What is Contact Work?

The following except is from the Young Life brochure "Good Knews" and is available in the local Young Life Office.

Young Life is not a facility-based ministry - we don't ask kids to come to us. Leaders go to them, wherever they may be. It's a principle modeled by Christ and practiced for more than 60 years by Young Life leaders as they show up at football practice, games or local hangouts just to get to know kids. Contact work is about building relationships and earning the trust and friendship of teenagers.

Shane Sampson hamming it up with Shane Klemcke at Sonic after club.

Catherine Hanna laughing it up with the fellas at Sonic.

Shane in the RFHS cafeteria enjoying a cold beverage with his friends.

Shane being informative.

Betsy and Danielle giving a thumbs up.

That's our volunteer Addrian standing behind them.

On the Heels of a Hurricane

Clubs are weekly meetings open to any high school kid who wants to attend. At club we sing, laugh, play games and hear a leader share great news about God's love in terms they can understand.

This year our first club was the Monday after Hurricane Ike hit Galveston. The week prior everyone in Rockport was preparing for the worst. Anticipating a direct hit, people were boarding up their houses and loading up on supplies. School was cancelled for three days and most people left town for safer locations.

Monday morning, however, everyone was back at school and Rockport Young Life had their first club scheduled for that evening. Since the Rockport Beach Park was closed we had to find a new location for club.....and fast.

We found a spot at the Rockport Elementary Auditorium and were open for business. Whew!

This Year at Camp - by Shane Sampson

This year I got on the bus and headed to Jasper, Georgia with two groups of high school students. One group had been involved in YL all year, participating in club and our weekly bible study called Campaigners. These kids were familiar with the gospel and most had already made a profession of their faith. The other group wasn’t as familiar with the truths we promote; therefore, camp was their first introduction.



It took about 24 hours in a loving, Christ centered environment before these two groups became one. This group of campers enjoyed each others’ company, learned from each other during cabin time, and bonded in a special way. Imagine my joy at being awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of 12 high school boys singing the fun songs from club and then bursting out in laughter.



Our time at camp ended with 4 campers coming to know God in a personal way. All the students are excited about Young Life in Rockport and want to help get their friends involved. Seven seniors are signing on as senior leaders. One camper will go to college locally and help as a volunteer leader throughout the year.

With the price of gas rising so high, getting to camp this year had its challenges. I would like to thank all those donors who sponsored kids and committee members in the Bowl-a-Thon. The proceeds from that event helped pay the transportation costs. There are also many who gave scholarship money. I am so thankful. Your kindness and love for high school kids is apparent in your giving.

In addition to my thanks, please accept an early invitation to our Young Life celebration fish fry on November 10. Come see these kids for yourself as we celebrate them, you (our donors), and our 10th anniversary of YL in Rockport. The program will be totally focused on the kids that you so graciously have supported.