Young Life comes to Sisters

Young Life participants scrubbed and buffed cars last weekend. Photo by Kathryn Godsiff

Young Life, an inter-denominational, para-church youth organization, made its presence known in Sisters with a carwash on Sunday.

A continual lineup of cars kept the teens hopping as they hosed, scrubbed and buffed.

The day was a dedicated effort to raise funds for their upcoming trip to Young Life camp. Current sophomores, juniors and seniors will go to Wildhorse Canyon from June 21 to 27.

The camp is located on the 64,000-acre Big Muddy Ranch at Antelope. In the early 1980s, the ranch housed the compound of the notorious Rajneesh cult. Eventually shut down by the government, the cult disbanded when several leaders ended up in prison on various charges.

The ranch was purchased from the government by a private party who then donated it to Young Life.

Current freshmen will travel to the coast to a camp called Breakaway from July 22 to 26. Young Life works with high school youth, steering them toward a closer look at God. It is not affiliated with any particular church, which appeals to many youths.

The Sisters club, which officially starts at the beginning of the school year, is led by Jon and Kristina Coulter.

"The founder of Young Life, Jim Rayburn, said that for a lot of kids, God is out of focus. Young Life brings God into focus for them," said Jon. "We have several more spaces available for kids to come to camp. Young Life camps are famous for being the best week of a young person's life."

Coulter added that they are looking forward to introducing Sisters teens to the unique way that Young Life presents the Gospel message.

The clubs meet in homes, rotating through several.

Sisters High School graduate Brandon Overstreet was involved in Young Life when he lived in Tonasket, Washington.

"Young Life has a way of getting every kid involved," he said. "No one gets left behind. And camp at Wildhorse Canyon is life-changing."

For more information, call Jon Coulter at 480-0789.