He now holds his head (and face) up high as he continues to learn and grow while sharing his God-given gift of music with his new friends. Young Life's Frontier Ranch - Buena Vista, CO - Yelp Has a diagnosed development or medical condition of the blood, neurologic, heart, Jimm would show up anywhere in the world, at any time, to do whatever was needed to help. One said Omaha. Find - YoungLife.org They eventually married in 1983, and a year later, Kris became Knoxville Young Lifes area secretary for Steve Chesney. Young Life is a mission devoted to introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith. Its a lot for a new staff person to be a functional area director., As someone who has worked with countless men and women throughout the mission, Pam knows a gem when she sees one. In the weeks leading up to camp leaders started collecting clothing and when each kid climbed off the bus they were handed new clothes and shoes. We will fly into Denver and then travel to Young Life's Frontier Ranch via rented SUVs. We were overwhelmed with what God had given us!, Frontier Ranch hosted its first campers a mere six months later, in July 1951. He has worked as Property Intern, Frontier Ranch at Young Life; Guest Services Specialist, Frontier Ranch at Young Life; and VP of Camping Operations and Construction at Young Life. In 1950, while serving on work crew at Silver Cliff, Cy Burress and Jerry Kirk would often hike up the mountain behind camp to read the Bible and pray. Big Bend Young Life serves within communities that are by and large underserved but our rural border towns are rich in culture, community, and kindness. He wants lost kids to be loved and introduced to Jesus., I dont know of anything more rewarding, said Mark. They initially started building homes, but as they asked locals what the greatest need was, they heard about the youth of Nicaragua who had nothing to do and little hope. Before Young Life was an organization or even a vision, it was a prayer. In the midst of a civil war that spanned the 1980s in Nicaragua, Jim and Sarah Hornsby moved from the U.S. to this small country in Central America. Frontier Ranch Young Life Music Video - YouTube Please hear His kind call to be with Him. Best of all, leaders accompanied kids back to their shared hometown where their friendship continued. I feel like my leaders were doing what Jesus did by sharing their lives and being relational. There was a page for every college we were trying to reach and around 300 to 400 students posting. Felix was all in. Today we have Young Life ministries in over 100 countries, and it seems that with each one the Lord delights in revealing His plan in His timing! Camp - TN19 - Young Life . We also have three summer devotionals created for assigned teams, work crew and summer staff across our camps that can be used from year to year. Theyve been Young Life leaders, committee members, banquet chairs, led countless small groups for leaders, team parents, donors, faithful prayer warriors and hosted many functions. Jeff also initiated the annual Knoxville Young Life clay shoot fundraiser, an event that has greatly benefited the areas financial need, raising $23,000 in campership funds in 2021. When they arrived, there was no bed for Decontee because of the hundreds of Ebola patients, so she was left under a tree where the staff occasionally brought food to her. My time spent at Pioneer Plunge [the adventure camp in North Carolina], one Atlanta teen wrote, was the greatest, most painful, joy-filled, cryingest, laughingest, into-it, out-of-it, concerned, indifferent, lovingest, hatingest time I ever personally spent! Houng asked the girls if they would like to come to Young Life club. Its really changed the focus from creating events for kids to just being with kids. I didnt have any friends nearby; it felt dark like things could go south, and the area might not make it., Chuck Jamison, Matts encourager, could sense the weight bearing down. 2009. The more our staff reflects the diverse Kingdom, the better kids can see how they can belong. Once inside, each volunteer was assigned to a specific section. ukasz said. During this season, they helped create Lost Canyon and launched the Yuma Young Life area in 1997. Spring 2020 - YoungLife.org I formed close connections with a variety of people from different cultures, and now we hang out all the time. A committee member and a parent of a Young Life alum created an elegant menu. Junior Camp. If you take nothing else away from this magazine, please remember this: begin with prayer. Now they needed to put something in the Bibles that could point the boys to the nearest Young Life club. The girls began to attend club and Houng started a Campaigners group especially for them. Students here are usually guarded emotionally, and relationships can be pretty surface level. In Young Life, we echoed this good news by launching our Forward movement, proclaiming in 2017: the gospel is on the move. For me, this was an opportunity to minister to them and it didnt just change their lives, it positively impacted our school. Helping develop the Young Life Fellowship at Wheaton, a training program for staff and volunteers. Deborah has a tremendous heart for kids, and currently leads Young Life at a high school in Bamako. Its 9:30 in the morning, Felix recalled. Recognizing many kids wanted a more individualistic, natural experience, the mission created adventure camping, where kids could go backpacking, camp in tents, make their own meals and gather under the stars. So that just blew me away. ukasz was a turning point for Young Life in Poland. Leadership needs to take place in all we do. School was remote, so I hadnt met too many people, he said of his freshman year. We held club and Campaigners at my house often; in fact, at times there were so many kids coming we had to open the windows so kids could lean in to hear! Show prices. Young Life is an evangelical Christian organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado which focuses on young people in middle school, high school, and college. Because Young Life is all about relationships, its easy to think staff and leaders are continually