15 year old JD came into Remman hall this summer with a life experience of tragic loss.  A few years ago JD experienced a horrible loss when he was living with his Mom, brothers, and sisters in California.  A house fire destroyed everything they owned and JD lost two of his younger siblings in the fire.  His mom had to send him to live with his grandparents for a couple of years in a rural area of the state.  While JD was with his grandparents, he did well in school and excelled on the football field as a running back.  This was a good environment for him to grow up in as he was loved and encouraged and even went to church with his grandparents.  Eventually, JD’s mom was able to buy a house in Lakewood, Washington and JD moved to the Tacoma area.

Coming to Tacoma was difficult for JD, he soon found himself running with some shady characters that encouraged him to do drugs and commit crime.  One night, JD and some of his friends decided to rob a house of people they knew.  The attempted robbery went bad quickly and JD ran out of the house before he had a chance to grab anything.  The police were already on the scene and JD was caught after he jumped a fence.  As a result of the circumstances of the crime, JD found himself with serious charges and was promptly booked into Remann hall for an undetermined amount of time.  

The first time I saw him was in a Wednesday night chapel service, I was immediately drawn to his genuine smile when I greeted him at the door to the room.  Throughout the entire teaching time he was engaged and attentive.  At the end he boldly made a decision to give up his old life and live for Jesus!  Without hesitation JD took the truth of the gospel and ran with it.  He immediately started reading the bible and began to grasp spiritual truths very quickly.  

One day I walked into JD’s pod and saw him writing to his parole officer looking quite discouraged.   He shared with me his struggle to be heard and his frustration with how his case was going.  He told me had been pouring all through his bible looking for something that would bring him encouragement!  I was struck by his hunger for the word of God to comfort him and I talked to him about the importance of faith in the face of trails and suffering.  After I left, I had no idea if anything I said stuck, but since that time, I have seen the Spirit of God do nothing short of a miracle in this young man’s life! 

JD takes advantage of every opportunity to go to church and is even memorizing scripture.  Every week that we see JD he declares that he wants to encounter Jesus more and more!  I recently felt prompted to give him one of my favorite books “The pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer.  Although he struggled to understand some of the words used in the book, he read it twice, and has even been memorizing the prayers at the end of the chapters.  I would have never understood this book at 15 years of age!  God has gifted JD with an incredible mind and a dynamic hunger for Jesus.  JD radiates the joy of God whenever I see him and he continues to grow in wisdom and in the knowledge of the Word.  He even desires to worship the Lord and has begun to write lyrics of praise!  I am so excited to see what God has next for JD as He raises him up as a leader in this next generation.

John Dorsey – JJM Volunteer

During our chapel time, our Juvenile Justice Ministry Director preached an amazing message on the love Christ. She painted a picture of how the Lord loves us right where we’re at, right now.

Four of the girls wanted to pray with someone, to acknowledge before the Lord their need of him, their desire to live for him in a new way. I got to pray with Alisha, an amazing young women who will lead many more to the cross in her lifetime. She wanted to be right with God but, in her words, she’s just a piece of S**T. She didn’t feel good enough, she knew she didn’t have enough strength to live freely and stand firm in the face of temptation, so she didn’t want to start something she knew she couldn’t finish. I got to share with her the Good News! No one deserves to be made right with God, none deserve anything from our Father, but it’s the desire of his heart to bless us anyway. He doesn’t expect us live perfectly, but rejoices when we take a step forward rather than become angry when we take a step back, and he loves to strengthen us. He only requires that we ask! Alicia decided to accept these truths about God and pray her first prayer! In the days following, she was in the scripture, full of hope and a growing understanding of her new Dad and who she is as His very own daughter. The power of the Lord to transform a person was on display that evening, and it was a glorious spectacle! Praise the Lord!

Robyn Buchanan, JJM Intern

Jared is only 16 years old, and from Tacoma. I’ve been seeing him for a few months, since he’s been in jail. His father was an infamous gangster who raised Jared up in a lifestyle of drugs, violence, and anger. During Bible study one day, God spoke very clearly to Jared about how Jesus came to give him life and loves him! I taught on how the enemy used gangs in my life, testified to how Christ rescued me, and told him with authority that the enemy is pimpin’ and punkin’ him out of his life and away from his soul. Jared asked how he could get Christ in his life, and received Jesus as Lord and Savior. There was an instant change, a shift towards freedom and life. Jared was placed on honors status, coming to bible study every week, and started influencing the other young men in his pod.  They are all on honors status, which is not usual. I was able to meet his mom and tell her how proud I am, and testify to the change I’ve seen. She noticed the same changes in his life. Jared’s mom called recently to say that a rival gang member who is suspected for murdering one of Jared’s best friends, had come into Remann Hall. Jared was very angry and nervous about what would go down in jail with the rival. I challenged him to forgiveness, and brought the truth. The enemy was tempting him, he’s after him to destroy him, and I warned him about the way he would lose if he agreed with the lies and the enemy. I prayed for him, asked for the Spirit of Peace to flood him and rebuked a spirit of anger. I’m still walking with Jared, celebrating the marked change in his life since he met Jesus.

