The Way It Is

Most days I handle the emotional aspect of ministering to the kids in the Juvenile Justice System fairly well. Occasionally I encounter a child's life story that sometimes takes me a while to work through. As I share this encounter I want to make it clear that this is in no way a judgment or criticism of anyone or any agency, this is just the way it is sometimes.
This person had signed up for a chaplain visit. Initially they were very quiet but after about 15 minutes they volunteered a brief synopsis of why they have difficulty believing in God. When this child, who was presently in their early teens, was younger, their family struggled financially. The father would try to find work each day to have enough money to afford a cheap motel. At times they would stay overnight at their grandmother's house. The relationship with grandmother was tenuous and their stays with her were sporadic and short-lived. It was difficult for them to watch their mother ask strangers for money, but, as long as they were able to stay together as a family, that was all that mattered to them.
At one point they moved to Texas and found a landlord who would allow the father to do odd jobs for him and stay in a rental home rent free. Although they had no furniture this was a happy time for their family. Not long after they had moved into the rental, a tornado destroyed their home and they were forced to move back to stay with their grandmother. As their father found employment they were able to rent another home and, although they were still without furniture, they were still together as a family. One day the SRS came to their home and eventually removed the children from their home until the parents could provide proof that they could financially take care of their children. From the perspective of this individual the parents had accomplished all that SRS had asked them to do but still the children were unable to return home. When this person was put in their third foster home they decided it would be better to live on the streets than to stay in foster homes. It didn't take long for them to join a gang and eventually end up taking another persons life.
This story is from the perspective of a young teenager and may be lacking in some of the facts, but, what we do know is that stories like this happen all too often in our society. We overlook the powerful impact family has on our lives. We don't realize how emotional comforts far outweigh physical comforts in a child's life. It is more tolerable for a child to live without a bed than it is to live without their family.
During this holiday season and into the new year, I hope we will all make our families the priority they should be and do what we can to "look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. " (James 1:27)

This Is Good Stuff

This week I had one teen tell me that their life has been changed due to attending Chapel Services over the past few weeks. They now understand that there is a spiritual aspect to life that will guide them through this physical world; they now have hope that they no longer have to live the life style they had been living.

My December Update

Greetings and Happy Holidays
The month of November was a very encouraging time. One of the most encouraging experiences has been meeting the volunteers working within the Juvenile Justice Ministry. Some of these volunteers have been working with the kids in these facilities for over 10 years. It has been heartwarming to see the commitment, energy, and effort these volunteers put into the activities they do for the kids. In Sedgwick County there are four facilities which have somewhere around 150 kids at any given time. Most of the kids we work with range in age from 14 to 17 and are your typical teenagers. Even though we have great volunteers there is still room for you! Whether you like to read, ride horses, cook, bicycle, jog, or teach, depending upon the facility, you could use your hobby or something you are passionate about as a way to teach and instill confidence in these young people.
The message of this holiday season is buried deep within all of us. It is the message of reclamation. Throughout this month there are some things you can pray about for these kids. For some, this will be the first holiday they are not around family and friends. Last week two different individuals were literally in tears because, for the first time in their lives, they were not going to be home for the holidays. The majority of these teens are not what you consider "hardened criminals". Last month out of all the children I spoke with there was only one who had committed a violent crime. Many of the children in these facilities are there because of poor family relationships, the inability to cope with life as they see it, truancy, or some other nonviolent action. Most always our choices do result in consequences, and yet I hope that no one receiving this letter has the mindset that these kids "deserve what they get". During this Christmas season we are all reminded of a child born in a manger who made it possible for us to “not get what we deserve”. Life has a way of giving all of us things we may not necessarily feel we deserve. During this time of the year we all need to be aware of those children who need to experience some grace and kindness in their lives.
Janis and I would like to say thank you to everyone whose donations have made it possible for us to begin receiving a part-time paycheck. We are still working towards raising funds for a full-time paycheck, insurance benefits and the miscellaneous expenses associated with the ministry. Please feel free to call or send me an e-mail if you have any questions regarding the finances of the ministry.
The message of this holiday season is buried deep within all of us. It is the message of reclamation. Since the beginning of recorded history we have been made painfully aware of how self-centered the human race can be. We have also seen unselfish acts of goodness which have changed whole communities. My prayer for all of us this holiday season is that we will not only consider our spiritual reclamation, but also to consider the reclamation of our communities. God has uniquely gifted each one of us with talents and gifts; we have the privilege of sharing these gifts with others to encourage or to comfort. This holiday season, might we all consider finding ways to share these gifts on a daily basis.
Wishing everyone the very best,
Chuck & Janis

The Parties have begun!

We had our first Christmas party at the Juvenile Residential Facility (JRF) this last Monday. I am very appreciative of all the volunteers we have. Some of the kids were a little hyper but then again, they are teenagers. Two of our volunteers fixed nachos, a type of meatballs, and some chocolatey kind of desert. They also fixed a gift bag which had a stocking cap as one of the gifts in the bag. It took no time at all before they were modeling them to everyone there.

We had some recreation time in the gym. One of the activities was pulling Santa (one of the kids) on his sled (a gunnysack) delivering his packages (orange traffic cones) while being pulled by his faithful reindeer (the other kids).

The Christmas karaoke time was hilarious. Some of the volunteers didn't appreciate the creative melodies as much as I did, but, the kids sure had a good time making up their own tunes.

Perhaps this year you might consider being a friend to a teen who needs someone to listen to them. Think about it.

Chaplain Visits

As I continue to meet with kids in the detention facilities it is encouraging to see their interest in spiritual things. At this point in most of their lives they are reevaluating the choices they have made in the past. Some of the kids I met with today have not been to court yet so they are very fearful of what the future may hold for them. The plus side is that they are, as I said, more interested in how to put their lives together using a biblical pattern. The downside is, as soon as the pressure is off, many of these individuals will go back to life as usual. So for the moment we will do all we can to make a tiny bit of difference in their lives.

Update

As I begin meeting the people who volunteer for the Juvenile Justice Ministry, it has been encouraging to me to see their level of commitment to the kids. We have volunteers who have been working with these kids 12 plus years.

I have been talking to a few churches in the community about starting programs for "at risk" kids. This program will focus on kids within the church's community who are potential candidates for the juvenile system. The goal will be to find individuals attending the church who are willing to be mentors to these kids.

Within the next several months I hope to be starting a class at the boys Ranch at lake Afton. This class will be a "values" based class. I hope to teach practical ways to establish a faith-based value system these kids can use to help them make better decisions.

Part-time at Youth for Christ

The first of November will be my first day at Youth for Christ. It will be only part time as I continue to raise funds for the program. If anyone has any ideas how to successfully do that in this economy let me know.

Thinking About Our Kids

I have been reading a book called, "Superpredators: The Demonization of Our Children by the Law". The book is drawing some analogies between:

• the increase of violent crimes committed by teens




• reports of increasing child abuse and neglect




• the increase of teen suicides




• the increased feeling of despair by teens

All of these facts cause the author to raise the question, "What is going on in our society to cause our children to become so discouraged?"

Making a Difference

I just read some interesting facts. Research shows that the more interpersonal relationships a person has after leaving jail, the less likely they will return to a life of crime. It appears that all you need is a little time to invest in someone's life to make a positive impact on our community.

Back to school!

I am headed back to Tennessee for another fun filled week of classes from 8AM - 8PM.

Greetings!

"If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write."
— Martin Luther