The echoes of “Dancing because of your great mercy Lord, your great mercy Lord” and other worship songs filled the halls of YISS on the Monday morning following the Encounter Retreat. The weekend retreat from January 12 to 14 was a transformative time for many participants. Since its launch in November 2022, the YISS youth ministry, Encounter, has noticeably changed the high school atmosphere, however, the January retreat added an entirely new dimension. Worship heard in classrooms and halls, early morning prayer gatherings, and a Bible in every other student’s backpack attest to the profound impact the retreat has had on the faith of many students.

Over the past year and a half, Encounter has grown considerably in size, now with a team of student leaders, an events ministry, and a full praise team. After months of preparation, the retreat was hosted in Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, with over 50 high school students in attendance. Under the theme of “Behold,” students spent the weekend diving into the character of God. As they listened to sermons, testimonies, worship, and prayer stations, several students accepted Christ and others grew even deeper in their relationship with Him. “This was the first time I felt God's presence this intimately,” student S in 12th grade said, explaining how being surrounded by others who were growing in their faith journeys with God was an unforgettable experience.

By the last night of the retreat, siblings and friends were fervently praying for each other, some even in tears, the prayer wall was overflowing with prayer requests written on post-its, and students were dancing and jumping as they worshiped. At one point, the power had gone out and the speakers had stopped working, but nobody had even realized this as the voices of students singing were far louder than the praise team itself.

Now in the wake of the retreat, every morning at 7:20 a.m., students gather in a classroom and choose to begin their day together in prayer. And with the evident change that the retreat has made in many students’ lives, even those who hadn’t gone to the retreat have been drawn to attend the weekly Encounter meetings on Thursday nights. We ask for your continued prayers for those who have experienced growth in their faith journey after the retreat and also for students who have embarked on a relationship with God.