In Erbil, Iraq, young leaders from the MENA region gathered around a shared vision. After months of meeting online (for the YFC Young Leaders training, designed exclusively for MENA and offered in Arabic), the group came together during the YFC MENA “Our Vision, Our Passion” Conference for days of worship, training, and fellowship. The program will continue virtually until June, walking with them as they grow in faith and leadership.
The in-person sessions at the conference focused on strengths, vision, and courage. Through CliftonStrengths and practical workshops, participants explored their unique wiring and dared to dream beyond their fears.
Three Young Leaders
Among the participants were Danielle, Sandra, and Maya, three young leaders from YFC Lebanon.
For Danielle, meeting others who live their faith in far more difficult conditions stirred gratitude and boldness. She shared, “The training made me realize how grateful we should be for the freedom we have in Lebanon. […] I was encouraged to let go of fear for the sake of the Gospel.”
Sandra found the training both practical and empowering: “I hope the training will help me be more professional and intentional in what I do—knowing when to be firm and when to be fun, and leading in a way that really gets young people thinking
For Maya, it was a moment of growth and a mindset shift.
“I tend to be quite relational,” she explained. “And I want to use this strength to build strong, lasting relationships with youth. This training encouraged me to move from a victim mentality to taking responsibility. It encouraged me to be more like Christ.”
A Legacy in the Making
Years ago, Elie stood where these young leaders now stand. Today, he leads others through the same program.
“We’re helping them become highly effective leaders,” Elie shared. “If there’s no youth ministry in their church, they’ll be proactive. If they run drop-ins, it’ll be with a clear purpose—not just out of habit.”
This impact is already multiplying. Anthony, a graduate of a previous Young Leaders cohort and current YFC Lebanon staff, now volunteers in the program to support a new generation.
“The program affected my heart and ministry,” Anthony shared. “I learned to understand the person in front of me before trying to make them understand me! It changed the way I lead one-on-one sessions with youth. I once wrote that my goal for the next five years was to train new leaders, and volunteering this year feels like the starting point of that dream.”
Your Part in the Story
Behind every leadership training, every gathering, and every young person stepping into ministry, there’s a network of supporters who make it possible. If you pray, give, or walk alongside YFC Lebanon, you are part of this story.
Pray for Danielle, Sandra, Maya, and young leaders across the MENA region as they step boldly into their callings.
Stand with us as we raise a generation equipped to bring the Gospel to youth, no matter the challenges they face.
“Passion tends to dwindle if there is fear,” Danielle said. “But courage grows when we stand together.”