spring2015_newsletter - Young Life, North Central Texas

Snow Days and Smiley Faces
Mentors make a difference in the lives of teen moms.
The snow and ice in February meant that not only were
schools closed, but many Young Life clubs had to be
cancelled. Madeline Garcia leads YoungLives in Fair Park and
was disappointed when she had to postpone club because of
weather. However, she used the opportunity to text girls and
ask how they were doing. Soon, a teen mom named Claudia
opened up about parenting and boy troubles.
“In Young Life we talk about earning the right to be heard
which can be a painful and sometimes frustrating process
watching students fall into the same patterns and heartache,”
said Madeline. “But patience and prayer pay off!”
Claudia dropped out of high school over a year ago when
YoungLives girls from across the region enjoyed a Friday night out playing
being a mother and a student seemed impossible. Then she and
bunco with their mentors.
her son Jordan went to YoungLives camp last summer, and
Madeline encouraged her to go back to school. Because of the love and support of her YoungLives mentor, Claudia will graduate soon
but still finds herself struggling. So on that cold day, she asked for Madeline’s advice.
“During our conversation, I was able to point her to Scripture and remind her that there is only one guy who will never disappoint us –
Jesus,” said Madeline.
Claudia responded with one more text, followed by several smiley faces: “I love you Madeline. You always make me feel better!”
Madeline is one of many YoungLives mentors across North Central Texas making a difference in not just one generation, but two. For
more information about YoungLives, contact Anita Vantreese at [email protected]. 
YoungLives Camp: Childcare Workers Needed
This summer, teen moms and their babies from 17 different areas in this region will go to YoungLives camp where they will enjoy an amazing
week as they hear and experience the Gospel. To make this possible, individuals and groups are needed to spend a week at camp caring for
the babies. This is a great opportunity for mothers and teenage daughters, adult Sunday school classes, college students and others looking
for a short-term mission trip opportunity right here in Texas. Childcare workers are needed at Camp Buckner in Burnett, Texas the weeks
of June 6-12 and June 13-19. For more information, contact Anita Vantreese at [email protected].
Ready for the Best Week of Their Lives
Pray that 3,400 kids and leaders will go to camp this summer.
JUNE
Beyond Malibu | British Columbia | Young Life
Keller
Camp Buckner | Texas | WyldLife
Argyle, Denton, East Dallas County, Fair Park*, Fort
Worth, North Dallas, Oak Cliff*, Richardson, Southwest
Dallas County*, West Dallas*
Camp Buckner | Texas | YoungLives
Allen, Arlington, Carrollton, Denton, East Dallas
County, Fair Park*, Fort Worth, Grapevine/Colleyville,
Lake Highlands, Lakewood, Lewisville/Flower Mound,
North Dallas, Oak Cliff*, Plano, Richardson, Rockwall
County, South Carrollton*
Carolina Point | North Carolina | Young Life
Arlington, East Dallas County, Mansfield, McKinney,
Melissa
Crooked Creek Ranch | Colorado | Young Life
Coppell/Valley Ranch, Lewisville/Flower Mound
Frontier Ranch | Colorado | Young Life
Allen, Carrollton, Fair Park*, Fort Worth, Highland Park,
North Dallas, Plano, Richardson
SharpTop Cove | Georgia | Young Life
Frisco
Southwind | Florida | Capernaum
Highland Park
Southwind | Florida | WyldLife
South Oak Cliff WyldLife*
Wilderness Ranch | Colorado | Young Life
Grapevine/Colleyville
JULY
Beyond Malibu | British Columbia | Young Life
Frisco
Camp Buckner | Texas | WyldLife
Allen, Arlington, Carrollton, Coppell/Valley Ranch,
Frisco, Lake Highlands, Lewisville/Flower Mound,
Mansfield, Plano, South Carrollton*
Carolina Point | North Carolina | Capernaum
Allen, North Texas Capernaum
Carolina Point | North Carolina | Young Life
HEB
Crooked Creek Ranch | Colorado | Young Life
Northwest, Richardson
Frontier Ranch | Colorado | Young Life
Aledo, Grapevine/Colleyville, Highland Park, Lake
Highlands, Plano
Malibu Club | British Columbia | Young Life
Fort Worth
SharpTop Cove | Georgia | Young Life
Forney, Fort Worth, Joshua, Mesquite
Wilderness Ranch | Colorado | Young Life
Arlington | Lake Highlands | Plano | Richardson
Windy Gap | North Carolina | Young Life
Oak Cliff*, Rockwall County, South Carrollton*,
Southwest Dallas County*, West Dallas*
MAKE A GIFT
*help 700 kids from the inner-city go to camp
northcentraltexas.younglife.org
Along for the Ride
750 middle school kids enjoy the WyldLife Bus Tour
If you were at the Dallas Mavericks game on January 23 and looked
to the upper decks, you might have noticed 750 middle school kids in
matching T-shirts. They came with their WyldLife leaders from across
the Metroplex for a night of unbelievable adventure and fun.
