Street Youth Ministry: Recovery

May 16, 2012

Recovery

Success in this business means not seeing clients anymore. But that doesn't mean we don't hear from them! Facebook and email allows us to stay in contact with lots of people all over the country.

One street youth who once was a client many years ago has been keeping me posted on progress in his life. First it was moving away to pursue rock hunting. Then it was keeping a property in the country for the owners. Then it was working in Dallas. And along the way, his faith and relationship with Jesus has grown. He has looked for church connections and community ties. And now something amazing is happening.

For years he has wanted to turn in difficulties and challenges into a way to help others. Now he's going to get the chance. He put together a business plan for a camp for street youth. He put together the strategy and rules for living together. He put together the teaching plan for helping street youth find stability. He began to tell others about his plan. It was slow going over months and months. But then something wonderful happened. God moved into the plan.

He now has property donated in Tennessee with cabins, and more being built at cost. And he has raised almost all the funding. He will gather up a first group of street youth to go help build the place. And a church is one of the first new buildings being built!

As I spoke with him, we pondered all the difficulties ahead and how amazing it is that God is blessing this activity to move so fast. And I wanted him to know that we don't claim his success. And his response: "I don't claim it either. It's God. It's Jesus, man. It all depends on Him!"

If you want to read more about this, check out their new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Camp-Iro-Youth-Sanctuary/202397619863555

We look forward to telling more recovering street youth stories. [Please mail them to us at terry@streetyouthministry.org.] We'll publish what we can. They are inspiring and uplifting. And they demonstrate how much God gifts these young people and what can happen when they bring those activated gifts into the Kingdom!