October 20, 2009- The college years are the times when individuals try to decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives. Some students change majors as often as they change roommates, while others know what degree they will receive before they begin their freshman year.

Though there are many activities for students to get involved with on their campus, the spiritual aspect of their lives is not always emphasized. Besides a philosophy class and an occasional spiritual gathering, there are not many opportunities for undergraduates to pursue a relationship with God.



Hope for Homeless Youth understands the importance of reaching out to the young people of Los Angeles. Through the Project 20/20 ministry, Hope for Homeless Youth has gone to 20 high schools and colleges in a 20-mile radius. Many students are not only trying to decide what to study, but also what to believe about God. Recently, this outreach group went to Los Angeles Community College, where students paced the campus, walking to their classes or finding a place to study.

“The main goal was to share the Gospel with the young kids,” comments Keenan Henderson, who leads a team out nearly every week to the local college. “We hear new philosophies every time we go out.” His team uses surveys as conversation starters for the students to fill out. These surveys ask them questions about their spiritual beliefs, which has allowed opportunities for spiritual conversations that many of the students would not have had otherwise.

Amy, the newest intern with Hope for Homeless Youth, also helps with this college outreach. At LACC, she spoke with a 21-year-old student who is struggling with his understanding of God, even though his parents are pastors. He has faced homelessness and now stays with a friend. He has been taught to believe that God only judges him, but Amy shared that God loves him. “God’s plan and purpose for him never changed,” says Amy.

Since the outreach began in the 1990s, many young scholars throughout Los Angeles have learned the truth about God, which is rarely taught in their classrooms. Though it may not earn them a prestigious degree, knowing Jesus as their personal Savior will allow them to find the hope that they will not find in their textbooks.