Boys and Girls in an Adult World

The kids I see always walk around tough.  They've got their swag, they've got their bling, nothing can hurt them.  Or so they would want to have us believe.  At first glance the kids I work with seem wise beyond their years.  They seem like they know how to handle the world and all that it throws at them.  But when you scratch the surface just a little, you find a boy or a girl who's scared and broken.


The kids I see are just boys and girls in adult world.  They've been exposed to situations and issues no child or person should ever face.  They've had to deal with poverty, abuse, assault, addictions, crime, murder and more. They've seen things no child should ever see.  They know things no child should ever know.  They often raise themselves and are forced to mature faster than they should.

Why is it an eight year old girl knows the details of a murder behind her building.  Details that they cops might not even know?  How are ten year olds more street smart than most adults that I know?  I admire the kids for their determination to "make it".  But in the end, they're just kids.  They're forced to deal with adult issues without the maturity or guidance to handle them properly.  They try to handle it.  But they're just kids.

Take them away for a weekend and their shoulders drop.  They feel safe and don't have to worry about what they're going to eat next.  They don't have to look over their shoulders or carry the burdens of their family.  For a few hours they can just be kids.  They laugh, they smile, they play.  It's no wonder many of the kids want to live at Camp Good News all year.



I know we can't take them away forever and I can't take them all home with me, but I'm thankful for the moments we have to be God's love to them.  For some, it will be enough to soften their hearts to make a difference.

 Your partnership in this ministry is what makes this possible.  Your prayers, your financial support make a difference.