Twenty-nine young people assembled June 13 in Renton, Wash., to begin a summer of adventure in service to God. Not knowing all that was in store, they followed God’s calling to be His hands, His feet, His eyes and His voice to the world during this summer and for the rest of their lives.
Western Washington Youth Challenge (WWYC) has a two-fold mission: to bless the lives of young people through service and to bless those they come in contact with as a team. A large portion of the students' time is spent seeking to bless the lives of those they meet door-to-door by sharing God’s love for them through conversation, prayer and the distribution of high-quality books for healthy living, families and spiritual growth.
One of the primary focuses of the team this summer was 7,500 prayers with people at their doors—2,500 more than last summer. Equipped by God, this team went beyond and shared 9,833 prayers. There were so many stories about lives that were changed because “you took the time to pray with me,” as people at their doors would often exclaim. Many times, team members met people who had never prayed before, and they had the opportunity to teach them how to pray.
Team goals were also surpassed when they reached 75,040 homes visited and gave out 3,249 books.
For the past 11 years, Youth Challenge has been a key part of the ministry of the Washington Conference. Hundreds of students have personally accepted Jesus Christ or cemented their commitment to Him and their devotion to following the truths found in God’s Word because of their involvement as a WWYC member. This summer followed in that tradition, and four students were baptized or rebaptized on their last Sabbath together.
The team as a whole testified during the celebration Sabbath that they were different people than they were when they joined WWYC. They realized that God is real, He does hear their prayers, and He can use them to make a difference.
WWYC has left and continues to leave a legacy of young people empowered and equipped for ministry. This summer was no exception.
After eight weeks spending every day together, the WWYC group were truly solidified as a team.
A large part of the Youth Challenge ministry is spent meeting people at their doors, many of whom would not be reached any other way.
