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THE SAME JESUS
By Chico Valdivia, North Nicaragua Metro Director
Editor’s Note: Recently Chico spent three days visiting Dominik Faferek, the country director for Poland, observing his ministry with Catholic kids there. The two friends had just finished their time at i100 — a global staff training program — in London, and followed that up in Dominik’s hometown of Poznan. Here are Chico’s insights from the time …
A vision I’ve had for 10 years is connecting Young Life in Nicaragua with the Catholic Church. There are 200 kids in my church every Sunday who have no idea why they go there. My dream is ultimately seeing Young Life kids give to the church out of their own lives, like a cup that's overflowing. That's part of my calling.
One of my strengths is building relationships and communicating with people, so I told the local bishop, "Hey, we need Young Life here. Come see what we do."
After finally accepting my invitation and seeing Young Life in action, the bishop asked me, "How can we do Young Life, in a sense, in the church? We have a year with this group of 15 to 17-year-olds who are going through their confirmation. They’re in this catechism class and don't want to be there, but their parents have sent them."
I said, "What if six months into the class they get to go to Young Life camp, and then at the end they can go back to camp again? What if that was built into the catechism? And then they get to learn about Jesus, and feel seen and heard and invested in!”
I traveled to Poland because in Dominik’s city of Poznan, 95% of the kids in Young Life are Catholic. He explained, "The Catholic Church supports Young Life, and it's even part of the church here."
When I shared the idea of tying Young Life camp into the catechism class with Dominik, he said, "Oh yes, we have Young Life Confirmation Club! It's two things in one: a year of Young Life tied into a confirmation class. The leaders just invest in these kids, and when they ask them, ‘Okay, now do you want to go to church,’ a lot of them say, ‘If church is like Young Life, then yes, I'm in.’"
This was my dream made reality! I saw what I had been dreaming about for 10 years through Dominik’s ministry. I was overjoyed that I went to Poland, and discovered how much our ministries have in common
PERMANENCIA AND POTENTIAL
Kids in Nicaragua and Poland face similar challenges. They lack an understanding of their identity. There's a lot of depression and anxiety. Like kids everywhere, they have that same need to be seen, loved, and heard.
I’ve learned a lot from Dominik and how he loves kids. I saw my friend open his home, and when somebody opens their home, they open their heart. I walked in his neighborhood and his schools; I met his leaders, and it impacted me. They’re passionate, going where the kids are, and listening to them; they model it to everybody around them. It comes from their Catholic roots, actually. You see people doing Young Life who have a rosary. You see announcements in the parish about Young Life events. They’re obedient. They go and they serve. They’re washing their people's feet.
One of the beautiful things I saw there is when people who are already in the church meet Jesus, they stay. Permanencia is the word in Spanish. They remain. They've got mentors, community, confession, silence, and an established prayer rhythm. They already have acts of service built in around them. How do you go to the poor, the hospitals, the community? Without Jesus, it doesn't make much sense, but with Jesus, they understand and their faith is strengthened.
The church is providing this huge place where Young Life can do club, and schools, universities, and seminaries are opening up too.
I believe Poland could be key to impacting all of Europe because of their tradition, their connection, their strong base, their testimony. There is such potential there.
Many people from Ukraine escaping the war have gone to Poland. The people of Poland are saying, "These are our neighbors, these are our friends." The Catholic Church is opening its doors, providing a roof, a home, a place; it's an amazing model of service. They're evangelizing Ukrainians in the midst of Ukraine's hardest times and that's not going to be forgotten. I think kids who are fleeing the war will say, “Somebody loved and accepted me in Poland.” And that's Jesus.
UNIQUE AND AUTHENTIC
If you’re considering experiencing ministry in another country or culture, here’s what I would say. It's the same Jesus in every part of the world. Go, see, and listen to how the Holy Spirit’s moving in each place. He will call to you in a very unique and authentic way, because God gives us the desire as well as the task. There are places and people specific to your calling.
I was disappointed in my local church. “Why is this so hard,” I thought. “Why are they not accepting Young Life?” I've had 50 Young Life kids who've been going to mass each day here. It’s when I went to Poland that I heard God say, "Okay, I'm working, but it might not be in your timing, Chico."
When God calls you and you’re open to his calling, it's impossible to say no — reaching the next kid in every place in the world. Loving on kids is loving Jesus. And that could be Chinese kids, African kids, Filipino kids, American kids, wherever. This need pulls us into loving kids in every part of the world. That's pretty marvelous.