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Summer Programs Update
Missions Trip to Philly
By Ernest Prempeh, A4Y Game Plan Director
The Lord enabled us to be vulnerable with each other on the high school mission trip. The kids shared how they hurt from not having their fathers in their lives. I told them about my own struggles as a young boy, even on my early Christian walk, having bitterness, anger, and frustration towards my Dad for being absent. I explained that their fathers do what they do because they never had their own fathers to show them what it looks like to be one.
I reminded them of the lessons throughout the year, the discussion on how much our father in heaven is a perfect father. He loves each one of us like his son Jesus Christ and he will never abandoned us. I said that hurt people, hurt people. Their fathers are grown, but deep down, they are just kids that never got healed from the trauma, pain, hurt, rejection, lack of self-identity they have been through.
These are the moments I pray for the Lord to use me to speak light into darkness and use me as a point of contact to draw the boys to him. One of the kids shared that he was scared to be like his father, and I told him that you do not have to because God is giving you the chance, the power to break generational patterns and that he can alter his trajectory because of God.
Shine Girls Retreat
By Olivia Frank, Shine Leader
Ms. Tay, A4Y’s Shine Director, shared a message on prayer around the campfire. As the fire burned on and separated, it took more effort to stoke it and some pieces grew cold. We shared with the girls that the fire is like our faith: we stay close to God, stay in the Word, and encourage each other in the faith and our faith will grow. We will be “on fire!.” But if we separate ourselves out and let our relationship dwindle, the harder it is to get back in the fire, and the colder we will get. The ember can still be fanned back into a flame, but it takes more effort than staying close in the first place.”
Afterwards, we broke off to pray with prayer partners. Two girls were not at a place they felt they could talk to God yet, so had been trying to talk to each other by “telling God.” It opened an amazing conversation about what they felt was holding them back from being able to speak directly to Him.
Thank you to everyone who sponsored a student for the mission trip, retreats, or internship or has donated to the general fund for Acts4Youth. These trips have been amazing opportunities for them to connect with God, A4Y staff, and each other on a deeper level and to grow in confidence of their own abilities to try new things and conquer fears and YOU have made it possible.
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