Changing the Narrative One Kid at a Time

When I began working at the Youth Opportunity Center, I knew I was in for a challenge. I quickly learned that I was up against a different challenge than I originally anticipated.

I was expecting about 15-20 kids. I started with 10 which quickly turned into a little over 40. I thought, “How and why are there so many kids in the system and what can I do to help them change the narrative?”. 

My greatest challenge was the quick turnover of kids and not having enough time with them. Although my time spent with them was short, it was still just enough to sow a seed.

In my second week my heart was burdened by a note I received in our prayer box. It said, “I pray to not wake up anymore.” After praying for this kid and spending time building a relationship with him, his mindset has been transformed. Here we are 5 months later, and the same kid shared that the high of his week was ” I’m thankful for church. I look forward to every Tuesday”. He also now calls me mom.