Greetings! I hope these words find you well as we continue adapting to COVID-19 and moving forward as one community. As we live into this new year, we are leaning in and awaiting how we can be faithful partners in ministry to young adults. We are grateful that our first-ever virtual orientation and YAV Commissioning Services went successfully, with only minor technology issues. Living and leaning into something new, you learn to be fully open and present into allowing the spirit to lead you through ministry. I am grateful for the YAVs, site coordinators, YAV alums and service partners that assisted us in completing the fruitful orientation. All of the YAVs arrived safely to their in-person placements in August at seven of our national sites and two of our international sites — Scotland and South Korea. I am grateful that we are still able to offer "a year of service for a lifetime of change" for the 30 young adults who engaged in our program this year.

Despite being able to have an in-person year, the Peru site offered a virtual year engaging two Peruvian young adults! This exciting cross-cultural mission experience has been an enriching one, not only for the Peruvian YAVs but for all who are participating this year. We have found ways to ensure that the Peruvian YAVs are able to lift up their experience around race, poverty and congregational vitality and fully contribute by having them be a part of orientation. The Peru-based YAVs shared that they have learned so much from looking at social justice through the Matthew 25 lens and appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the 2021–22 YAV year! I for one hope that we can continue to be a connectional church and find creative solutions to continue equipping young adults with the ministry discernment all over the world.

We are enthusiastic that we are now recruiting for another in-person YAV experience for the 2022–23 year. At this time, we will be offering this opportunity at all of our national sites and two of our international sites — Colombia and Scotland. We hope that you share this amazing opportunity with any young adult between the ages of 19 to 30 that you know! As we continue to lean into what the spirit has for us, we ask that you continue to pray for our current YAV class as they continue their journey and encourage you to read their blogs, we ask that you pray that we have another successful year where we are able to walk alongside young adults in ministry, and lastly we ask that you continue to financially support our program with your contribution.

We are on this journey together.

Destini Hodges coordinator
Young Adult Volunteers