Joycelyn seves in Youth Guidance (YG) Ministry, reaching youth-at-risk.

What is your role in YG?

I’m a befriender, mentor, programme facilitator, event organiser and most importantly, someone who shares the gospel whenever opportunity arises. In July, I stepped up to co-lead YG.

Describe your typical Week

On alternate weeks, I befriend girls from 11 to 18 at two children’s institutional homes. For two afternoons, I focus on one-to-one time in God’s Word and doing other things they like. Saturday morning is YG Christian Fellowship time when youths come for tuition and a time of worship and God’s Word.

How long have you been in YG, and how do you manage?

It has been 9 years! I am still balancing ministry and church. For a period, it felt like I was doing outreach for seven full days when youths were interested to attend church on Sundays. During the pandemic, some were more active in communicating at night and at random hours. I learnt to check if they were in dire need of support, and arranged for meet-ups if their needs were less urgent. I try my best to be at most family gatherings.

Share an encouraging episode 

For a period of time, I lost contact with a particular girl from a children’s home. With my freedom as a YG youthworker to move into certain places, I reconnected with her at another children’s home that provides residential refuge for vulnerable teenage girls facing the risk of abuse, neglect, delinquency, and wayward behaviours. Now as her befriender, I can meet her one-on-one in the home, in addition to seeing her at the programmes we run.

What does it take to keep up with youth-at-risk?

James 1:19-20 is my guide.

• Being “quick to listen,” I train myself to wait for a youth to finish her story before diving in with my opinion.
• “Slow to speak” is the flip side where I control my words and not blurt out everything that comes to my mind, especially when I’m correcting their bad behaviour. Being quick to speak usually shuts them off, especially at the befriending stage.
• Be open-minded and not jump to conclusion when a youth makes certain choices or remarks.
• Love and accept them for who they are for they are also fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Enjoy what they do, try to understand what drive their actions.
• Even if they disagree, set boundaries like no smoking and drinking within our compound and avoid profanity and physical violence with one another.

It may take years, but once I have built the bond and trust, I can really speak words of advice into their lives.

For you, What is most important in your walk with God?

Depending on God for patience and endurance (Hebrews 10:36). It is easy to become discouraged when I’m worn out and weary, when consistent effort appears to yield no results in terms of those who come to faith in the Lord or even them settling into a church.

How would you like reach readers to pray for you?

For energy and focus to engage meaningfully with the young people I meet, to lead well in my new role and for my parents and sibling’s salvation.

Joycelyn and girls whom she mentor, at a crocheting workshop in May. She graduated in accountancy but decided to bring the gospel to youth-at-risk. She attends Covenant Evangelical Free Church.