Hope. We think of it as an intangible emotion, but the truth is, you can see it when a child has hope. And you can certainly see it when a child does not.
Because of your support of Youth Haven, we often have the privilege of watching a child who doesn’t have hope transform into a child who does. As we meet their needs, engage them in fun activities, show them persistent, patient love, and introduce them to the love of Christ, the slumped shoulders begin to straighten. The clouded eyes begin to sparkle. And the smiles begin to appear.
So many of our kids come to us from extremely difficult circumstances. They’re not sure how to respond to the hurt they’re experiencing right now or look to the future with any kind of joy or anticipation. If we don’t show them life can be different, they’ll be caught up in the cycle of poor decisions and harmful behavior.
We know the only hope that can truly help them break free from all of that is the hope of Jesus Christ. When they discover they are worth dying for, that He is always with them, and that He has a plan and purpose for their lives, it changes everything.
We could not offer them that life-changing hope without you! Your support enables us to provide our programs for disadvantaged children free of charge. That’s critical to our mission, because we serve a group of kids who wouldn’t be able to pay to participate. At the same time, our programs are not funded by state or federal support.
I’m incredibly grateful for your partnership with us. Every story you read in this newsletter is possible only because friends like you give, volunteer, and pray for us and the kids. Thank you for giving disadvantaged children hope for the future!
Your Mission Partner,
Lars Carlson, President & CEO