Spending 100 nights in a hammock to sponsor a changed perspective… and change lives

March 1, 2022

BANGOR, Maine— In Northern Maine, where temperatures can reach -45 degrees on some nights, one volunteer braved the cold to spread the word about Youth For Christ (www.yfc.net). Former YFC student Katahdin is now a volunteer himself at the Campus Life program and wanted to help the ministry that has had such a significant impact on him.

Kayla Thompson, Ministry Director of the YFC Northern Maine Chapter, describes YFC’s impact in Northern Maine. Thompson commented, “YFC Northern Maine is located in Howland, walking distance from local Penobscot Valley High School and Highborn Middle School. We offer Campus Life programs such as Macaroni Mondays, which is a safe place for middle and high school students to come hang out and have a meal together with mentors. We also have weekly food delivery services, community events, and a summer food program.”

For Katahdin, his time as a student volunteer at YFC Northern Maine strongly impacted his life. Wanting to give back to the program that meant so much to him, he decided to sleep outside in a hammock to raise awareness for YFC Northern Maine. He started with 30 nights just to experience the challenge, which quickly spanned to 100 days.

Temperatures in the negative degrees, accumulation of snow, and lack of expensive gear drive most people inside quickly. However, Katahdin knew that he had a bigger purpose. He explains his motive as “perspective.”

Katahdin explained, “The environment you are in dramatically affects your attitude. YFC is a positive and safe place for youth to break their cycles and in an uplifting environment. We want you to sponsor a safe space, a positive change of perspective and the future dreamers— sponsor a life changing experience.”

Katahdin chose to spend 100 nights outside to bring awareness to his local YFC chapter and to ask people to support the youth who are seeking to change their own perspective. Many students are looking for a change in their own life and Youth For Christ is the place that they can find a positive change and meet someone who loves Jesus.

YFC chapters impact thousands of communities across the nation, seeking out and serving youth from all walks of life. Young people are silently struggling through a wide variety of challenging issues—and through the YFC ministry God empowers, they see the living power of a loving God. YFC trains its leaders in a proven, relational ministry model called 3Story®, which encourages staff and volunteers to be good news while also sharing the stories of the Good News of Jesus. It involves building relationships through the ups and downs of everyday life to lead people to Christ. 

YFC has been a pillar of missional ministry since 1944, when the Rev. Billy Graham served as YFC’s first full-time staff member. Since then, Youth For Christ has continued to be both a rural and urban ministry on mission, and it is always about the message of Jesus. YFC reaches young people everywhere, working together with the local church and other like-minded partners to raise up lifelong followers of Jesus who lead by their godliness in lifestyle, devotion to the Word of God and prayer, passion for sharing the love of Christ, and commitment to social involvement. Youth For Christ operates in over 100 nations and has over 130 chapters that impact communities across America. 

Visit the Youth For Christ media page here. Learn more about Youth For Christ at its website, www.yfc.net, Facebook and Instagram pages, Twitter feed @yfcusa or on Vimeo. 

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