Bridges for Youth

There were over 80 murders in the big bad city last year.  Rapes, child abuse, drug abuse and other statistics were rising higher and higher.  Poverty imposed its walls around the city and only small rays of hope ever pierced through its ugliness.  A circumference of fear dictated the dangers of entering here.  Certainly the wise would not venture here, for what good could come of it.

The innocent children of this urban place, placed thoughts of survival above all else.  They thirsted for love in their ragged attire, and hungered to know why on earth they were born.  Their strength, it was failing, and corrupt voices were crying to serve a lying master. Vessels of truth and Good News were but few, so the  children  they faltered and followed deceptions.    A stronghold for Satan had arisen and therefore the light of God’s love had been all but extinguished.

These are words that came to me this morning, as God suddenly laid big cities on my heart. Shall  we call the task of reaching kids in big cities impossible when we have the Lord as our strength.  Well, the answer is certainly “No!, a resounding NO!, with a big swallow following”.   As a missionary  who is called to reach hurting kids in areas of poverty and neglect, the thought of going to big cities seems to overwhelming to even consider.  The thought keeps reoccuring in my mind though, that it may well be a sin not to go.   While I was writing this blog I was particularly enthralled at an interruption  and attempted deletion of my words.    The interruption occurred as I was posting the descriptions of Satan and how He had built a stronghold in the midst of kids in the big city.  As I was looking at the screen, hands in my lap, the cursor started going backwards over my text deleting it. After pushing a number of keys without success, the cursor finally stopped. Then I had the realization that Satan did not want anyone taking an interest in his territory.  I really feel led to go to the enemies camp and take back what he has stolen.    God wants these kids back, and he wants their moms, dads, and neighborhoods back.    If anyone is of the same opinion, and stands for the almighty maker of heaven and earth, would you join me in this.  Stand with us on behalf of children and lets go to battle. Is someone reading this who will pray, someone who will join us on the frontlines, or someone who will support our vision? Our provision  for battle is  God, His Word and His Holy Spirit.  More than enough for an epic battle for truth.  There is a kid praying for deliverance now, who is in the midst of unbelievable hardships and poverty. Wouldn’t it be great to be there and give that kid a hug right now, andOnline Poker ist eine wunderbare Alternative für das online Poker casinospiele gratis???????? ????? ???????? im traditionellen Kasino. to be there for them with a Bridges For Youth Center in their neighborhood?   I think it would be grand.

Pastor Steve

There once was a mom and dad who had a boy and a girl and a happy little family. This whole family thing was pretty picture perfect.   Dad worked hard and helped coach his sons baseball team.   Mom worked at a local daycare part-time and was involved in her daughters brownie troop.

Mom and Dad paid their bills on time, had just a small amount on a single credit card they owed, and were getting along pretty well.  It was then that something totally unexpected happened. Dad’s company closed down were he had worked for 8 years, and suddenly 700 former employees were crowding the unemployment office.  The scenario was worse because of an already existing rise in unemployment and Dad was taking any jobs that he could find to put food on the family table.

In just a few weeks the loss of Dad’s job started to show how susceptible the family was to the loss of their home.  The rent would be late that first month and then despite grasping every opportunity to earn for his family, there just was not enough to pay rent the second month.   It was just 8 weeks after losing his long time job that the phone was ringing again and again and the person on the other end was always the landlord or the credit card company who had not received a payment last month.

The happy little family began to show the wear and tear of their battle to return to normalcy.   It had been 10 weeks since the job loss, and now with the shortage of income and still no permanent full time work for dad, anger began to enter into the marriage.  The anger indeed came from the situation that life had dealt them, but it was a matter of fact that  mom and dad would vent their anger on each other.  Yes, mom and dad were determined not to let this get the better of them, but it seemed as though their happy little family and hope of peace in the storm was fading quickly.

Between 10 and 11 weeks of the job loss and just having sporadic work the family had plunged to a new low.   They had humbly went and applied for food stamp assistance and were grateful that at least the kids would not be hungry.  Yet the little bit that was coming in financially was barely enough to come up with last months rent and live in the house for a few more days, and then next months rent would be due.  As they worried and tried to maintain their composure over the late rent, the utility bill arrived in the mail.  Dad said, “Are you serious?”, how much more can we take.  Just then, the little ones got home from school and their boy reminded them his baseball fee was due and the daughter delightfully reminded them of her brownie troops trip this weekend that she needed some money for.   Mom and dad separated in the living room, mom going into the kitchen were you could hear her noisily putting up dishes and pans. Dad went outside to the garage acting as though he was doing something constructive on his tool bench.  The kids just stood in the living room, knowing somehow not to intrude on either the kitchen or garage.

How impossible the situations that life can bring us in such a short period of time?  All can be well one moment and then just a moment later there is a thunderous storm.  Families must find safe harbor from the storms of life, if they are to survive.   Hope certainly seems elusive in the center of the storm, in the center of the bills and situations, were there appears to be no deliverance.  The story of Jesus and his disciples on a boat illustrates what families feel like when the waves and storms of life come on us unexpectedly.   Jesus was on the boat with his  disciples, just like he is in the house with this family, in the middle of the storm. Satan, the deceiver, certainly wants families to focus on the storms of life, and not on Jesus.   Confidence and trusting in Jesus calms the storm, because just as he spoke and quieted the storm around that boat, he can calm and quiet the storm in anyones life.  Focus on Jesus and give your burdens over to him. I give this advice, because I know it to be true from the storms unexpectedly arisen in my own life.  Jesus said to the storm “Peace be still”,  Mark 4:39

This is child abuse awareness month and probably just about everybody has heard that Greene county has a big problem in this area.   I believe the statistic is 62 out of 1000 in Greene county are victims of child abuse and neglect.  I’m sure anybody who hears this has to be appalled.  There are like 23,000 students just in the Springfield Public school system alone, so thats about 1400 kids impacted right there.  This doesn’t even include all the kids that are not school age.  I heard on a radio talk show today that a large segment of the child abuse and neglect reports are for kids ages 6 and under, so this is a mountain of a problem.  Kids are crying out for help, but who will hear them if there is no one around they feel they can trust to report it to. 

