Happy Fall Friends of YoungLives!

It has been a really exciting start of the school year/fall season for YoungLives as we start to find our footing a little more, and establish some regular routines. While we by no means have it down to a science, we also aren't completely starting from scratch like we were this time last year! Now when we're planning things, we actually KNOW the girls who will most likely be coming and can plan with them in mind. When I meet with a potential volunteer for the first time and they ask me questions, I have real life stories and examples to share. We are continuing to evolve and pivot based on a variety of different factors, but the reality is - we really are starting to walk with these girls and it is THE BEST!!

One thing the mentors were all reflecting on at our monthly meeting just this week is HOW MUCH these young moms absolutely love each other. Most of them all met because of YoungLives, and now they are becoming each other's people. While we as mentors love the privilege of getting to know these young women on a deeper level, we also love that we are able to facilitate these friendships that these young women are clearly craving. So many of our friends are isolated and lonely at home with their baby, and little to no support systems. Yet on Monday nights now, they know they get some solid quality time with other moms who totally get it. 

We want to keep inviting more and more young moms to experience these connections and friendships, with glimpses of the God who loves them and cares for them sprinkled throughout. If you're not involved in some capacity already, we would love for you to consider joining the team in some capacity. It takes a village to do this work, and it is an absolute gift to see the way the Lord is moving in teen moms' hearts and lives in our area!

In Him,

Whitney Busse, YoungLives Area Coordinator

GLOW CLUB!!: Our fall semester officially kicked off with GLOW CLUB a few weeks ago! Our friends got super creative decorating t-shirts with glow sticks, glow tape, beads, and laundry detergent (which glows under a black light!!). We enjoyed a presentation from Theresa Collosso, social worker for the Adolescent Parenting Program in Orange County, about Circles of Support and then we DANCED! The blacklights came on, and the "Just Dance" latin music videos played, and we had a great time!! It's such a joy to see our friends who work so hard day in and day out to be incredible mothers to their littles get to let loose and have fun!

OUR FIRST CAMPAIGNERS!! We were thrilled to begin Campaigners with our friends this month, and even more thrilled for the way they showed up and participated. Campaigners is Young Life's name for small group Bible study, and for this year we have chosen to read through The Jesus Storybook Bible all together. Not only is it a great version of the Bible that continually points to Jesus' rescue plan, but it also is something these moms can then read to their babies :) We split our group into a Durham location and a CH/Carborro location to try and keep things closer to home for both the moms and leaders. Both groups shared it was a sweet evening of connection, and a new way to spend time with our friends that was really well received. 

THE GIFT OF COMMUNITY: One thing our mentor team has found surprising is how much our friends LOVE spending time with each other. These young moms have created close bonds through showing up at events over and over together, going to camp together, or even meeting over the YoungLives instagram.  This month alone we have all been invited to a first birthday party and two of our expectant mom's baby showers! While our events are so fun, the chance to build relationships and watch these girls make solid friendships is the absolute best part of this ministry. 

There are so many ways you can volunteer with YoungLives this fall! Fill out our Interest Form by clicking on the link above so we can get you more information!!

Some of our more specific needs are outlined below as well!

MEAL DONATIONS: There are still a number of blank spots on our meal donation Sign-Up genius that we would love to have filled! This is a great opportunity for small groups or friend groups to do together on a Monday night that you have free. For Club it is one big meal for us as we all gather in one location. This is a meal to feed roughly 20-25 people (we love to be able to send leftovers home with our friends). For Campaigners it is for a smaller group of about 10. If you want to make it really easy feel free to donate a Chick-Fil-A gift card so we can order individual meals for our friends who come as a special treat! Check out the Sign-Up Genius below if you can help us out for an upcoming night! 

HISPANIC AND CATHOLIC CHURCH CONNECTIONS: As we continue to meet mom friends who are primarily Spanish speaking we are hoping to make connections with more Hispanic and Catholic churches in the area. We hope to find volunteers in these congregations who can help us bridge the language and culture barrier we currently feel. If you have any connections with these congregations in the area please email younglives.dch@gmail.com.

NEW HORIZON DONATION CLOSET: New Horizon Church continues to shower us with generosity and has donated an entire early childhood classroom to YoungLives to convert into a donation closet/storage space!! The room is right across the hall from the room we use for Club which makes it so easy and convenient. We hope to be able to turn it into a "boutique-like" setting with baby clothes, maternity clothes, diapers/wipes, feminine hygiene products, household necessities, toys, baby equipment, etc available for girls to "shop" for during certain events or times. In order to do that we are looking for some of the following items (new or used) to help renovate the space and have it stocked and ready to unveil for the fall. Please reach out to younglives.dch@gmail.com or 502-551-2827 (Whitney's cell). 

More Mentors

As we walk with girls and get to know them more, we realize that in order to care for them the way we want to we need about a 1:2 Mentor:Mom ratio. With the number of girls we know now, we have basically reached that limit. We know there are so many more young moms in Durham and Orange county that need to hear the Gospel and find community, so we are praying for more mentor leaders to join our team!

Open doors to organizations that can meet tangible needs for our friends:

YoungLives cannot be the rescuers from things like food or housing insecurity BUT there are so many wonderful non-profits in our counties that can. Please pray with us for connections to organizations that can provide guidance for our friends to navigate some tough situations. 

Language barriers to be broken:

We are continuing to ask the Lord to provide us with Spanish speaking volunteer mentors so that relationships can go deeper with our friends. As He continues to bring young moms from Hispanic/Latina communities, we trust this is who He wants us building relationships with. We also trust that the Lord can break language barriers, but pray He would show us how. 

Campership 

Even though it is barely fall here, we are already thinking ahead to our Winter Weekend camp in February. This is a chance to get these young moms and their babies away for 48 hours to hear the Gospel, be a kid, and form deeper relationships with other young moms. We are hoping to bring as many girls and leaders who want to go as possible. To send one girl and one leader to weekend camp it will cost about $500 (including travel costs, food on the way there and back, t-shirts, etc). Please pray that the Lord would provide financially for this camp trip!