Dwayne Parker – Bishop Freeze

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

I walked into the girl’s pod of Remann Hall this Saturday afternoon.  There were ten girls sitting at tables doing various activities. One girl in particular caught my eye. She did not seem to fit in here. Her dark brown eyes stared at me watching my every move as if she was screaming at me from behind them, “Somebody,get me out of here! Can you help me, please?”  I greeted some girls I already knew and eventually made my way to sit at her table and begin to talk with her.  “Hi I’m Chrisy, what’s your name?” I asked. “Likeisha.” It was her first time in Remann Hall and around the type of girls housed in juvenile detention. Her eyes welled with tears and we went to sit in the conference room where she could feel free to share in privacy. She began to share her story, her current situation, and the things she has been dealing with in her life.  Often the girls who are in there for their first time or for domestic violence or running away can have a hard time adjusting to being comfortable just hanging out with some of the harder girls. Some of the ones who are in for more obvious and scary things like: gang violence, drug dealing, prostitution, or robbery. When a girl feels like she is alone and scared it is a great time to reach out and give her someone to talk to and listen. God also provides ways to share about Jesus’s love for them, and his desire to heal, and comfort them.

            Likeisha is now sixteen. Her mom is and has been a meth addict for many years. As long as she can remember there were drugs made in the home and used in the home. Her house has always had many people coming and going. Likeisha’s childhood was filled with abuse and neglect. Her dad left when she was four, her mom abandoned her fully a year ago and she is living with a family member. She’s helped raise her younger brother her entire life. Despite her rough circumstances and the odds being against her, she managed to get a job, a driver’s license and is doing well in school. 

            I asked her what she wants to do with her life. She shared in the most compassionate yet fierce voice, “I want to ADVOCATE for children…I want to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.” I prayed for her, we talked of her purpose and God’s love for her, and she expressed her desire to live her life for God and all He had for her. In the midst of her brokenness and hurt she began to call upon God to help her, to save her and to comfort her. She is a beautiful young lady filled with great potential. Likeisha and young ladies like her have fought through hell just to be alive. It is a GOOD NEWS indeed to share with them of GOD’s amazing LOVE and purpose for them. Most of the time that kind of love is the last thing they have been told in their life.  It is an awesome privelege to get to meet these girls, talk and listen to them and hear their stories. What a blessing to get to speak words of truth and to pray. It is so fun to see their lives change before our very eyes as God imparts FAITH for them to TRUST and FOLLOW HIM. Thank you for sharing in the lives of kids like Likeisha. Chrisy Wachtler, JJM

Millie, Air and Miranda Celebrating Millie's Graduation

            Millie began her personal relationship with Jesus while living at the house, and shared one night how she realized he had been with her through everything, and that she could trust Him. She had always struggled to trust and believe and never thought she would be able to trust others or God. However, God had been showing himself to her for many months and she could now see that He had her best in mind and she needed Him. Millie left the House of Dreams this past October as she moved down to Vancouver Washington with her family to take a break from Tacoma for a while.  She enrolled in her fourth high school with graduation in her sights.

            The road was still not easy for her as she had a tough fight this past winter. Not long after moving, one of her closest friends was murdered in Tacoma. Millie took it really hard and began to question her life and what it meant. She also had a run in with the law herself for shoplifting, and even began to consider ending her life.  But Millie again reached out for help with her new family in Tacoma (her YFC friends and mentors) and to God. As a result, she kept on persevering.

            She walked across the stage last night beaming from ear to ear – I and some of her friends from Tacoma were there to celebrate with her. As they announced her name, she was handed her diploma, hugging the authorities of her school. SHE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL! Graduation is an amazing accomplishment for a young woman who has had to fight for everything in life, including surviving a traumatic birth into the world. She is also seeing how God is and has been fighting on her behalf along with others who God has brought into her life. She understands now that she is not alone. Millie also knows that not every fight will end in failure. She is seeing VICTORY one step at a time and she can now see her FUTURE. She has a goal of starting and finishing college. WE LOVE YOU MILLIE!!! We are so PROUD OF YOU! – Chrisy Wachtler, JJM

Air continues to fight through and walk in victory as she hungers after God.  Last week she came to Kids SOZO to help out with the K-5th graders and was teaching little kids how to double dutch (jump rope!!) Air was glowing the entire night.  Little girls would approach her and look up and say, “Air, can you teach me how to double dutch?” She would just look down at them with a huge smile, and say, “sure.”  Air couldn’t stop talking about her night on the way home.  She shared how she met some brothers and sisters and one of their names was Philip.  Philip was playing with two squirt guns he’d won as prizes, he pretended to shoot his sister and then blew the tip of the gun like he saw people do in the movies. Air laughed but then was reminded of her friend Philip who was murdered this past November.  It wasn’t funny anymore that he knew so much at a young age about guns.  She was encouraged that he was at Kid SOZO and would have the opportunity to grow up receiving love on Friday nights and learning who he is in God’s eyes.  She got to know Philip that night along with his two sisters.  Philip’s sisters performed a cheer they made that night that ended with the line, “put a little SOZO in it.”  The little girls just glowed as they performed for Air, and she smiled and applauded and encouraged them. One of the sisters shared with her that she had not made the dance team and that she couldn’t really dance that good. Air said, “that’s funny, because you are an amazing dancer,” and Air continued to speak encouragement to the young girl. Air is growing very much in God and is desiring more and more to love others with the love she’s received from Christ.

