Purposeful Relationships

Purposeful Relationships

Purposeful relationships Have you ever tried to eat a leafy, green salad with a spoon?  When I go to detention, I have to toss the plan I walk in the door with and adjust to what’s been going on behind those locked doors.  Recently, when I showed up, I discovered that...
Perseverance

Perseverance

Perseverance Hello Friend! Even after almost 30 years of visiting incarcerated youth, Jake’s story was shocking to me.  He was…  Smoking weed and drinking alcohol by the age of 6 (provided by his father)  Sexually assaulted by multiple adult men (associates of his...
Building Relationships

Building Relationships

Building relationships. It’s 70 degrees outside.  The sun is shining, and a warm breeze is in the air.  After a long couple of weeks with cold, wet weather, the warm sun was a welcome sight.  I was ready to head inside the juvenile detention center to meet with a...
Never Abandoned

Never Abandoned

Never Abandoned March/April 2022 I recently met with four young men at Linn-Benton County juvenile detention and for a while, it seemed like the themes of abandonment, loss, and confusion…in other words, HOPELESSNESS was going to win out.  Have you ever been in a...
Bringing Hope to the Hopeless

Bringing Hope to the Hopeless

Bringing HOPE to the hopeless. Last week our board approved a new mission statement for Mid-Valley Youth for Christ: “Bringing HOPE to the hopeless”.  What does this mean?  It means we want to offer meaningful HELPFUL service to facility staff,...
With God All Things are Possible

With God All Things are Possible

With God all things are possible.  Matthew 19:26 I’ve had the privilege of observing Jen at work for over 20 years now and I’ve always admired her passion and hopefulness for incarcerated youth.  I’ve frequently felt gratefulness for her drive because the work that...