Over Mother’s Day weekend we held our annual Youth Venture Leadership Retreat. At this event we invited students from all of our centers to a camp focused on leadership development and growing in discipleship. The retreat is not open to every kid, but only to those who are growing in their walk with the Lord and who are identified as having leadership potential. This year was our most successful year ever with nearly 100 students and leaders attending. We were also blessed this year to have the Alpine Youth Center in attendance, bringing 15 kids and several adults.
This year’s retreat was full of fun. During their free-time the kids were able to enjoy the game room, get cold drinks in the coffee bar, and test their daring on the rope swing, along with archery, hiking, basketball, nine-square, and more. The highlights were the paintball games which over 40 kids participated in, and our Fortnite competition. The Fortnite competition was based off the hugely popular video game that kids play at the centers. We created our own live-action version on the field where each center competed against each other using water balloons, squirt guns, and more to win. It was a lot of fun and the pictures above will give you a taste of the action.
Most importantly, at the retreat the kids were given the opportunity to experience the presence of God in a powerful and life-changing way through the messages, worship, and ministry. The first night Jeremy Miller opened the retreat with a message based off Romans 12:2 about the difference between conforming and transforming. The students were challenged to let God transform them into His sons and daughters and taught what it means to be God’s child. Many young people experienced God’s Fatherly love in a powerful way and were ministered to by the adult leaders. The next morning the students were split into several meetings. The girls heard from Stephanie Byrd our girls intern, the junior high boys heard from Chris Alley our site director at our Broadway center, and the high school boys heard from Josh Simmons our director at south El Cajon. Each group heard a message that was tailored for the challenges they face and encouraged them in their walk with God.
That night was the last night of the retreat and Mark Hoffman gave the message. He spoke about Moses and the burning bush and how experiences with God have the power to transform us if we turn to God and respond to Him in faith. During the ministry time the students took off their shoes and came up to the front symbolizing leaving their old way of living behind and trusting God with their lives. It was a powerful time of ministry and some very important decisions for the Lord were made that night.
In all it was an amazing weekend of fun, fellowship, and especially times encountering the Lord’s presence. The impact of the retreat continued to be seen even after the retreat was over. The next weekend 10 students from the retreat were baptized at the weekend services. Thank you for making this retreat possible and all for all you do in your support and prayers for the students of Youth Venture.
