‘Made for….the HARDEST OF PLACES’
In Young Life, we believe that every kid deserves to hear about a God who loves them. In Kane County YoungLife, in addition to WyldLife and Capernaum, our committee is championing a vision which also means we are looking for ways to share the love of God with incarcerated teens at the local Illinois Youth Center (IYC).
While Young Life ministry at IYC has been going on for over two decades, it has really taken off in the past couple of years. It has grown from a single volunteer showing up once a week to have a Bible study with a small group of guys to over 20 men serving on teams multiple nights a week providing pizza, hanging out in cottages, hosting monthly birthday parties, working out in the gym, studying God’s Word and praying together.
IYC – St. Charles, where we serve, is a Level 2 medium security facility. It houses juvenile males whose crimes include armed robbery, gang activity, drug offenses, school shootings, and murder. While some may have a bit of church background, most have little direction or hope in life. During a recent discussion one of the guys shared, “My life has no purpose. I am going to be locked up for the rest of my life.”
However, change does happen. Earlier this year, we had the privilege of praying for one of the young men who was about to be released. He shared how his life had been dramatically changed while at IYC. He prays daily and has seen answered prayer. He knows he needs to make different decisions on the outside. He talked of getting involved in a church and being a good role model for his three younger siblings.
But not only are the kids being changed. Here is what some of our volunteers recently shared.
- “A year ago, if you would have asked me could I see myself in a prison, helping with a ministry to felons, I would have said no chance. However, this has become the highlight of each week for me.”
- “Time just hanging with the kids is precious. They are really good kids who have made some bad decisions. Loving them with our time and resources and telling them about Jesus is a way to give back for the gift God has given us.”
- “Serving at IYC has been both a blessing and learning experience for me. Many of the incarcerated teens are just kids who have made some terribly poor life choices. And as kids, they need hope, encouragement and a belief that others care. If we can offer a small amount of that, then we are providing a glimpse of Jesus.”
There are about 50,000 incarcerated juveniles in the United States alone. They need to know that there is God who loves them more than they could imagine. Perhaps some of these incarcerated teens are near you.
For more information on lessons learned in Kane County Young Life, feel free to contact area director Dan Griebel (dangriebel@ylchicago.com) or committee chair Don Vanthournout (don.vanthournout@gmail.com).