With 36 to 37 degrees during the day, the heat on the first evening at TeenStreet was almost unbearable, and I nearly decided not to light the campfire. But I did. Despite the heat, teenagers gathered around it and conversations started. Among them was a group of boys from Finland. What began as small talk would grow into something much deeper.
Being part of an event with more than 3,000 teenagers is exciting. But small groups matter. For a teenager, a small group can feel like a second family: a space where questions can be asked, friendships can grow and faith can become personal.
“I am too young for this.”
A 16-year-old participant from Finland, on his dream of becoming a missionary in Congo one day
On that first evening, I asked the Finnish boys about their path in life. Their answers were honest but mostly superficial. The next evening was just as hot, so I decided not to light the fire. When I arrived, the boys were already there, gathered around the fireplace, waiting for me. This time, they had questions.
They wanted to know how Youngstars gets started in different countries and who makes it all happen. When they learned that people serve out of love for the gospel rather than for pay, their curiosity grew. For the rest of the week they came back to the fire every evening, and the conversations went deeper.
On the last day, one of the boys, just 16 years old, shared something that moved me deeply. With tears in his eyes, he spoke about his desire to follow God's call and serve as a missionary in Congo one day. Then he said: 'I am too young for this.' I encouraged him that being young is no obstacle to preparing. He decided to pray more about it and to start learning French, so he would be ready if God called him.
The boys returned to Finland at the end of TeenStreet, but they took home more than memories. Around a simple campfire, a small group became a place where questions turned into courage, and where a 16-year-old began to consider how God might transform his future.
