Siliguri Young Life

Last Thursday I met with a Nepali pastor in our city: Enos Simick.  He is one of the jolliest people I know (although you might not be able to tell from the picture. haha!) and is so genuine and passionate about Jesus.

I met with him to cast the vision of Young Life and its mission to reach high school kids by going where kids are...cricket fields, neighborhoods, high schools, etc.  Earning the right to be heard, to tell them the greatest news they could ever hear.

I had been praying for Siliguri YL for the past 5 months, with Enos on my heart as a potential leader.  I was a little nervous about the meeting because this kind of "incarnational" youth ministry (older people humbling themselves to become friends with high school kids) is RADICAL for a place like India...or anywhere really.  But I felt confident that God had called me to share and knew He would give me the words.

Even before I began to tell him about YL, he was telling me all about different youth who were inspiring to him and who God had allowed him to mentor and form relationships with.  They call him and text him and joke around with him.  Wow!  I was immediately put at ease, with the confidence that God had gone before me to prepare Enos' heart.

I shared this video:

In the World of Kids

And told him about Jim Rayburn, the founder of YL, and leaders in Nashville who are loving kids for Jesus...like Ross Barnes (youth pastor) and Wendy Kerr (a doctor)...

I also told him what India YL looks like and how, honestly, it's not much different from the US...because kids are kids everywhere you go.  Maybe songs in a different language or eating dinner with a kids' entire family instead of just them (b/c of the cultural importance of the family).  But ultimately, kids have the same hopes and needs and desires.

Then I told him my vision for Siliguri YL over the next 5 years:

*Oct - May: Meet with potential leaders and share what I shared with Enos

*May 2011: Vision casting meeting with representatives from different churches who are passionate about youth coming to Christ

*June or July 2011: More formal training about Young Life - leaders from Bangalore (south India) and US would help

*August - December 2011: Have at least 10 committed leaders who are assigned to local high schools going out and building relationships with students

*December 2011: First YL club in Siliguri
*By 2015: 3 clubs in Siliguri area

Finally, I asked him (an extremely busy and important pastor) a crazy question...

Enos, will you pray about being a Young Life leader?

Will you leave your rightful place and meet kids where they are?  Will you be an example to other leaders?

It was like he was already on board, though, saying things like, "This is the time."  He said he knows so many college students who are ready to share their faith; they just need the opportunity and direction to do it.  He prayed at the end of our time and asked that this seed would grow and that God would continue to reveal things to us about this ministry in Siliguri.  Will you pray with us?

*For open doors into high schools.

*For God to connect me to potential leaders.

*For softened hearts for lost teenagers in Siliguri.