STURBRIDGE, Mass. (BP) — Renee Ghobrial remembers what it was like to be alone in school.

Growing up in one of the least-churched areas of the country, it was difficult to find other believers. She and her family attended Arabic Baptist Church of Boston. That brought fellowship and spiritual growth, but she wondered what it would be like to hang around more teens with a similar desire to grow in their relationship with Christ.

Youth Encountering Christ (YEC), an event for those 6^th-12^th grade held through Baptist Churches of New England (BCNE), did that for her. It still does today, as Ghobrial helps organize it through her role as BCNE Next Gen director.

“I grew up going to it,” said Ghobrial, in her second year in the role. “It can be very isolating to be a Christian in your school, and this environment brings students together. It was huge for me and let me know I wasn’t alone.”

About 530 students and chaperones gathered at the Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge, Mass. from Jan. 24-26 for a weekend of worshipping, hanging out and learning about missions. Among the 38 congregations represented were those of Arabic, Filipino, Hispanic, Brazilian, Chinese and Ethiopian descent.

Ghobrial and her brother are born-and-raised New Englanders to parents who emigrated there from Egypt.

“This is a place where students encounter God and connect with others from around New England to grow in their faith,” she said. “It is also evangelistic. We present the gospel and invite students to make first-time decisions or rededicate their lives.

“We had eight first-time decisions this year and 38 rededications. At the end of the weekend, students were also asked if they experienced a call to missions and about 20 stood up.”

In its 45^th year, YEC includes a student leadership program called Quest.

“It’s developed for juniors and begins in May,” Ghobrial explained. “The course lasts eight months for students who show leadership potential and have an interest in missions. They must be recommended by their pastor or youth pastor for the application process.”

 A group of 25 from Quest was commissioned for upcoming spring break mission trips, with an offering of several thousand dollars collected at YEC funding that effort. Ghobrial took her Quest mission trip in 2006 to the Dominican Republic.

It should come as no surprise that Quest leaders were at one time participants.

There have been 546 students that have taken part in Quest during its 26 years. Seventy-six adults have accompanied students on those trips, with 62 percent of them being Quest alumni.

“The goal is to learn and serve like Jesus did,” Ghobrial said. “It becomes a full-circle story of leadership for many of us.”

She credits her predecessor, Allison Clark, for BCNE ministries like YEC and Quest.

“She was here for about 24 years and built an amazing legacy for youth ministry in New England. I stepped into something really solid,” said Ghobrial.

The fellowship benefit for the programs cannot be overstated.

“Many of these students come from small groups, or they may be the only teen in their church,” she added. “To come and be a part of this reminds you that you aren’t alone — to keep pushing in the race because it’s worth it.

“You don’t have just a cloud of witnesses like in the Bible, you have a present group who are cheering for you and spurring you on. That’s huge.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.)