Child abuse and neglect are difficult to deal with, especially when you are on the frontlines. We are in a place that we have voluntarily put ourselves, because we are passionate about helping kids and their families.  Compassion and involvement in the needs and hurts of kids illuminates the need for caring intervention through reporting, and paves the way to restored relationships and stronger families.  For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

I say often that the Bridges For Youth Centers are on the front lines and in the trenches as we work with kids.   This year alone we are serving 969 registered kids, ages 6-18. These types of numbers always reminds me of the fishes and loaves incident in the Bible.  Two loaves of bread and five fish to feed 5000.  Bridges is on the front lines with our 2 loaves and 5 fish, trusting in God and standing amazed at how He provides to fill the needs of kids, day after day. It should be no surprise that a large segment of these kids are victims of child abuse and neglect.   We have had dozens of  instances down through the years when rape, neglect, physical abuse have been shared with us by kids.   It never gets easier to deal with, and it always leaves a sick feeling in your gut.  Sin is like that. The sin really does make you feel sicker when its close to home though.  Child abuse and neglect is present right among the kids you want to love and protect. Its the kid you played pool with or watched a movie with just last week.  Or its the kids who proudly told you they memorized the Bible verse today. And many times its the kids who has suddenly changed due to abuse. All of a sudden the childish prankster is gone and it seems as though someone has stolen their soul.

There are a few in the Springfield and Marshfield communities who know the value of having the Bridges for Youth centers and our caring staff available to kids. Our prayer is that more people will discover us and understand that we need and value their support.

 I love pictures of Jesus surrounded by children, because that is real to me. Now, we must be Christ like and surround ourselves with children we can embrace and love through the pains of child abuse, neglect, and poverty.

Pastor Steve Hare

Admiration, respect and honor are not responses that you want to count on drawing your strength from  or depend on, when you are working with at-risk kids.   Yesterday, I walked into a Bridges center to announce that a former pro football player was coming to visit the next day.  You would think the kids would be excited and pay close attention, but that was not the case.   The noise level and chatter rose to a level were they could no longer hear anything I was saying.  If the kids had tomatoes and rotten fruit, I felt like they would probably be throwing them at me.  It felt like I had just told them that summer vacation was cancelled, that there would be no recess, or that we were taking all their youth center games away.  No, I was telling  them some really cool news, a former pro football player was coming to visit.  The whole encounter lasted about 30 seconds and I walked out with my head down, my feelings  hurt and in disbelief at the unexpected response.

There is no one among the staff at Bridges For Youth who has not experienced the hurt feeling dilemna of youth ministry. This is undoubtedly the reason that statistics show that youth workers often experience burnout very early on, and are not able to stay the course for very long. As Christian staff we trust in God to fuel our journey, and we believe that you have to consistently turn to God, so that you can weather the storm.

Being alone in a youth center with even a couple of kids is a recipe for getting your feelings hurt. In 1998 and 1999, I was in just such a situation as the lone staff member at the National Bridges For Youth center.   The number of kids wasn’t overwhelming at the time, as I often had only two of three kids that I would be shepherding. It was a time when God was educating me about at risk kids and I was learning on the job. Save the presence of God I would have perished back then and  my existence and mission would have faded into oblivion. 

The two or three kids in attendance back then would divide and conquer Pastor Steve. While I was attending to one’s needs another would turn all the lights out at the breaker box-that’s why it has a lock on it to this day. They would circle the building, going out the front door and coming through the back.  Frequently they would be annoyed by my attempts to control them and they would leave stating, “They would never come back again!”.   In a short time they would return, smiles on their faces, with another clever childish prank to play on me-that is why kids are not allowed to leave and return the same day anymore.  Basically, my feelings were getting hurt right and left just about eight years ago.   It was  staying on the front lines and coming back day after day that eventually showed the kids that I loved and cared about them.

One particular incident at National stands out, that left me feeling particularly upset. We had a small snack bar at the Bridges center with candy bars and a variety of candy. Two of the kids devised a plan, distracted me and took the snack bar money. I discovered the money was missing but certainly couldn’t prove who took it. The incident left me shaking my head and I felt like someone had just beaten me for no apparent reason. The next two days at the youth center my enthusiasm had waned and my disappointment showed. God renewed me on the third day after the incident, when two boys came to the front door, handed me the money they had stolen and expresed their heartfelt apologies. I still remember the sincere expression on the boys faces, and the remorse for what they had done.

As I verse the memories of my feelings getting hurt there are a flood of memories. Putting yourself in the uncomfortable position of getting your feelings hurt seems to be the inevitable price to have victory in dealing with kids and in building nurturing relationships. God is in control!

“And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9-10

Pastor Steve  (When I am weak, then I am strong)