“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” — Psalm 34:8
We kicked off our monthly workshops at Spokane YFC this January with a Dumpling Making Night, and what a way to start the year! Thirty students joined us to learn how to fold gyoza (Japanese-style dumplings) filled with beef and veggies. For two hours, our 1010 building turned into a full-on kitchen.
After a short introduction, students jumped right into prepping ingredients. It was all hands on deck! Mixing the filling, learning to fold, and carefully sealing each dumpling. Each student folded dumplings, and while we demonstrated one folding style, they quickly took creative liberties, inventing their own designs and techniques.
By the end of the night, we had made over 450 dumplings! Students piled their plates high, topped them at our sauce bar, and enjoyed the meal they had created together.
The evening was filled with creativity, culture, laughter, and connection. No phones. No screens. Just students face-to-face, learning, cooking, and making memories. There is something powerful about enjoying a meal you made with your own hands alongside friends.
I love how God uses unconventional spaces to draw hearts toward Him. Practicing His presence around a table, creating something beautiful, sharing food, these are sacred moments. I truly believe that even in something as simple as making dumplings, students encountered Jesus in tangible ways.
Many of our students have never been taught how to cook a full meal from scratch. Teaching them how to safely handle ingredients, follow a recipe, work as a team, and create something delicious builds confidence. When a student realizes, “I made this,” something shifts. They begin to see themselves as capable.
At Spokane YFC, we believe in a holistic approach to ministry. By teaching life skills like cooking, we empower students to step into adulthood with greater independence and confidence. Along the way, they develop creativity, problem-solving abilities, and a deeper belief in their own capability.
These workshops are about more than food. They are about forming confident, capable leaders who know they are loved by God and equipped for life.