Richard McMurray

By the grace of God, I survived my teenage years to reach my last year of university at 21 years old. This is when I became conscious of the Holy Spirit’s conviction on me of my unforgiven sins and my need to be made right with God. Attending a Christianity Explored course at my church was when I really began to understand my urgent need for salvation through Jesus. After one of these meetings, in the quietness of my bedroom, I repented to God, accepted His forgiveness through Christ, and asked Him to become my Lord as I surrendered my life to Him, and was born again into the family of God! Immediately I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, as the Holy Spirit accepted my invitation and took up His eternal residence in me!

Christ has journeyed with me for the past 13 years, where I’ve experienced His huge love, beautiful peace, and continual faithfulness in my life. He has instilled in me a calling and a passion to lead and serve young people, and has led me from my homeland of Ireland, all the way to Nanaimo!

While attending Capernwray Bible School in England during 2012/13, an Irishman (myself) met a beautiful young American woman called Kim (now my wife), and a very intriguing Canadian man called Paul MacMurchy. God was beginning a new chapter in my life that has been a challenging, yet exciting journey of faith in Him ever since.

You might think a married couple, from two different nations, moving to a foreign land, would be quite a challenge, and you would be correct, but obeying a calling God has placed on your heart is an opportunity to watch God move in mighty ways!

Christ has instilled in me a calling and a passion to lead and serve young people – I love seeing the excitement on kids faces and hearing them laugh while leading them in a game, or making sure their basic practical needs are met by serving them a simple, but necessary breakfast in one of the local schools. However, nothing is more rewarding than the privilege of being part of a young person’s spiritual transformation into the likeness of Jesus!

Volunteering and now working with YFC Nanaimo, has allowed me insight into the great need there is amongst the youth and their families in this city. Getting past the surface, and facing the hurt some of these young people are experiencing in their everyday lives, is heart-breaking. Broken families, rejection, poverty, lack of self-worth, identity confusion – all lead them to look for love and belonging in the wrong places.

By myself, I am of no help to these struggling youth, but I know with the Holy Spirit’s power, love and authority, I can guide them to a loving heavenly Father who has arms wide open for every one of them. Only through Christ is there hope for this generation and the ones to follow.

Thank you for supporting me prayerfully and financially as God uses me to reach these youth for His glory.