| My Father is a pastor. In 1975, He had | | | | The movement of Christian youth rallies |
| accepted an invitation to be the dean of | | | | that started in the thirties expanded |
| students for a private Christian prep | | | | further with the millions of soldiers |
| school. He was thrilled with the | | | | and sailors encamped in cities around |
| prospect of a new and very different | | | | the country. In 1944 many of the Church |
| challenge. But before the moving van was | | | | and Christian youth leaders who were |
| packed, but after the church said its | | | | leading independent youth rallies and |
| warm good-bye, the school had some form | | | | clubs met at Lake Winona , Indiana for |
| of difficulty and removed the job offer. | | | | an annual Bible conference. There these |
| Therefore, my father was not only deeply | | | | men prayerfully deliberated how to best |
| disappointed, he was unemployed. It was | | | | coordinate this evangelical effort to |
| a very low point in my Dad's life. | | | | young people. They agreed to cooperate |
| The job search ended in Lancaster | | | | in this great movement of the Spirit. |
| California where he because the senior | | | | Later that year, at in meeting in |
| pastor of a great church. I was a | | | | Detroit , Torrey Johnson, a Chicago area |
| freshman in college. That summer I went | | | | Pastor was elected Chairman of a |
| to my new home in Lancaster forvacation. | | | | temporary organization to oversee the |
| It was there that I was quite taken by | | | | work. Torrey had been the organizer of |
| the beautiful church pianist who was a | | | | the Chicago Youth Jubilees ably aided by |
| senior in high school. A couple years | | | | many including a dynamic, recent Wheaton |
| of friendship with Kay turned into | | | | graduate and Chicago radio evangelist, |
| courtship and later marriage. I had | | | | Billy Graham. (A complete copy of Warren |
| never connected the dots until I | | | | Christie's work can be found at |
| recently was talking to my dad about | | | | Little did anyone who was at that |
| that difficult time of unemployment. My | | | | meeting, dream that this would be the |
| kids were in the room. You would not | | | | birth of Youth for Christ which has |
| believe the look on their faces as we | | | | contributed to or birthed countless |
| suddenly realized that if that school | | | | other ministries like Dr. Graham's |
| had not removed the job offer, they | | | | ministry and even Long Island Youth |
| would not be here. | | | | Mentoring. It was just one meeting. |
| In 1978, after recieving his MBA, my | | | | 'Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, |
| brother David was working for a small | | | | but only God can count the apples in a |
| and rapidly growing software company in | | | | seed.' |
| the Seattle area -- yes, it was | | | | One day Ed came home from church and |
| Microsoft. The owner called him (guess | | | | told his wife he had signed up to be a |
| who) to let him go. He quickly landed a | | | | mentor to a fatherless boy. Fifteen |
| job with Exxon in Houston Texas. As he | | | | years later, that boy is a policeman |
| was preparing for the move, David's wife | | | | keeping order in the aftermath of 9-11. |
| Vivian was given the news that she had | | | | He is also a sixth grade Sunday school |
| cervical cancer that needed to be | | | | teacher and now a mentor to a boy with a |
| removed as soon as possible. They chose | | | | story very much like his own. |
| to postpone the treatments until they | | | | It was just a decision made at church. |
| settled in Texas. A few days later, they | | | | He volunteered to get together with a |
| were at a specialist's office in Texas | | | | boy for two hours a week. |
| who said; "I do not know anything about | | | | What God will do with that pebble of |
| cancer, but I do know that you are | | | | faith that was thrown obediently into |
| pregnant." The 'cancer' that was to be | | | | the pool of the will of God will |
| removed by the Seattle doctor is named | | | | reverberate for generations and onto |
| Gregory. He recently graduated from UCLA | | | | eternity. |
| with a double major, married and moved | | | | Please know that we rest only in the |
| to Japan to spend his first year of | | | | very capable hands of Almighty God. The |
| marriage teaching english. God works all | | | | God who can use a lost job to enable me |
| things together for good for those who | | | | to meet my Kay and to be blessed with |
| love Him and are called according to His | | | | our three children, and who blessed my |
| name. | | | | brother with his first born son, is |
| As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of | | | | quite capable to lead and provide for |
| this ministry we have looked at our | | | | Long Island Youth Mentoring ( that He |
| history. There were countless events | | | | loves so much. Our question is only to |
| that happened, that from our earthly | | | | know His call of what we should do, |
| eyes, were absolutely necessary | | | | weather seemingly large or small and to |
| precursors to the start of this | | | | know that the Lord of the universe has |
| ministry. I will share just one of | | | | chosen to bless us by enabling us to be |
| those event as told my Warren Christie, | | | | apart of His blessing work. |
| who is writing our history: | | | | |