The tiled church floors weren’t the most comfortable of beds. The 104 Fahrenheit temperatures made it hot! None of that mattered to the 242 enthusiastic campers who participated in ten days of Youth for Christ training and mission team outreaches in Thailand.
Coming from a variety of churches, these young people attended camps in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Surin. The first part of each camp involved training by Youth for Christ Thailand staff and volunteer team leaders in evangelism skills, like the importance of listening and building a relational connection.
Then, dividing the campers into small Mission Teams of 10-15, Youth for Christ sent them out to serve local churches, helping with their youth, children’s and sport outreach programs. For four days they went into villages and shopping markets sharing with people the message of hope and joy available through Jesus Christ, applying what they had learned at camp. During that time of outreach, the campers engaged with 1,865 individuals. 866 people heard a clear Gospel message, with 204 praying and opening their lives to Christ!
Joining together for the final days of camp they shared stories of their experiences and began planning for their personal Gospel sharing ministries upon returning to their home churches. They spent time praying for one another to remain committed to the mission God has given each of them.
“By God’s grace He established in these young people an undeniable passion and confidence for sharing God’s love with others,” said Scott Johnson, Youth for Christ Southeast Asia Regional Director. “Christians in Thailand are the extreme minority, just 1.2% within a predominantly Buddhist culture. Young people in Thailand, as well as adults, can feel overwhelmed and alone in the task of reaching their nation with the message of Christ. But through these camps...these young people were reminded that they are not alone, and knowing that, they left camp feeling emboldened.”
The Youth for Christ leaders continue to follow-up with the campers that were trained. Many of the young people have formed or joined groups for supporting one another in bringing the Gospel to their peers. Youth for Christ Chiang Mai Coordinator Jed Kanajanamas said, “The camp may have ended, but the ministry is just beginning.”
