Magnai

For the rest of the week, Erik and I will be working around the office with the Young Life staff, planning camp, registering kids, preparing for the ten days away. That said, there won't be too much to write about, as our days will be very repetitive. So we've decided to profile our friends on Young Life staff in Mongolia.

Meet Magnai.



Magnai grew up riding horses, sometimes in the races at the Nadam festival. His family used to go to the countryside every summer and ride. During the year, Magnai sold his parents' art on the black market. One summer, his father, who was a soccer coach at one of the schools and one of the first Young Life leaders in the country, took his whole team to Young Life camp, where he and Erik met. The next year, 2003, Magnai played for his father's team, and joined them at camp for the first time. Magnai returned to camp in 2005 and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior.

Having finished university with a degree in art, Magnai has now worked as Young Life staff for ten months, leading club at school #58. He says it was Christ's love for him that convinced him that he needed to come on staff. He had to share the good news he had received with others.

Magnai will serve on the program team next week, and we couldn't be more excited to see him shine. The other day, while practicing guitar together, he explained to me, "My English, no good. I am good...body language!" And he is. He is very animated and a constant source of laughter around the office.

Magnai explained to us that he enjoys working on the program team because it allows him to connect with kids in ways that other leaders can't. He loves when they laugh at him and see him being foolish for Christ's sake. This year he will be leading the program team for the first time, and has asked for prayer for his leadership, and for the effectivity of the program, that God would use him and his team to display the love of Christ.

He also asked us to pray for his parents, especially his father. A number of years ago they had to take out a loan that they have been unable to pay off. It should be fully paid off this summer, but if it is not, they may lose there home. On top of this, his father has become an alcoholic, and Magnai has often had to step into the parental role after finding his father passed out in the street. Please pray for healing for this family, and that Magnai will move forward in the power given him by Christ, and follow the early example his father gave him of sharing that love and power with others.