Liana started attending ICI in junior high. Now, as a high school student, she has dedicated her life to the Lord and is committed to serving Him. She volunteers at church and mentors younger students at ICI, following the example set by those who invested in her.

Edith grew up in Sierra Leone, Africa. She gave her life to the Lord after finding a tract at a friends. Her faith drew her to Calvary University in Kansas City, where she was connected to ICI.

We always tell our camp staff to remember, “It isn’t over until the last kid has gone home.” Levi, one of our high school leaders, was exhausted and faced the temptation to rest on the ride home from camp, but he used the ride as an opportunity to have more conversations with kids about what they learned at camp. His discussion with Jayden was encouraging.

It was cool to come to ICI, not only to be part of the ministry but to stay overnight because we are plugged into ICI, and our whole week is ICI. It was cool to see your mission and vision, and I fell in love with it. . .

Last year, a close friend of Caleb’s was shot and killed in a gang altercation. His mentor said, "That was a pivotal time, and I have seen Caleb’s growing desire to put distance between himself and that life."

Fourteen years ago, Erick walked through the doors of ICI’s very first club in Cicero. This fall, he stepped up in front of his church family to share what God did in his life before his baptism.

I am realizing as I finish this that I have failed to write a story about my work and have instead offered a story about my life—about our lives.

At camp, my counselor, Reegan, finally got through to me. She just wouldn’t stop loving me, encouraging me, and reminding me that Jesus was waiting to embrace me and change my life. That’s when I finally accepted Him and began to believe what Reegan had been telling me all week.

Alejandra saw this modeled for her at ICI: “When I didn’t believe in my own abilities I remember the difference it made to hear, ‘I believe in you. You can do this.’ Those words are so important when you don’t hear them in other places.”

Along my journey, God put humble leaders in my life. Being around those people made me want to imitate them and I realized leadership isn’t about outward strength but about setting an example for others to follow.

“Till this day I miss ICI so much.”

I came into my internship assuming that this summer would be a breeze! I grew up being a staff kid, so I figured that I had basically been “staff-in-training” my entire life and had all of the knowledge and skills to run things.

Before Christ, I had a lot of grudges and felt like everything had to be perfect. I tried to control a lot of things. Now I can leave things in God’s hands. When I am worried, I know I can trust God. I’m not angry anymore.

Sophomore year is when the teaching at ICI really got to me and I gave my life to Christ and changed the path I was on.

When you work or volunteer with ICI, you have to be ready to discuss any topic—you never know what the kids will ask! But what’s always true is that kids are curious about spiritual things and will impress you with deep and insightful questions and observations.

Deeply hurt by his father’s abandonment, Ricky remembers feeling lost and bewildered, wanting to reach out but having no one to turn to. Trying hard to shield him from the streets and to keep him from making the same mistakes as his father, Ricky’s mother kept him inside most of the time.

Already familiar with ICI’s programs because of her older sister, Mia couldn’t wait to start attending them herself. With both parents working and a younger brother to care for, Mia needed a safe, family-like environment where she could be free to be a kid.

Throughout my whole high school experience, I felt like I needed to change. After we got back from my last high school camping trip I was thinking about what the leaders had said. I decided to pray and give my life to Christ.

Gerald has been involved with ICI for as long as anyone can remember. The oldest of eight kids, he started attending the Humboldt Park programs when he was ten.

Juanita grew up in a busy and active part of the city. She says her neighborhood was known for a “lot of violence, brokenness, and dysfunction.” With both parents suffering from mental health issues and unable to care for her, she was adopted and raised by her great-grandparents, already in their 60s.