As we close out the year and ask you to consider contributing your year-end gifts to Youth Venture, we more so ask that you reflect on the impact that YV brings to East County San Diego, and even overseas in East Africa where we operate, as well. Your support has enabled our ministry to reach over 230 kids locally who have checked into a youth center over 800 times since we reopened in October! Many of these kids also attend Foothills Church’s high school youth group, high school small groups, and junior high small groups each week. Over the past couple of months, we also celebrated our inaugural Youth Venture Day as proclaimed throughout San Diego County, hosted a delicious YV Thanksgiving Dinner, and, by the time you read this, will have handed out gifts for Christmas.
This all comes as a joy because, as we know, 2020 was a very interesting and unexpected year. Many businesses closed, reopened, closed again or even, unfortunately, shuttered their windows for good. Schools followed a similar pattern of providing distanced, virtual learning only to reopen for a short while before the state regressed back to distanced learning. We know the negative effects that COVID has had on everyone’s general well-being – physical, emotional, and spiritual health included.
Throughout all of this, we have reflected and focused on the importance of ministering to youth, locally and abroad, and ultimately the value of our work for the Kingdom. Kids, whether churched or unchurched, are quite possibly ending this year feeling confused, upset, bored, indifferent, or apathetic. The role of a spiritual family is more crucial now than ever! Because of your support – whether in prayer, financially, or offering your skills and services – Youth Venture has continued to be a type of family for many of these kids. It continues to be a safe place for them to hang out, be with loving adults, and where they can socialize with peers away from the negative influences and vices that surround them every day. More importantly, it is a place that allows for relationships to develop and discipleship to take place. Thank you for helping us help these kids in an already challenging season of their lives.
As we enter 2021, we look forward to a refreshed vision and expectation for how this ministry will continue providing real and felt needs for the youth in our communities. You can continue helping by keeping us in prayer or picking up a shift, giving online (select Youth Venture from the drop-down menu), or maybe even helping with maintenance projects. No matter the capacity, we are grateful that you choose to partner with us in reaching the next generation.
Have a Merry Christmas and safe New Year!
Jeremy Chan
Director of Operations, Youth Venture