In the midst of a youth filled with rage, Nigel Richards says he once contemplated murdering his father with a chainsaw.

It's just one ugly detail from a childhood that, as Richards tells it, was marred by frequent abuse and crime. But it's also a defining detail in a story of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

"I have found there is a better way to deal with the crap that's in my life," said Richards. "God wants to tell you, no matter how much you're hurt he has a plan for you."

Richards was just one of a small group of youth who "invaded" the Weyburn skate park last Thursday night, putting on a skateboarding competition and then sharing stories of redemption and faith with those youth who came out.

The group, known as the Street Invaders, numbered 11 youth from the ages of 14 to 21. Most of the participants were in the younger age bracket, but their three team leaders - Richards, Kelly Butler and Megan Mulder - were between 17 and 21. Some hailed from Saskatchewan, but most were from Alberta and Manitoba.

Richards' story was just one of the testimonies shared with the crowd of 100 or so gathered at the skateboard park that night, mostly under the age of 14. Many of the Invaders had been touched by tragedy at some point; one boy, Steven Graham, told of how he was put up for adoption after his father died in a car accident, and how his adopted parents divorced shortly after.

Afterwards, a young member of the group, Luke Moore, asked the crowd to bow their heads. He asked them if their lives were like the stories they heard that night, and if they felt like saying, "God, I quit. I can't do it myself"

A few people in the crowd raise their hands, probably unnoticed by their peers.

If they want to talk about God, people in the crowd are urged to talk to the Invaders afterwards. The suggestion of going to church does pop up, but Moore says they're about promoting lifestyle, not religion.

Reaching out to youth and urging them to find God is the goal of Street Invaders, a non-profit organization that's run for about 17 years, said leader Kelly Butler.

Street Invaders is organized by the Apostolic Youth Ministries International out of Calgary, Alta. Every year, youth from around Western Canada sign up for the program and are assigned into teams that go around Canada, or sometimes outside of it; one team went to Kiev this year, said Butler.

This group was assembled because of a common interest in dance, drama and skateboarding, said Butler.

"When they apply, they kind of say what their interests are, and that's how we put them together," said Butler.

A Street Invaders team came to Weyburn because Apostolic Ministries was contacted by the Weyburn Church of God. A team was here very briefly last year, and the church hoped to have them back.

The Invaders arrived roughly two weeks ago. In addition to organizing the skate competition, they also ran a Vacation Bible School during the week of Aug. 8-12.

Another focus of the group's time here is doing random acts of kindness. Church host Tammy Funk, who was in charge of the group during their stay in Weyburn and organized a daily schedule of activities, said acts of kindness included handing out flowers or offering to do yard work for residents.

It's about building relationships within the community, but, in general, "we just want to be able to serve the town where we can, just kind of bless people and bring joy where we can," said Richards.

But also, too, it's about the kids in Street Invaders themselves, said Butler. The kids share their stories and are inspired by what they hear; the leaders are put in a position of responsibility and authority, and that helps build them up.

The group left Weyburn on Sunday for a final group retreat in Eston, Sask., where the various teams will share their individual experiences.