Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
In the autumn of 2019, our founder Femi Oni was approached by a young lady preparing to study International Development at university, requesting to learn from the experience of BTBAB and do an internship. Thus birthed the Gap Year Internship with our first intern and in March 2020, Femi passed this area of ministry onto me when I returned from Thailand. The early days of the GYI were marked with various challenges when Covid hit in early 2020 and various lockdowns prevented further recruitment. I was also learning a lot about leading and raising people.
In August 2022 BTBAB relocated to Liverpool and to a new beginning, building from the ground up. I spent many months praying around the various university campuses to pray for God to open doors of opportunity, I found a new church, and I served where I could. I prayed and I waited, but I can’t say that it was easy!
Working in ministry and living by faith is not like a standard job. In the faith waiting room, you need to pray in faith for God to provide the open doors. But you don’t just wait without doing anything, as the bible says faith without works is dead (James 2:18), you need to be intentional and find ways to serve. God directed me to serve at various different youth camps, and I have served every summer for the last 3 years at Merseyside Christian Youth Camps.
In the summer of 2024, I was approached by a leader in my church to see if I would consider co-leading a Young Adults ministry with him in the church. So in September 2024, we pioneered this new ministry, and I have spent the last 20 months caring for the young adults coming through the church. I have invited them for meals, messaged them to check up on them, driven them to many places, organised socials, helped them to move and even provided emergency accommodation!
In the autumn of 2024, I also pioneered a life skills course to try and draw the young adults into the Gap Year Internship, and various mentors came to teach new skills.
In the summer of 2025, I was asked to do some life skills mentorship with a 17-year-old over 6 sessions and two young adults applied for the UK outreach to Northern Ireland and Scotland (in August 25). I could feel the momentum building and one of these young adults has now become our Toolbox Coordinator. Further opportunities are coming my way, and I am excited about the future for the Gap Year Internship.
These opportunities have not come from sitting at home and waiting. They are the result of many years of prayer and service. I have invested in the Joshua Generation which has not always been easy. But I have remained committed to the mandate that God has given me: to show them that mission is for their generation.
I continue to pray for God’s timing in leading me to a Gap Year Intern and for the grace to continue carrying the GYI whilst in God’s waiting room.
