We had never met Ava before camp. Her Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) had heard about YFC and believed it could be life-giving for her. Ava had just come out of a month-long inpatient stay. Her story is heartbreakingly hard — her father was murdered, she was abandoned for days, and she was removed from her mother’s custody. We prepared our leaders gently, unsure how she might respond in a new environment.
But from the moment Ava stepped off the bus, something shifted. She was lighter. Freer. Smiling.
She leaned into friendships, laughter, and conversations about Jesus — a relationship she said felt like a distant childhood memory.
Through tender conversations with her cabin leader, Ava shared that she longed to trust someone who would never leave her or let her down. And at camp, surrounded by caring leaders and peers, Ava said yes to Jesus.
Her circumstances at home have not dramatically changed. But her hope has. Ava returned eager to connect with a local church and our City Life community to continue growing in her faith and learning what it means to trust the One who will never abandon her.
Because you invest in reaching the most vulnerable young people, Ava experienced safety, belonging, and the steady love of Christ. Thank you for coming alongside youth whose stories are still being redeemed.