Hope 'drops in' after difficult year for inner city youth community

An inner-city ministry is ready to "Bridge" youth connections in person this fall.

The Bridge Drop-In's doors at Inner City Youth Alive (ICYA) are reopening after more than a year, but that doesn't mean relationships have been gathering dust. Finding ways to connect online or in smaller groups, ICYA noticed a trend.

"Even through our smaller group connections, we are finding kids want to go deeper, quicker because they are just stressed and overwhelmed with what comes with this season of COVID," Executive Director Kent Dueck says.

Now, on September 7, the Bridge Drop-In is reopening, letting them gather once again. Winnipeg youth can expect a warm welcome after more than a year of physical separations and deepened distanced connections.

"You know that those interactions are going to be a lifeline for some of the kids."

Dueck is "looking forward to again being able to sing worship songs, do those God talks, and have kids there and present. And just kind of doing things in a bigger capacity. So yeah we're really, really excited."

Honoured to walk through tough times

The past year and a half have not been easy on their community.  He says they have been a lot of murders, suicides, and overdoses.

"There are those really dark moments in the community but where you try to bring light into a situation and try to bring hope into a situation."

Dueck says a particularly tough moment was when they were helping a family after the brutal murder of a young person.

"It is hard to be there, but you are just so honoured to be able to be there."