I'm New Young Life New Zealand
Mike and Jewel are originally from Portland, Oregon (USA). For ten years, they volunteered with Young Life in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Then in 2004, they moved to Auckland, N.Z. to direct the Young Life New Zealand Trust. Young Life N.Z. is all about caring adults who come sharing hope and lasting friendships with kids. Want to know more? Contact Mike at mike@younglife.org.nz You can also visit YLNZ's official website at www.younglife.org.nz or their personal website which is www.younglifenz.com.Why New Zealand?
1. New Zealand has the highest teen suicide rate in the Western world.
1 in 10 teenage girls tried to commit suicide last year. A high school with 2,000 students will see 150 students attempt suicide this year.
2. Depression is very high among New Zealand teenagers. Last year, 18% of girls and 9% of boys were so depressed they needed professional help.
3. N.Z. teens are suffering from violence and abuse. Nearly 1 in 5 boys reported being hit or physically harmed by someone last year. 1 in 10 girls will be hit or physically harmed this year.
4. New Zealand has the highest teenage use of marijuana in the Western world.
5. Over 97% of the N.Z. youth will not hear the message of Jesus Christ in their adolescent years. Between 1950 and 1991, regular church attendance by New Zealand youth (aged 15-18) fell from 44% to just 2.6%. The average N.Z. youth pastor stays in a church for 9 months before quitting.
6. There are currently 420,673 youth (ages 12-19) living in New Zealand.
New Zealand adolescents need and deserve the opportunity to be introduced to the transforming truth of Jesus Christ. By investing in their future now, we have the opportunity to change the heart of their nation toward Christ.
Our Young Life community is currently reaching teens from five local high schools. We also provide training and support for other volunteer-only areas within New Zealand. As missionaries, we must raise the majority of our area's budget.
Four Ways to Give:
Whatever method you choose, please remember that our Young Life Area Account Number is X541.1. Give Online: You can give online! Simply follow this link to Young Life's secure giving website and use your credit card. You can give a one-time gift or set up to make automatic monthly payments.
2. Give By Mail: To send a check by mail, make it payable to “Young Life, X541” and send to: Young Life, PO Box 520, Colorado Springs, CO 80901, U.S.A.
3. Give By Phone: Call 719-381-1985 and use your credit card.
4. Give By Electronic Funds Transfer: Clicking on this link will download a pdf document you can print and send into Young Life headquarters. This is especially helpful for setting up monthly support.
Young Life is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). As a member of ECFA, we fully comply with their standards and guidelines. A copy of the Young Life Annual Report is available upon request.
