Every Thursday night starting at the oddly chosen time of 7:27 Leesville high school students join together cramped in someone’s house, backyard, or even garage to practice fellowship. This meeting time is referred to as “Club” and is put on by Young Life, a Christian organization throughout high schools all over the world.
During Club, students sing songs, watch skits, and learn a thing or two about religion and faith– all while having a fun time. The atmosphere is almost like a party, with teens yelling and running around, making each other laugh and singing at the top of their lungs.
Despite the silliness that goes on at Club, the morals and object of Young Life are extremely serious and intense. The organization hopes to help young teens in the community, clearly shown in both their vision and mission. Their vision is to insure that “every adolescent will have the opportunity to meet Jesus Christ and follow Him” and the mission is “introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith,” as posted on the Young Life website.
Young Life works to fulfill those goals in many ways including building personal relationships, praying for young people, providing experiences that are fun, adventurous and life-changing, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with adolescents, and most importantly: loving the students no matter their response. By providing these relationships and their honest and genuine care, every youth who is involved loves their experience with Young Life.
Young Life is also provides a much needed break from the stress of life and school that every teenager goes through. Having club every Thursday is something that students look forward to to help them get through the long, stressful school week. Besides being a religious activity where minors learn about and increase their faith, Young Life is also a good social experience where students can hangout and have fun with their best friends.
Anna Young, a senior at Leesville High School, is one of many that has been greatly affected by Young Life. “It’s affected me by being able to have such an awesome time and being able to grow in my faith and have a really special relationship with my leader and being closer with my best friends. I know that on Thursdays I have Young Life that night and I can know that I can go to that and let go and be with my friends and to have fun and not having to worry about people judging you or having to worry about school,” she said, expressing the love she has for the club.
Young Life is an organization made to try and spread faith and love throughout a community. The youth who attend are impacted greatly by the genuine and deep care they receive. Club is like a safe place or second home for many, and it is always open for anyone who is willing to join.
