LaVina Youth

The Vineyard youth in Mazatlan enjoy having fun like young people anywhere. As these pictures show, they are involved in many activities and love what they are doing. Pictures however, do not tell the whole story. Many of these young people come from very challenging environments. Some live near the local garbage dump or in the “Red Light District.” They are surrounded by poverty, drugs, prostitution, and crime of all kinds. And yet in the midst of all that darkness these young people are becoming a light to their communities.

So what are these youth doing to grow more as young men and women of God and affect their communities? For example in Francisco I. Madero, the area of town where the Red Light District is located, youth come to church at 6:00 A.M. on Wednesday mornings to learn more about leadership and discipleship. A different group of teens meets to learn more about the basics of Christianity at 5:30 P.M. on Fridays. When most American kids are getting ready to go out on a Friday evening, they are sitting down to study the Bible. And we are not talking with games and prizes, just studying the Bible! Then they will come back on Saturday morning to help lead a small group of children at the weekly children’s outreach. Some of our youth are so important to their group of kids that these little ones consider them like part of their family!

In addition, the youth have an opportunity to be involved in the main youth meeting on Saturday evenings. Here they can invite friends and also participate in the worship, ice breakers/skits and listen to an interactive message. Basketball and volleyball are open to all the youth at the end of the service. Throughout the year they will also participate in activities and up to three retreats a year. Finances for these events are in part raised by the youth through fund raisers. Students who cannot financially pay for an event can be sponsored through these funds.

We do not want to leave any young person behind who really desires to have a new life in Christ. That is why we are working hard to train these young people to lead others, and to make a difference in their communities, for many years to come.