Friends
Mostly our blogs are about kid stories and reaching the youth of Tacoma and Pierce County, but this time I wanted to share my heart a bit, kind of like a real blog – just share. I started on staff almost 5 years ago with a mission to reach young people who were incarcerated in Tacoma. I didn’t know what i was getting into, I just know God had called me to youth and to YFC. Little did I know that God was about to massively interrupt my idea of ministry – as I met many broken youth from Tacoma, my heart was radically touched and I was overwhelmed with the need for Christ to pour out mercy. The journey had begun – I was alone in my initial mission (except for the Lord) but by God’s grace and his love he began to do miraculous works in the lives of many of these youth and he began to draw volunteers and team mates across my path. God has continued to draw his people together and has birthed City Life, SOZO, Late Night, SOZO kids, Wilson, Jason Lee and Foss and many kids have been reached with the Gospel and love of Christ.
Recently, one of our early volunteers who later became a staff member, Chrisy Wachtler – was promoted to be the Juvenile Justice Ministry Director. I am so proud to have worked with such an amazing woman of God for the past four years and am so encouraged to see her receive her leadership mantle here. She is a gifted leader and the fruit from her life as evidenced in the lives of countless youth in Tacoma has been off the charts. I am so blessed to have been able to work with, lead and empower such a Godly leader.
So let this blog be about how excited I am to see Chrisy become the director and leader that I have always know she is – thank you for your support of this ministry and for the lives of youht and Leaders who have been affected through your support. God bless
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?“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Eph 1:4-5).
A couple weeks ago I attended something that was surprisingly emotional… I got to take part in an official adoption process at Remann Hall Juvenile Court. One of our original youth from Sozo and Late Night, Michael Toycen, was adopted at 16 years of age.
After his mom died at age 8, Michael had been in-and-out of over 16 foster homes. In addition to the heart-wrenching pain of losing your mother, Michael had lived his entire life in pain from feeling unwanted and unloved.
Today I had a deeper understanding of the scriptures that talk about God’s ultimate love for us: adoption. Before Christ, I was just like Michael—Fatherless and without hope. But God, in His infinite love and mercy, chose me to be His son. God the Father, the creator of the universe, chose me to be a member of His family and share in all His blessings.
Michael no longer wonders if he’s loved; when he was adopted he became their son—a permanent member of the family. When Jesus died on the cross, we were given the invitation to be adopted as God’s son…and permanently join His family and share in His inheritance. And like Michael, we never have to wonder ever again if we’re loved. God demonstrated His love for us while we were still sinners and then He adopted us.
Doug Jonson, City Life
Appendix A: Michael moved to Puyallup 1 ½ years ago and is now a junior at Rogers High School. He is very involved with JROTC, and is enlisting in the Coast Guard upon graduation. He is a lifeguard at the YMCA and saved his first life last week. His mentor from Sozo, Chris Roberts, has faithfully loved him and mentored him ever since Michael started attending Sozo Discipleship.
Appendix B: Sarah Snodgrass and Karen Groves, part of the YFC Foster Care team, were at the Courthouse when I arrived to participate in the adoption between one of their families and their foster child. What an amazing ministry they have! They truly exemplify God’s heart on a daily basis (James 1:27).
This last week the YFC foster care staff was fortunate enough to attend that YFC Pacific Northwest Regional Conference in Cannon Beach. We had the opportunity to spend three days on the beach and being re-energized by National YFC staff members. A focus of the retreat was the calling that we feel to the youth in our community. I feel completely blessed to work with a staff that doesn’t work here for a paycheck or because they need a job, we work here because we have been called by God to work with the youth in our community.
We were challenged by Brian Muchmore, Seattle YFC Executive Director to work for the impossible with a God that is in the impossibility business! I love that statement and it is what I keep telling myself as challenges come that I think are impossible.
Below are a few highlights from the 5 case managers!
YFC Case Managers – Charisa, Sarah, Anna, Ciara and Katie. 
YFC Motto “Anchored to the Rock, Geared to the Times”.
YFC Case Manager Ciara, Katie, Sarah and Charisa.
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This past Sunday I was with Trinity Church of Pierce County, that great body of believers located just next to REI with the sign “Jesus Cares for You”. They are fantastic ministry partners with Tacoma YFC, always willing to jump into the ministry with us, help with Parenting Workshops, host our Foster Care monthly support dinner, financially bless YFC…and so much more.
I felt as though I was a family member coming home–greeted at the door with a hug and handshake, pulled aside to be prayed over and encouraged endlessly. Pastor Rollie Simmons continue
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Last Sunday night Dwayne Parker and the SOZO Soljaz held a special CD release party at the Vault in downtown Tacoma. The SOZO Soljaz is a group of young people involved in our City Life ministry who are using their God given musical talents to praise God and tell others of how He rescued them. What’s especially unique is continue
Coming into foster care at age 13, loosing everything that is familiar, all family and friends and any cultural ties, is devastating to a teenage girl. Sara moved into one of our foster home over 4 years ago, at the beginning of 9th grade. She was very quiet, withdrawn and shy. Through many hours spent talking with Sara I got to know her pretty, she is smart, funny, sarcastic and very thoughtful. She has found a home at YFC and considers her foster parents as real parents.
Sara didn’t care that she was going to be a fifth year senior in high school or that she had failed a number of classes each year. Failure was easier to handle than hoping and wishing for good in her life. Sara never tried to set her sights high about her future, she was hopeless. Along came her social worker that wasn’t willing to let this smart, bright, young girl fall through the cracks of foster care. She met with her every month always asking the right question and staying on top of Sara’s education and goals. Her worker pushed her to take running start exams and look into some college programs. Sara has always thought about going into the cosmetology program but did not think it could or would ever happen. Sara passed the running start exams and was enrolled in running start and the cosmetology program at Clover Park.
A few weeks ago we spent the day walking around learning the campus, going to the bookstore, and getting her parking pass, on the way to our celebratory lunch Sara said quietly, “I never thought I’d go to college”. I told her I knew she would, that she is a smart girl and has a bright future a head of her. The foster mom has noted that Sara is now walking around the house with her shoulder back in confidence saying “I’m a college student, school is going to be hard but I’m a college student.” We have seen a dramatic change in this teen, what can a little push in the right direction do for other kids?
Sara knows the road is not going to be easy and that she has a lot of work to do but she is excited about what her future holds!!
by Anna Benson
