Victory !

Youth for Christ volunteer Scott Gore prays with three young men from Manual...

In 2002, there were no Christian clubs meeting inside any public school in zip code 61605, Peoria’s south side. We thought that represented a great opportunity for our Lord. So along with representatives from Youth for Christ, the Gideons, and Child Evangelism Fellowship, we began praying for a ministry to begin at Manual High School and then every public school in zip code 61605 thereafter. For a year, we prayed about it while our phone calls to administrators went unreturned.

Then the Lord broke through.

In October, out of the blue, we got a phone call from an administrator at Manual High School requesting our help beginning a chapel program for the school. This is just what we had prayed for. From then on, every Tuesday, representatives from South Side Mission, Youth for Christ and volunteer pastors conduct before and after school Bible studies and prayer meetings for interested students and staff.

In the photo above, Manual High School students are praying to ask Jesus into their hearts and lives at a Youth for Christ event in Colorado this summer. This is a culmination of seven years of prayer and outreach. God is good!

Jesus was not finished with just Manual, though. Two years later, He opened up Trewyn Middle School. Now we conduct a Wednesday morning Bible study and prayer time there each week. Our friends at Child Evangelism Fellowship got into the act, too, opening up Garfield Primary School the same year. Now they partner with Bethany Baptist Church to conduct an after school Good News Club for participating students on Thursdays. Last year, God provided an opportunity at Harrison Primary School, where we now operate a before-school Bible study and prayer meeting on Fridays. And this fall, the Lord completed the circle of Peoria public schools in 61605 by opening up Roosevelt Magnet School with a brand-new Thursday morning prayer meeting and Bible study.

“He who began a good work in 61605 is faithful to complete it!”