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.