At the end of the basketball game, every kid headed to the court and got
to take a shot on the goal. Then they climbed back on school buses and
the around-town adventures continued: Jump Street, pizza and WyldLife
club where they heard about the God who loves them more than they
can imagine. Next stop? Main Event for late night/early morning bowling, laser tag, putt-putt golf, video games (and maybe a few unintended
naps.) After more than 12 hours of crazy fun, kids got back on their
buses and headed for home - ready to dream about the life to the full
they experienced and that Jesus offers them. 
Kids from Oak Cliff joined 700 other middle school kids from
across North Central Texas for the annual WyldLife Bus Tour.
northcentraltexas.younglife.org
North Central Texas Region
11300 N. Central Expwy, Suite 600
Dallas, TX 75243
young
life
2X18
#doubleupYL
north central texas region
SPRING 2015
northcentraltexas.younglife.org
Out there in the world of kids, meeting them where they are,
accepting them as they are, with a vision for who they can become
Going Where Kids Are
One YL leader returns to his old stomping grounds to meet kids.
Sometimes you’ll find Young Life leaders in the school cafeteria, and other times
you’ll find them at... wrestling practice. For almost 75 years, Young Life leaders
have been going where kids are and building relationships with them to earn the
right to talk about life and faith in ways that kids can understand.
As a student at Adamson High School, Jorge Rodriguez got involved in Young
Life and competed on the wrestling team. Now as a Young Life leader at his alma
mater, Jorge is using his wrestling experience to meet new kids and point them to
Christ.
Before club one Monday evening, Jorge went to visit his former wrestling coach.
While there, Jorge met the kids on the team, and at the end of practice, he told
them about Young Life.
Because of that invitation from a leader who showed interest in them, a new
group of students never before involved in Young Life began coming to club with
Jorge after wrestling practice each week. Already, three of these kids from the
wrestling team are signed up to go to camp this summer.
One week after club, a boy on the wrestling team named Adrian
stopped Andy Gutierrez, the area director for Young Life in Oak
Cliff. He told Andy how excited he was to be at his first Young
Life club.
He felt like Young Life was exactly
where he needed to be that night.
“Adrian told me he had just quit using drugs and really needed
encouragement,” said Andy. “He felt like Young Life was exactly
where he needed to be that night.”
Adrian has stayed involved in Young Life this spring, and Jorge
and Andy are hopeful he will go to camp this summer along with
his fellow wrestlers. Eighty kids and leaders from Adamson High
School, Molina High School and Sunset High School will spend a
week at Windy Gap, a Young Life camp in North Carolina. For more
information about Young Life in Oak Cliff, contact Andy Gutierrez at
[email protected]. 
Young Life, North Central Texas Region
 11300 N. Central Expwy, Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75243  214.265.1505