Young American experiences expand

by the Rev. Amy Thompson Sevimli

Karis Ailabouni in Madagascar

I don’t know if I can do Karis Ailabouni’s experience justice, but she LOVED it. I had the good fortune of meeting her on October 6.  She has just returned from a year in Madagascar, where she served in an ELCA program called Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM). Ailabouni loved her experience so much that she volunteered to travel around the country and recruit on behalf of YAGM, which is why she was in my office.

She told me many stories about what it was like to live and work in Madagascar as a young American, learning and speaking two different languages, living in a Malagasy family, and experiencing a shared faith in Christ which was practiced differently than what she was used to.  If she could, should would do it again.

In fact, young adults love YAGM so much that it is expanding robustly next year.

YAGM is a great opportunity for young adults, 21-29, to live and work in another part of the world.  Ailabouni was here to talk to young adults and those work with them about YAGM and to encourage them to think about it. If you are a young adult or know someone who is interested, check out Ailabouni’s bio (pdf file) and visit the YAGM website:  www.ELCA.org/YAGM.