When Faith Becomes Real

Sometimes God’s work begins with a book, a question and a teenager hungry for more.

At Black Forest Academy in Kandern, Germany, 17 high school boys live together far from home. They come from the Middle East, Korea, China, Spain, Africa, England and the United States—many from families serving in ministry around the world.

Youth for Christ’s Jake Conner serves them as a resident assistant. Some have strong faith. Others don’t consider themselves Christians. Still others are deciding what they truly believe.

Jake has learned that relationships open doors. “It allows a certain level of trust to be built,” he says. “You can speak into their lives better.”

Recently, one student asked for “more spiritual things” in the dorm. Jake gave him C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters. That same evening, the student returned—book in hand and a notepad filled with observations.

“It was so powerful,” Jake remembers, “seeing how he was really being challenged by the Holy Spirit.”

After more than 75 years of Youth for Christ ministry in Germany, God is still working through ordinary conversations and faithful relationships. “It’s the little moments with the guys,” Jake says.

And sometimes, in those little moments, we glimpse the endless wonder of a young person discovering a faith that is becoming his own.

When God's Word Changes Everything

Sunita believed in God—but she wasn’t sure He really loved her or cared about her life.

That began to change when she joined a Youth for Christ Nepal Bible Club. As Sunita studied Scripture, a lesson about God’s purpose captured her attention. She began to see that even through hardship and disappointment, God had a purpose for her and could guide her.

“Now, my mindset is changed… I have learnt how to hear His voice for my life direction.”

Sunita is one of 1,534 young people who participated in Youth for Christ Nepal Bible Clubs across 25 districts. Through the ministry, 161 new youth leaders were developed and 307 churches became involved.

And the impact keeps multiplying. Pooja now shares the Gospel with friends and family in her village. Mala completed an 11-month Bible study and now serves as a youth leader. Shyam leads Bible studies and is seeing young people return to church.

In a nation stretching from the Himalayan mountains to the plains bordering India, ministry also means responding when crisis strikes. Following recent devastating floods and mudslides, Youth for Christ Nepal is helping provide emergency relief to families and churches they know who were affected.

And for young people like Sunita, opening God’s Word is doing more than changing what they know—it is changing how they live.

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