Youth For Christ chapter comes to Henry County

By Bryce Kelly, Mt. Pleasant News

It?s a calling that Parnell Davis says has long been on his heart, and now, with a Youth for Christ chapter finally taking root in Henry County, Davis says he is ready for the joys and challenges that lay ahead.

?I was doing youth ministry at a church in Cedar Rapids for about two years, and prior to that, I worked for Christamore House for eight years, and so I?ve had a real passion for youth for a long time,? said Davis. ?I first heard about Youth for Christ when I was working in Cedar Rapids, and it immediately peaked my interest.?

Operating in the Cedar Rapids area since 1962, Youth For Christ is a global ministry first started in 1944 by famous pastor and evangelist, Billy Graham. Today, it has 35,000 staff and volunteers working with teenagers in over 100 different countries. If Davis has anything to say about it, though, he says he is hoping that the ministry becomes a mainstay in Henry County, as well.

Within the Youth For Christ organization is a program known as Juvenile Justice Ministry, which focuses on engaging and offering mentors for teenagers in detention centers, correctional facilities, residential treatment centers and emergency shelters. With his background of work focused primarily at Christamore House, Davis thought the possibility of bringing the Juvenile Justice Ministry there would be beneficial. And thus began his journey of introducing the program locally.

?My plan at that time was just to introduce the pastor from Cedar Rapids that I knew who was doing the Juvenile Justice program there to meet with the directors of Christamore, and then bow out,? Davis said. ?But God had other plans, and I realized He wanted me to be the one that would ultimately bring Youth for Christ to Christamore and Henry County as a whole.?

It has now been over a year since Davis? plans shifted and he began the process of bringing a Youth For Christ program to Christamore House and the Henry County area. Already, Henry County Youth for Christ is meeting with young people at Christamore House, in Mt. Pleasant, and plans to begin after-school programs at Mt. Pleasant Middle School.

?At first, I had planned for this to be a part-time effort on my part. Now, however, as this thing has grown, it?s become clear that this is where I need to be spending all my efforts full-time,? he said. ?This is not a fly-by ministry. We want youth to know we are invested in them and their success as they mature into adulthood.?

To keep the new ministry heading for growth and success, however, Davis says continued support from local businesses, churches and community members is key. Not only is financial support a must, but volunteers to help mentor youth who want to be involved is also a major need.

?Everyone has struggles. Everyone has hurdles to climb. Henry County Youth for Christ desires to reach out to teenagers where they are at, establish relationships and encourage them to be lifelong followers of Christ,? he said. ?It doesn?t matter how old you are or if you are a parent, youth just need someone to listen to them and encourage them. That?s what we want to do.?

For more information about the newly formed organization, follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/henrycountyfc, or contact Davis directly at 319-931-7513.