Bend Don't Break: A New Season for YouthBuild

God Leading the Way

"And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.  The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people."

Exodus 13:20, 21    

There may not be a literal pillar of cloud and fire before us, but God continues to lead us by day and night through unfamiliar territory as He lead the Israelites in ancient times!  This truth has been reinforced at Cloud & Fire Ministries as the Lord has been leading us into a new season with new opportunities for YouthBuild, which we did not expect or anticipate. 

As you may or may not know, Cloud & Fire has been making changes over the last several months, restructuring and refining what we do to better serve our young people.  Through the whole process we have felt God pruning away the old to make space for new growth, and though it has been painful at times, we see His hand opening doors that we truly did not expect or anticpate--and that is exciting!  We have partnered with several local businesses that have a heart for the community and have developed an Internship Program, in which qualified students benefit from a variety of entry level job opportunities.

Through this pruning process, our mission remains to equip each young person who comes through our doors to become a thriving, productive member of their communtiy.  Through spiritual and character development, education, and vocational training, we are committed to each young person reaching their full potential.  With this core focus still in view, we have stepped forward into this exciting new opportunity, trusting that God is leading the way.

What is the Internship Program?

The Internship Program is made possible by local businesses that partner with Cloud & Fire, through sponsoring students and/or providing an internship site.  Students who prove to have excellent work ethic through attendance, school performance and (often but not always) near completion of the YouthBuild program, go through an interview process with Cloud & Fire staff and are matched up with an appropriate site, where they are interviewed a second time.

Students who are offered and accept an internship position are given a schedule in which they can continue the YouthBuild program and pursure their educational goals while gaining valuable job skills and work experience at their internship site. 

New Horizons for Students

At the internship sites, YouthBuild students will:

• Gain valuable skills that are transferable to other industries
• Enhance their resume
• Build contacts in a professional setting
• Develope a mentorship relationship with their supervisor

Through skills and connections gained at internship sites, our students are given the tools they need to envision new horizons, with more options in the future and greater hope for themselves, their families and their community. 

The horizon has already begun to expand for one student, David Espinoza, who has been successfully placed at Repairtech, a local machine shop, since April.  Within his first week as an intern, David was placed on the machines--an opportunity to work hands-on with the accessory airplane parts that Repairtech refurbishes.  In addition to this valuable training experience, he has also been brought into the family environment at the office.  When his birthday arrived about a month after the start of his internship, the whole office celebrated with cupcakes and that classic song.  David is experienceing an atmosphere where he is being trained in real job skills and is valued as an individual with uniqueness to offer the world.  David's time at Repairtech is giving him greater vision for his future, and is equipping him to be the thriving, productive individual we know he is capable of being.

Keep us in your Prayers!

We feel God is definitely leading in this endeavor and we value your prayers as we move forward.  Some specific prayer requests:

--Businesses with a heart to mentor young people would get connected

--Students would take advantage of the program, and would invest a lot into it and reap the benefits.

--Funding for the program