In the Fall of 2016, Kevin Eastway received an email from a college freshman named Abby Austin. Abby was a former Young Life kid from St. Joseph, MI, now studying in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula at Northern Michigan University in Marquette.
As a high schooler, Abby’s faith was formed through Young Life and through YL leaders like Mike Bredeweg and Paul Knapp. While at NMU, she was hoping to connect with others who knew of Young Life too. That’s when she reached out to Associate Regional Director Kevin.
“Hey Kevin…I’ve been struggling to find someone that is passionate about [Young Life] too, but I’m trying to remember that God’s timing is better than mine. So I’m keeping my eyes open…”
The email sparked something within Kevin. There had never been an official Young Life ministry in the Upper Peninsula. He wondered, “Could Abby be the catalyst needed to start Young Life in the UP?”
The black volcanic rocks on Presque Isle on the north side of the city. Kids and tourists like to jump off into Lake Superior.
“I saw Abby as our red-hot mission carrier,” commented Kevin. She was on fire for Christ and was eager to help bring Young Life to the Upper Peninsula.
After months of conversations and prayer, Kevin decided to travel to the UP to help get things rolling. It was now April of 2017. During Kevin’s visit, an interest meeting was held and there was a growing enthusiasm around the idea of starting Young Life in Marquette.
Following the meeting, efforts were made to form a committee with a group of interested adults. But even with Abby’s initial excitement, a successful interest meeting, and some connections Kevin made with Upper Peninsula Bible Camp, he had trouble getting a committee formed.
Then Abby moved to South Africa to study and everyone involved thought this dream was over. But God had been weaving another strand of this story separate from what was happening with Kevin and Abby.
A foggy view of the lighthouse in the Lower Harbor.
John and Christina Balmat had just finished vacationing in Marquette where they were visiting Christina’s sister Alana Huff and her husband Joe. On the drive home to Carmel, Indiana, Christina asked, “I wonder why there’s not Young Life in Marquette?”
The question didn’t come as a complete surprise to John. Their life revolved a lot around Young Life and they were wholeheartedly committed to its mission to introduce students to Jesus Christ and help them grow in faith.
John had been one of those students years ago who stood up to give his life to Christ as a camper at Sharp Top Cove back in 2002. Later he and Christina met each other through their mutual involvement with Young Life and were eventually married by their Young Life leader.
For the past ten years, John has worked with Young Life in a variety of roles: a leader at Indiana University for five years, serving at Wilderness Ranch for four summers, property staff at Timber Wolf Lake (Christina worked there on property staff as well), field staff in Carmel, IN, and most recently as the Area Director there.
“I haven’t seen anything quite like the ministry of Young Life,” shared John.
Christina’s question that day got him thinking. While he wasn’t actively seeking out a job change or a family move, the idea of Young Life in Marquette continued to tug at his heart.
“What if there was Young Life in Marquette? What would it take to start it? What if God wants to use us to help start it?”
John decided to approach Kevin Eastway to share his growing sense of call to Marquette. He learned about the previous attempt to start something there and how those efforts had fizzled out. Together they continued to explore what it would take to start Young Life in Marquette.
“We were in no way feeling pulled away from Carmel,” shared John. “Kids there need Jesus too, even with all the affluence and success. It is so heartbreaking to see the pressure on kids these days. But Marquette continued to be on our hearts.”
Marquette’s most iconic landmark, the original Ore Dock in the Lower Harbor, is over 160 years old and has been retired.
As they leaned more into this idea of a move to Marquette, John and Christina allowed themselves time and space to process. Five weeks of intentional prayer and discernment led them to the realization that the best use of their time and talents was to leave Carmel, move to Marquette, and help start a brand new Young Life ministry there.
“We were confident someone else would be able to pick up the ministry in Carmel. While it feels risky to move to Marquette and start something new, the Lord is faithful.”
For Kevin, he was confident that John and Christina saying “Yes” to moving to Marquette was the Lord weaving the pieces of the story together.
Typically when Young Life gets going in a new community, if there’s no history of ministry there, no committee formed, no money raised, there’s no Young Life. So John and Christina are blazing a new path in Marquette and starting ministry from the ground up.
In order to do that, they are focusing on three things: fundraising, forming partnerships with adults and businesses in the community, and developing a team of volunteer leaders.
“There is a huge felt need here,” commented Kevin after a second interest meeting held in May of 2018. “Momentum is building here. Kids in the UP need Jesus and Young Life. Marquette Young Life could be the launching point for more Young Life ministries in the Upper Peninsula!”
Please join us in welcoming John & Christina Balmat and their two children to the Western Great Lakes Region! We are thankful for their bold step of faith to move to Marquette, MI and start something brand new. We are eager to see what God will do in and through them and Young Life in the Upper Peninsula!
> GET IN TOUCH with John Balmat here if you (or someone you know!) would be interested in learning more or getting involved with Marquette Young Life.
> FINANCIALLY PARTNER with Marquette Young Life to help get ministry started. You can give online or via the mail: Young Life Marquette, PO Box 855, Marquette, MI 49855-0855
> PRAY for John and Christina and their kids as they transition to Marquette, settle in, and work to build relationships in the community.
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