Surviving On Their Own

You have most likely heard the statement that kids in our neighborhood raise themselves. But what does that mean? Does it mean that they are orphans living in boxes on the street? Do you picture parents doing drugs in front of the TV, while the child fixes dinner for himself? Though these situations exist, they represent a very small number.

Take, for example, the way Nes grew up. At age five, his father died. His mother never had anymore children and raised Nes on her own. She never did drugs, always provided his physical needs and taught him right from wrong. She sent him to church and scolded him when he stayed out too late. She gave him chores around the house and found a tutor when he needed help in school. So why does he feel he fended for himself? It certainly was not that she didn’t care or didn’t try.

He tells me he had to figure out most life skills for himself. His mom lacked many resources to pass on to him. She did not attend church regularly or have a healthy spiritual life. His mom lacked a high school education and could not speak English well. He did not have a father.

Look at one of our youth named Samir. His mother worries about her 15 year old son. His father is in jail, and Samir struggles with anger and rage. She has told Nes and I on more than one occasion that she breathes sighs of relief when she knows Samir is hanging out with us. She is very reluctant to come to church. Please pray that she will surrender herself to God. Without Him she just doesn’t know what to do with Samir and lacks the resources to figure it out.

Still, God has showered His grace on this young man. His brain is a sponge and he takes in every bible study lesson. He has been consistently involved in Timoteo football, Sunday school and helps us with our kids and our garden. He is surviving because God is working in him.
We praise God for defying the worldly odds with many of our youth. And we pray for them to receive the resources that their parents didn’t have.

Samir is pictured above on the far right next to Mike and Danielle.