Update

I want to thank everyone who helped with the Bowl-a-thon.

I was able to take a youth, just recently released from JDF, and his younger brother to the Bowl-a-thon. I know he really enjoyed being able to participate in something different than bed checks and cafeteria food. A couple of weeks ago when he was released I met his family and I am looking forward to continuing to build relationships with them. Currently I have been meeting with two young men who have been released from the juvenile facilities. I think it is important, as I continue in this ministry, to build relationships outside the jails as well as on the inside. I am continuing to try to refine the process of staying in touch when kids as they are released. Most of these kids are on strict probation and some are on ankle bracelets. Finding jobs and helping them to stay away from those they once considered "friends" is a critical need in these kids lives. Many of these kids have $1500-$2500 fines that need to be paid and they are motivated to find work. The downside is that most of these kids don't know how to work and so we need strong mentors who would be willing to help them stay focused and learn a work ethic.
I hope you will continue to keep this ministry in your thoughts and prayers and as always, contact me if you have any questions or input.

Also we have some JJM videos that I will include in this post. As soon as I learn how to embed videos on this blog permanently this will have to suffice.

Chuck

Short JJM Video http://vimeo.com/groups/jjm/videos/37251117
Long JJM Video http://vimeo.com/37978968

Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser

YFC could use your help

... and you could actually enjoy yourself.

(I will keep you posted as soon as I get more details.)

Different Reasons, Same Place

As I reflect on the chaplain visits I made today I am once again reminded of the variety of reasons kids are in detention facilities. Today I met with a 12-year-old who was there because of truancy. He told me that he "hated" school. I was pretty sure that he didn't hate school per se, but rather hated that he was failing in school. Statistics show that many juvenile delinquents have failed school. Once a child begins failing in school, they begin to lose confidence in themselves and it doesn't take long before they begin failing at other things. I asked him if he liked learning about people in other countries, he answered in the affirmative. I asked him if he liked learning about plants, animals, and geography, and again he answered yes. It was great to see his eyes light up when he realized that he really did like school, he just didn't like feeling like a failure.

I pray for him because I know he will have a difficult time getting out of the Justice system. Until he learns how to learn, he will never feel positive about himself and have the confidence he needs to succeed in life. One researcher used the analogy of a swimmer to explain this social phenomenon of incarceration and rehabilitation. "If a person can't swim before they are incarcerated, they will not learn to swim while they are incarcerated." We need to do more to keep our kids from going to jail. Think about how you can make a difference in a child's life today.

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.