working shoulder-to-shoulder to help kids meet Jesus. Serve, love your neighbor, pour out your heart to this country and youll see beautiful things happen., Felix encouraged the boys to pray for each others future placement. A year earlier, when Eric had found himself in need of a new staff person, he asked a close friend to apply. Frontier Ranch - A Young Life Property - Buena Vista, Colorado As I think back about the ideas that moved me, it wasnt about being a hot shot with kids. I would love to share with you about all of the specific developments we have experienced under Forward, but for the sake of brevity Ill focus on three. Whats going on in your station of life. At the end of the summer, Rayburn served as guest speaker at Round-Up Lodges banquet. Frontier Ranch is Young Life's original old Wild West camp dating back to the 1920s. ukasz said. A camp thatll be so great that when they get out of the bus and they walk onto the camp, theyll know somebody was thinking about them before they got there.. In 2016, World Youth Day an international meeting of the Pope with youth from all over the world was held in Krakw, Poland. Theres people who will love you there.. It wasnt until some difficult experiences one day when I called out to Jesus and told Him I wanted Him to guide me and help me change, Fr. Going to camp Dates: Summer 2023 - TBD Cost: TBD. Capernaum Carolina Point. INNOVATE. Weve been agile and quick to find new ways to reach kids, hold events and respond to a global pandemic that shifted our world in a matter of weeks. The country had begun Young Life seven years earlier and the Sundbergs were excited about the prospect of strengthening the countrys leaders, like Eli Yasi, while expanding the work into Manila. Like a fog, the pandemic settled and obscured the traditional markers of celebration and send-off. There was a very animated discussion that day and a common consensus reached by the end of the meeting that they wanted a Young Life-type outreach in their country. ukasz said. Like the 20 minutes of silence in a traditional camp, the peacefulness found atop a mountain or under a sky of infinite stars provided space for receptivity to the Spirits dealing in their lives. However, I was praying all along about the kids of the Philippines.. And it still works in 2022!. The perfect photo op, easily worth a thousand words. Alone and helpless, she prayed for a miracle. The idea was to take all the fun supplies we could fit (tents, inflatables, games and more) and load them into a trailer which our staff and volunteers could drive from place to place. Tucker Wildeson - Cook III - Young Life's Frontier Ranch | LinkedIn For six years these friends faithfully called on the Lords help. He knew God was real, but He felt far away. In turn, Julie, her husband, Gary, and Keoni, another Waikoloa leader, shared their memories and prayed over the kids. Theirs was a unique approach; for three months every year the couple would stay in England, training church leaders in relational evangelism and helping establish models of youth ministry. The 69-year-old encourager said hes thrilled to be part of The Barnabas Project. Now in its third year of existence, The Barnabas Project sees about 15 pairings begin each year. In so many ways, to all of us within the FSU community, he was our own Son of Encouragement. During this time, the Young Life community in Africa and many others around the world committed to pray Psalm 91 for 91 days for the areas affected in West Africa. In a mission filled with gifted speakers, funny program directors, talented musicians and winsome leaders, may we never forget those men and women whose primary focus is to spend unseen hours interceding on behalf of Young Life. Their entire senior year was happening online. But how to pull it off? Event marketing. Theyre running up to Felix, like, Brother Felix, brother Felix, we prayed for him, we prayed for him and he found his home!. Young Life - Wikipedia It was a gift he had of making the story come alive. But Ive learned much from Chucks Christlike spirit: how to live like Jesus did in humility, full of the Spirit, with childlike faith and purity.. He helped Young Life in Poland be seen not as a foreign organization, but a Polish organization with American roots. I felt Gods presence throughout the call. We have something wonderful to share with this world it is the good news and we can do it together. Young Life Frontier Ranch Video Scrapbook Our volunteer leaders and staff are utilizing several new discipleship resources to engage kids with the Bible. The last two years have been challenging to say the least. Father ukasz Szymaski describes his teenage years as pretty turbulent and far from a life in friendship with God. He grew up in Poland which is 93% Catholic but didnt have a spiritual upbringing. Steve Thompson - COO - Young Life | LinkedIn But the gospel the good news that Jesus the Messiah reigns as King has always been a subversive message. She prayed and recruited others to pray. The leaders in England were discovering one of Young Lifes time-tested principlesas they took the time to forge relationships with kids, they found their young friends more willing to trust them. PHONE: 719-381-1844 FAX: 719-381-1757 This is our prayer for every kid that they might be new creations in Christ. All volunteers had to submit to COVID-19 testing every three days. Fr. Prior to coming on staff, Arnie served with the Marines in World War II and saw action in the first wave on Saipan, Tinian, Iheya Shima and Okinawa; he was awarded the Purple Heart among other commendations. Only our Lord knows how many people have crossed over from death to life as a result of time spent at a Young Life camp. Meanwhile, Felixs wife came to the shelter and began measuring shoe sizes. And while crowds gathered from all over to listen to Him, Jesus was neither flashy, nor self-promoting; He never wrote a book or broadcast Himself. They showed up for six years before Jim entered that school with a vision. Frontier Ranch: Lake Champion: June 06 - June 30 Full (3 on Wait List) July 01 - July 25 Spots: 1 (Female Only) July 26 - August 10 Full (4 on Wait List) June 06 - June 30