Transitional Youth Update – Deaf, but by no means dumb.

Personal Story from Transitional Youth Ministries,

Friday, filling in for Daniel our Outreach Director, I took a breather from my constant MBWA managerial style, (Managing By Walking Around). I sat down on one of the chairs up against the wall in the large main room and just looked around.  As I nearly completed a 180 degree sweep of the room, my eyes made contact with a slight, slender boy seated all alone, less than 10 feet from me.  “How’s it going?”  I said.  He acknowledged me with a nod, made a quick swirling motion with his closest hand and pointed at one of his ears.  It registered immediately.  He couldn’t hear a word I’d said.

I quickly moved to his side while at the same time feeling in my pocket for a pen and some paper.  I needn’t have bothered.  He whipped out a spiral ringed note book and we began our conversation.  “Hi, my name is Gary, what’s yours?”  “Charlie”, he wrote and drew a smiley face and words of thanks for coming to ‘talk’.   Not a word was spoken.  I told him of my fondness of his name, saying I have a very close brother with the very same.  We were off and running; or should I say, off and very rapidly writing.  We soon filled the first page and then another and on to the third.

Before I left him to continue my MBWA-ing, I’d arranged an appointment with Juri our Vancouver boys houseparent and am in hopes that in some way we can help facilitate Charlie’s educational and job dreams.   Some of that has already begun.   A pair of volunteers have been picking up youth from the Outreach Center and bringing them to their and my Church, Rolling Hills.  This Sunday they had nine, and Charlie was one of them.

We will continue to have these “Charlie” moments, in spite of our present economic challenges, as long as the support comes in.  We’ve had over a 30% short fall in expenses to receipts, in the past months, so your help is appreciated and needed now more than ever.  Thanks for doing what you can.

How you can help — Special needs include;
For the girls it’s some basic twin bedding sheets, blankets & comforters, but for the guys, maybe frivolous by comparison, they’ve asked if we can help them find a medium sized pool table, flat screen TV and one of the smaller, but not the super small, refrigerators.   Remember too that any unneeded vehicle can be turned into much needed “TY Cash” and provide a nice tax deduction for the donor.

Transitional Youth Ministries,

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