Apache Youth Ministries Established 2000

The AYM story is a total God story! Ron and Darcy Everingham left all of their family and moved to Arizona in 1998 with there two boys (Austin and Conner) to serve at a mission that was located just off the reservation. They worked with the Apache community for two years until deciding to move out onto the reservation and be apart of the community in 2000. This was a very hard move. With $1200.00 per month in support and a bunk-bed for furniture, they moved into a house on the reservation that had no windows, no doors, and a beat-up interior. A real fixer-upper! They shacked up in the back room of that little house. Darcy was pregnant with their daughter Ellaina at the time. Ron slept with Austin on the bottom bunk and Darcy slept with Conner (and Ellaina) on the top bunk. Ron recalls nights being so long. The spiritual oppression was huge. They didn’t have anything…no phones...no fence...no dog...no (seemingly) needed protection for their family: surrounded by strangers in a strange land.

In this environment, Apache Youth Ministries was founded. They worked hard to fix up the house, meet their Apache neighbors, and gather teens for weekly Bible studies. Things went well and God grew their teen group to over 60 students! In 2003 Ron went before the tribal council and asked for permission to start a Christian youth center on the reservation. Permission was granted and they began to work on a building that sat 100 yards from the high school. With the help of many Christians and churches from across the country, this youth center remains to this day and serves hundreds of Apache youth. Apache Youth Ministries now has more staff and God continues to bless the ministry. Today, AYM is involved in countless Apache lives and continues to meet it’s goal of sharing Jesus and helping under-resourced Apache youth to become productive citizens. This is the short story of what only God can do through His servants that humble themselves and serve Him with all of their hearts and life.

Apache Youth Ministries (AYM) is a non-denominational, youth organization that serves the White Mountain Apache Tribe on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

We strongly believe that our most valuable tool for evangelism is love that meets both physical and spiritual needs through relationships based on the teachings and example modeled by Jesus.  At Apache Youth Ministries, we live in the White Mountain Apache community, in relationships of relevant love, mentoring, and discipleship. In these relationships, we pray that God will touch their hearts and allow us to share the hope we have in Jesus.  We believe that God is pleased whenever needs are met and we trust that He will use our efforts to produce change and growth as He chooses.