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Jenelle D'Alessandro
 Jenelle
is a missionary with Young Life in Portugal. Jenelle is a 1997 graduate
of La Plata High
School, and she grew up in the South Potomac family. While a
student at La Plata, Jenelle grew in her relationship
with Jesus through the ministry of Young Life. Today she is ministering
to teenagers in southern Europe with Young Life International. Herb mission
field is the international community of Lisbon, Portugal. Jenelle
has been ministering to English-speaking students in Lisbon since
April 2003, and hopes to remain in Lisbon until the summer of 2006.
Jenelle's role is as a Young
Life intern, with the vision
of "reaching every kid, every where, for eternity."
The Young Life intern program is a two to three year introduction
to full-time ministry, including practical, relational, and
theological training.
She is currently working alongside
of her long-time friend, Jane Sowada, investing
in and sharing
their lives with English-speaking teenagers from all over the globe:
Portugal, Mozambique, Germany, South Africa, Nigeria, America, the
United Kingdom, and other countries.
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| What's better than the sun
on your face and sharing the love of your life, Jesus. |
The mission of Young Life is to introduce adolescents
to Jesus Christ, and to help them grow in their faith. In order to
accomplish the first goal of introduction, Young Life leaders
go to where teenagers are. You would find Jenelle sitting with students
during their lunch periods, building friendships
and earning the right to share the gospel. You would find her on the
sidelines of sport events,
or in the audience of school
plays and musicals.
You would find her in a cafe sharing a warm drink with a teenage girl,
encouraging her along in her relationship with Christ. You would find
her providing a safe place to talk with them about
life and the person of Jesus.
In reaching the International community for Christ, the long-term
goal is to pass the ministry along to Portuguese nationals, who
will then begin ministering to their own culture. The International
community
is an excellent bridge and gateway to the national community. The
big dream for Young Life Portugal is to have a ministry presence
in every community in the country, and that in every high school
there might be Young Life leaders loving teenagers for Jesus.
Young Life is still a new ministry in Portugal, with a ministry presence
in two high schools. But God has great and beautiful things in store
for students in Lisbon, in Portugal, and in the entire continent
of Europe.
Young Life wants every kid,
everywhere, to experience the message
of hope in Jesus Christ. Not just kids in North America, but
kids all around the world.
More than 95 percent of the world's kids live outside the United
States, and yet it is estimated that more than 95 percent of the
world's youth workers
are inside the United States.
Kids everywhere need to hear about Christ. Young Life leaders
are trained to go to where kids hang out, build
friendships with them and love them unconditionally.
Here are some answers to questions folks ask Jenelle
about her mission work:
1. How long will you be in Portugal?
My official commitment
to Young Life is for two years...until April 28th, 2005. There is
a good possibility, though, that I will stay in Portugal longer
than my "official" commitment.
2. Can I come visit?
Why yes. Please do. The Euro Cup 2004 (a.k.a. huge soccer tournament)
is being held in Portugal this summer, though. This means that airfare
between May and July will be more over-booked and higher-priced
than other months.
3. When will you be visiting the States again?
No plane
tickets yet, but I'm shooting for August 2004. I will need to
do some more support-raising, and will be visiting family and friends.
4. What can I send you in the mail from the States that
will make you happy?
Well, a picture always gets two thumbs-up (and a prominent place
on my bulletin board.) Jane and I also really enjoy getting American
coffee in the mail, because it tastes much more familiar than
the super-strong stuff they sell here. (Someone nice gave us an
American coffee pot.) I get a kick out the local
news clippings from American newspapers, too (the Baltimore City
Paper is especially fun.) If you really want to be my hero, make
me a mix-CD.
5. How is Gus the cat?
Don't you know that I hate cats? Then Jane brought Gus home.
He could be the cutest, most lovable kitty ever. (Click here if
you are in disbelief). He does have
a problem with peeing in the bathtub, though. So that's sad.
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Contact Information
Email:Click
to email
- Mailing Address: (currently
in the USA)
- Portugal Church Site:
- Go
to site
- Mission Agency:
- Young
Life
She got to share with us how we can help, while she was back at
SPC
in August 2005.
Jenelle and her Mom, Rose, got to spend some time together while
she was back home.
Having coffee
Jane and I with some small group girls
kids hanging out at our apartment
"He has made everything beautiful
in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet
they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."
Ecclesiastes 3:11
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