As the Race winds down, I think it’s time that I let you in on one of my favorite things that’s been closest to my heart all year.
It all started Month #1 in El Salvador. I made a lot of really cool friends there, and I love them all so, so much. But there was one 15 year old guy who stood out to me.
Let me back up a moment. Even as a young guy myself, I’ve always had a passion for ministering to young people, and especially young men. I was a youth leader for three years at home, so hanging with teenagers is right in my wheelhouse.
So I was determined to get to know this guy. He came to every church event and always helped out however he could. He didn’t speak much English, but I talked to him as much as I could in Español. We hung out together whenever we had a chance. I had the privilege of standing beside him in support as he shared with a stranger about his faith and his testimony for the first time. He did incredible.
As the end of the month approached, I wanted him to know how special he was. I wanted him to know the potential I saw in him. This kid is already playing a big role in the Salvadorian church, and he’s a huge part of the church’s future there. So I wrote him a note in my broken Spanish saying exactly that (I hope). He said he understood the message. And he got emotional. And I got emotional. And we were an emotional wreck together. (We’re okay now.) Without a doubt saying goodbye to him was one of my hardest goodbyes of the year.
As we left, I had a thought. What if I tried to find a young man in every country to pour into, encourage, disciple, and pray over? What if I could invest now in some of the young men who will be leaders in their local church in the future?
Some months were really successful. In Guatemala, I actually found two amazing young men to pour into, and I trust God allowed me to make an impact. Equally, in Malaysia I met a 15 year old who quickly became a close friend. He had questions about what I was doing, which I happily answered. Then he shared his own dreams and shared about some of his struggles as a Malaysian teenager, and I listened and encouraged. I just know he’s going to be a powerful man of God and leader. Heck, he already is.
Other months were harder. I never found the guy I was looking for in Honduras or Thailand. The language barrier made communication hard in Africa. And the young man I found in Nepal is actually still Hindu as far as I know. But I trust God and know He was working through me in each of those situations.
So as I prepare to come back home soon, I do so with ten very special young men especially strongly on my heart. They are strong. They are leaders. They are my brothers. And they are already doing great things for God and His kingdom. I am honored to have played a small part in their stories, and I pray for them consistently. I can’t wait to hear someday of the mighty ways God is using them in leadership of the church.
“Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” –1 Timothy 4:12
