Isaiah W. Vang

1. Pastor Isaiah Vang ( Exas Ws Vaaj ) Don't Get Loose.

Mr. Isaiah W. Vang Youth Pastor:

Isaiah Vang is like a lot of Americans: He's single, and he won't have a chance to see his family on Thanksgiving.

The number of single Americans has steadily grown over the years.In 1950, 33 percent of the population was unmarried.
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Vang, a youth minister at First Hmong Missionary Alliance Church in Wausau, is spending most of Thursday helping his church organize a Friday Thanksgiving dinner for parishioners.

When he's finished, though, he hopes to have some other singles from his church youth group over for some turkey and football.

Times have changed
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Vang and Chang are among a large group of singles living in Wisconsin.
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Vang, of course, said he'll miss spending time with his extended family on Thanksgiving; as many as 20 people are expected to gather at his older brother's house in Minnesota.

But being single on Thanksgiving isn't so bad, either, he said.

"I just want to have fellowship with some of my friends," he said.

The first Hmong person was converted to Christianity in Laos in 1949, says Isaiah Vang, a 29-year-old youth pastor at the First Hmong Missionary Alliance Church, 5500 Stettin Drive in Wausau.
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"That is very helpful for the new believers, too," said Isaiah Vang, youth pastor.

ike many young Christians, when Isaiah W. Vang was growing up, he wondered what God,s plan had in store for him. When he was about 14 yeas old he attended a youth conference and listened to a pastor preach about becoming a pastor.He wondered if this was God,s plan for him.

"I had a lot of pastors that impacted my life," said Vang, 29, the youth pastor for the First Hmong Missionary Alliance Church in Stettin."I just asked God and pray.I think God answered my prayer so I can be a pastor, because I like to work with young people." Born in Laos, Vang immigrated to the United States when he was still just a child.He grew up in St. Paul, Minn., and eventually moved to California to be a youth pastor before coming to the First Hmong Missionary Alliance Church last year.

In addition to being the church,s youth pastor, Vang also leads a Sunday service in the church that,s presented in English.

Isaiah Vang, youth pastor for the group, still was scrambling Thursday to find volunteers, but he said this weekend's events won't be the last time Hmong youth get involved in the community.
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Vang also plans to get members of his youth group to do volunteer work for the American Red Cross Marathon County chapter, The Salvation Army in Wausau and various projects with the county's growing elderly population.

"Sometimes the community needs help, and there are a lot of things that could be done for local organizations or individuals here," Vang said.

Isaiah Vang, youth pastor
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Background: Vang has served the Hmong Missionary Alliance Church as youth pastor since October.

He has a bachelor's degree in youth and music ministry from Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minn., and was named youth pastor at a church in Fresno, Calif, in 1997.Three years later he took a job as youth pastor at a church in Oroville, Calif., and served there for three more years.

Vang said he came to Wausau because he sees opportunity for growth in the youth ministry in the local community.Since October, he has launched Wednesday night youth prayer services, and this summer he traveled to Thailand with eight members of the church's youth group on a monthlong missionary trip.

"They can practice religion wherever they are and are free to believe, even at the university," said Isaiah Vang, the youth pastor at First Hmong Missionary Alliance Church in Wausau, in support of the policy.

Vang, 30, said many students who attend college far from home often do not come back to their churches, so he encourages them to find a church or campus ministry where they can worship.

Religious and faith-based discussions have occurred at the UW Marathon County campus for years.