Applying Blindly

In October of 2014 I applied for an Administrative Assistant position with an organization I had vaguely heard of before. My husband and I had recently moved to Langley and I was looking for a job closer to home. In one day, three separate individuals suggested I apply for a job with Youth Unlimited (Youth For Christ). The job seemed perfect, combining my love for youth and my administrative skills. After having searched the Internet for a job description with no luck, I decided to blindly apply. Upon receiving my resume, the Langley Area Director replied with a ‘by the way, here’s the job description’. I could sense how badly they were in need of an administrator.

A year and a half later, my work with Langley Youth Unlimited can only be described as God’s answer to my prayers. My coworkers have a strong love for young people and are willing to meet them where they are, entering into the mess that is often their lives and helping advocate for them where needed. My team works to be the positive adult figure that many youth are lacking in their lives. My primary job is to support my coworkers in areas where they are not as strong – paper work, keeping connected with their supporters, scheduling meetings, planning ahead for events and programs, etc. This enables them to carry out what they do best.

In my time here I have witnessed highs and lows for our team. Our team has grown from five staff to ten. Our connections within the community have been growing with other organizations, including the RCMP and school board. The schools we work with request that our youth workers be present for lunch hours and are asking us to increase our involvement. Counsellors connect us with their students so that they can have a positive adult presence in their lives. Our art program numbers have been growing steadily each week, with many youth describing our space as safe. Numerous church groups have volunteered to provide meals for our weekly program, showing the youth that they are loved and cared for.

There has been no shortage of difficulties either. Some of our young people are without homes to stay in or parents who care. Some have lost friends this past year due to drug overdoses. They are struggling with divided homes, a lack of consistency in their lives, an inability to focus on school with the chaos circling around them. Many act out and feel misunderstood by the authority figures in their lives. My coworkers choose to walk alongside these young people and help them through these difficult times.

Through it all, God is faithful. He continues to provide and is present daily as we walk through life with these youth.

- Megan Adam