Youthfront News

Youthfront sends out a monthly newsletter highlighting some of the ministry that is happening on an organizational level.

We hope you don’t this month’s edition of Youthfront News. On the inside page, Youthfront Mission Institute (YMI) was highlighted. If you don’t receive Youthfront’s newsletter, please let us know. We would be happy to get you on the mailing list.

Youthfront Mission Institute (YMI) in Mexico

In Mexico this month, I (Jonathan) spent a lot of time thinking about the nature of poverty. Often times when we think of poverty, we think a lack of material resources is the defining mark of those who are most in need. However, if you were to ask the poor themselves, they will usually define poverty in terms of shame and helplessness, lack of progress, depression, and feelings of inferiority.

From the book Voices of the Poor, here are the words the poor use to describe their own situation: “For a poor person everything is terrible - illness, humiliation, shame. We are cripples; we are afraid of everything; we depend on everyone. No one needs us. We are like garbage that everyone wants to get rid of.”

In the book, When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert , the authors explain that what is at the base of poverty is in fact an array of broken relationships. Relationships that are not just, not for life, not harmonious or enjoyable. “Poverty is the absence of shalom [peace] in all its meanings. “

For us, as believers, our task is to be bearers of shalom, ministers of reconciliation. We carry a kingdom of peace with us into areas of brokenness. We proclaim a kingdom whose identifying mark is that the relationship between man and his creator is no longer broken. The message does not stop there however. It preaches right relationship to the creation in which we live, right relationship to each other, and a right understanding of ourselves as bearers of God’s image. Our calling to care for the poor needs to better reflect this message.

Consequently, when we want to help the poor, it will require a lot less money and a lot more time. It will take effort toward recovery and development, not simply financial relief.

October Prayer Guide

Family. We are so excited to be pregnant again! Pray that the pregnancy will continue to go smoothly and that we will be good partners and parents in the process. Pray for a healthy and happy baby.



YMI. Our trip to Mexico went really well. You can read a little more about it on the front page. This month the students will be traveling to a Christian Community Developers Association (CCDA) conference. Pray for attentiveness and good discussions. Pray God would continue to teach them what it means to follow Jesus and participate in what he is doing in the world.


My Car. My Honda Civic bit the dust this month. We are getting by for now using just Amanda’s van. However, we will eventually need to get another vehicle. Pray that we will find a cheap, reliable vehicle, and that sharing until that time would not be difficult.

Our House. This month we sold our house. Pray God will give us clarity about our future plans and that he would provide someplace for us to live.

Abi Update

Abi Update: This month, while I was in Mexico, I went to this woman’s house, and she taught Mommy and me how to make flour tortillas. In the bottom picture is my new friend Katie.

YMI 2009

YMI has begun! Much has happened in the last month. Here is a little update.


The YMI House. As I have mentioned in previous newsletters, one of the changes to YMI this year is that we have chosen to move our students into an urban, lower-income neighborhood called the Argentine. Rather than spending most of the semester at camp, they live every day serving and caring for their neighbors.

One of the question marks for YMI towards the beginning of the summer was a place to live. Kurt and Emily had been living there and knew of several apartments where our students could live. However, one day, Kurt looked out his window and saw the perfect house.... plenty of room for a family and our YMI students.... and for a great price.

Less than a month later, Erik Leafblad and his family, along with our students moved into the house less than a block away from Kurt and Emily. What a blessing!


Kurt and Emily (and Luke). Several years ago, Kurt and his wife Emily, moved to Kansas City after graduating from Iowa State to be part of Youthfront’s Mexico program. One of the great things about Youthfront’s program is that they believe that the best ministry is incarnational. In other words, like Jesus, they came to live with and around the people they were reaching. They sought to bring the message of the kingdom with humility and solidarity. Ministry was not only about a message proclaimed, but a message embodied.

When they moved back to Kansas City, they became involved in YMI. One of the great advantages to having someone like Kurt working with YMI, is that his passion for doing this type of ministry is absolutely contagious, not only to our students, but our staff as well.


Erik and Amy (they also have two kids, but they are not pictured). Erik and Amy have also had a great influence on YMI. Their passion for alternative forms of education fit wonderfully with the vision for YMI. Erik, who earned his Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, is one of the more intelligent men I’ve ever met, yet he has a great ability to make things that are complex understandable for people like our YMI students.


A day at YMI. So how does YMI look day to day this year? Typically, every Monday through Friday, there is a book discussions in the morning, led by Kurt, Erik, or me. In the afternoons, the students are out building relationships in the community though activities like after school programs, service projects, and other various ministry opportunities.

On Friday’s, we spend a day at Youthfront South. After some discussion in the morning, the students use this day as a retreat from the busyness of the Argentine. They spend time in prayer, study, solitude, and rest.

Mexico. Part of YMI is spending two weeks in Mexico together. On Monday, Amanda, Abi, the YMI students and I will be piling in a van and driving to Monterrey, Mexico. Pray for us as we go.

Abi Update

Abi Update: This month, I went to the zoo and saw lots of animals. Daddy put me on his shoulders like he was a horse. I kept saying “horse, horse!” This months I also helped mommy in the kitchen a lot.

Septmeber Prayer Guide

YMI Mexico We leave Monday for two weeks in Mexico. Pray for safety in every sense. Also, pray that we would hear and respond to what God calls us to. Pray that the students will be very attentive to their environment, learning and growing from the things they experience. Also, pray for relationships. Pray that they will be built easily and quickly.

Also, pray for our interactions with Youthfront Staff in Mexico. Pray we will be able to serve them well and step easily into the ministry they are already doing.

Family. There is nothing sweeter than your daughter calling you on the phone to say “wuv woo” (love you). We love being parents. Like all humans, Abi’s will has also developed. We are already to the point of having to stay very on top of discipline. Pray that we will be good parents. Pray we will be consistent, God-centered, and heart-focused as we help Abi know what it means to be a good girl.