Concerning Decline in Mental Health
Parents, guardians, and teachers all across America are growing concerned with the mental health state of the nations’ young people. Recent studies show that many officials are calling for a national state of emergency. This is due to the large spike in childhood mental health concerns. Young people of all ages report struggling with depression, isolation, and thoughts of suicide. The current pandemic is responsible for this, leaving many unsure of what to do.
With that said, YFC’s mission is to reach young people at these important times of their lives and live life with them while sharing the Gospel of Christ. These numbers reinforce the importance of their mission. In spite of this crisis, YFC Minot, is committed to addressing this national mental health crisis.
YFC Minot’s Executive Director’s Input
Regarding the mental health issues affecting local youth, YFC Minot is finding other ways to connect with youth. David Pellenwessel, executive director at YFC Minot, said, “Our Campus Life ministry spends a lot of time trying to reach local youth at a skate park nearby, and we met a kid there once that we shared some food with and told him the Gospel. He was very skeptical at first and continually asked us if he was signing up to go to a church. We assured him that we were just there to love him and show him that we cared.”
David also said, “The next year, we went with our JJM to a local detention center and that same kid was there and remembered us all by name! He said that something stuck out to him and he accepted Christ right there in that jail cell. We were actually with him every step of the way out of incarceration, through his time on house arrest, and now he is a greeter at a local church and his life is completely changed.”
Pellenwessel said, “We try to be present and available to teachers, students, and parents, and just be a light in the community.”