Hello!

My name is Maylei Yao. I have an amazing opportunity to work with Tees Valley Youth for Christ for 11 months this upcoming August.

Did you know that England is considered a post-Christian nation? Less than three (3) percent of people have heard about Christianity in the UK as a whole. While I was in England I met some really interesting people. It was honestly kind of sad to be there with me growing up in the Bible Belt as I was constantly exposed to Christians (Christ-followers) all the time. I can pass someone in the grocery store or at the mall; no matter where I was I knew there wouldn't be a Christ-follower far away. There are signs of Jesus everywhere. But in England, there were no signs of Him, no little signs of Jesus all around me, no feeling of others who know who Jesus is. We went to a school where I got to hang out in the Religious Education classes with some kids. They had no previous knowledge of the Bible stories I learned when I was growing up, no Noah and the flood, Joseph and his coat of many colors, Adam and Eve…nothing. I met a little girl, she was 9. I was showing her my Bible and I felt led to give it to her. After I gave her the Bible her face lit up. I felt so joyful seeing how excited the little girl was to have her own Bible - caressing it and looking at it with such awe, she was genuinely grateful. I felt I needed to be there and show Jesus to others who don't have the privilege to see Jesus everywhere.