Ywa Hay Thar fell to his knees in desperation. How can I reach the youth, Lord? He knew many Karen youth in Rockford, Illinois, but they weren't attending church. Then, he had an idea. Would you like to come play sports on Sunday? he called and asked them one by one.

The first Sunday a few youth joined Ywa Hay Thar and his own boys. Before we play, let's see what the Bible says about friends, he said. Sitting in a circle on the gym floor, they read, discussed, and prayed. Then, they grabbed the basketball and ran up and down the court, laughing, sweating, and bonding. The next week, more youth came. The next week, still more. Soon, the gym was full of youth, and so were the church and AY meetings on Sabbaths.

Over and over, we see God working through Karen lay leaders to draw refugees to Jesus. They joyfully serve as pastors, social workers, mentors, and sometimes even coaches. This year, help ASAP enable three Karen lay pastors - Ywa Hay Thar, Doh Soe, and Nay Klowah - to focus full time on ministry to their people.

$1,000 per month for each lay pastor's stipend ($36,000 total needed)

Click here to give a custom amount.