‘He spent literally hours with me’: how a youth leader led me to faith and to follow in his footsteps

I am from Zimbabwe and don’t come from a Christian family, I was introduced to faith by a good friend who took me to youth group when I was aged 16.

I went to an all-boys school in Bulawayo, south of the country, and went to youth group like most boys did back then, to go and find a girlfriend and see what was going on! It was based at a gun range on the outskirts of town.

I was into sport more than my studies and motivated to do my very best. But I would never have stayed or come to faith or been who I am today but for Kevin.

He invested in me each week, which on reflection felt like hundreds of hours each month.

I guess he could tell I needed to talk things through and he basically took me by the collar and said, ”I think there’s more going on here than you’re letting on. Let’s just put aside the nonsense and let’s do real life!”

Kevin was a volunteer in his early 20s who gave up his Friday nights for youthwork. He worked full time and didn’t have a car. He cycled everywhere and came from a really humble background. He lost his dad quite early on and his best mate passed away in his sleep due to complications with diabetes.

I guess he must have invested in other young people, but he certainly made me feel like I was a priority.