          We’re so thankful for what God is doing in her life and the lives of her family. Her mom is coming to SOZO every week now… along with her younger 2 brothers consistently. Her mom drives the whole family there and you can see her softening toward God each time. Mister, Air’s 18 yr old brother, Air, and Bishop Freeze have been getting together to work on songs together and read the bible. It’s so fun see them both growing and trusting God.

          God is faithful to complete what he starts. Thank you God for not leaving us how we were when we first came to know you. Chrisy Wachtler, City Life and JJM

Niesha is a 16 year old mom of a 6 month old. I met her in Remann Hall 2 months ago. She had been prostituting in Tacoma up until she came to Remann Hall.  We recently had the Power Team come to visit Remann Hall and they did their show and shared a meesage of hope and love.  Over forty kids responded with a desire to change and declaring that they want to live their lives for Christ! Niesha was one of those young people. Below is a copy of a letter Niesha wrote to God the night following the Power Team event in Remann Hall:

“I am a sinner in need of a savior. I know that you are the one that can take me from how I am right now and make it better. I have needed you for so long but was not ready to fully accept you into my life. I wanted to have my cake and eat it too. However I have learned that unless I am ready to fully accept you into my life then I shouldn’t play around with you. So I am coming to you now Lord, as your daughter, as a child in need of your guidance, asking for you to come into my life Lord Jesus. For you to allow me to be one with you as you are with God. The Bible says in Jeremiah 33:3 that if I call on you, you will answer me and show me great and mighty things which I do not know. Well I am calling on your name asking you to give me another chance to be all I can be Lord. This time I am ready. No turning back now, AMEN!!”

Thank you again for sharing in the life of girls like Neisha – Chrisy Wachtler

I’ve been coming to Remann Hall every Monday for three months now, and last night was the first time I’ve met Teresa. I sat behind her, so couldn’t see her outward responses to the powerful message of healing and hope that Katie and Chrisy were bringing to the girls. All I know is that God kept putting her on my heart to ask Him to give her a true heart connect with what they were saying.

            After the chapel service, Chrisy and Katie gave an invitation to respond to the message, and even then, there was no outward reaction from Teresa until the room had emptied out, and then Teresa came back in! She wanted me to say a prayer, she said, for her younger cousin who is constantly in the hospital with various illnesses, and is currently in ICU with an RSV virus. We talked about the reality that words have the power of life and death and the power of talking to Jesus out loud, so Teresa took a step of faith to pray her own simple prayer, asking Jesus to heal her cousin! After we prayed, Teresa began to relate to me the injustice of her current sentence in Remann Hall, and I told her, Teresa, do you know that God wants to know you so much that hell allow something to happen that seems unfair or harsh just so he can create an opportunity for you to encounter him?

            I began to share with her the desire God has to have a relationship with her and showed her different bible verses that explained the reality of the junk of our lives separating us from even knowing what a friendship with God could be like, but then showed her what some of the promises of that friendship are. Teresa’s mouth formed a smile as she realized that there could be joy and peace and hope in her life if she would turn away from trying to control her own life and turn toward Jesus and believe that he is the only one who can heal the wounds of her heart so when I asked her, What’s your response to these words from the bible I’m reading with you and what I’m telling you? Teresa’s looked at me and said, I want to open the door to Him so he can come in and change my life! So Teresa took another outward step of faith and she prayed her own simple declaration to Jesus, admitting she has tried to control her life and now wanted God to change her. We laughed together before I left, agreeing that she had come to Remann Hall angry at being locked up, and now she can’t deny that God pretty much just set her up to receive his love. Sometimes God just lets something happen, good or bad, to create an opportunity for us to hear the truth about his love for us. Teresa was willing to see and receive God’s calling to her. What a joy to be a part of this ministry. Michelle Renich (Remann Hall volunteer)

My name is Kayleanna Escalante and I have been very familiar with Remann Hall (Pierce County Juvenile Court) and being locked up. I have a lot of experience with the police and none of it was good. I had been arrested three times for stealing, before I was eleven years old. When I turned twelve I actually got locked for the first time for assault 4 and Malicious Mischief. My criminal history folder is thick; thicker than any of my friends. When I would get locked up, I didn’t care – it had just become a thing to do for me. By the time I was sixteen, I had been locked up more than thirty times in Remann Hall. Finally when I was sixteen, I got sent up to Naselle Youth Camp to serve an eight month sentence for Assault, Theft and Fraud. At the time, I had been using drugs, involved and affiliated with gangs, regular thefts and assaulting others including police officers. I didn’t listen to anyone, including friends and especially adults. I only did whatever I wanted to and no one could tell me different.

            When I first met some volunteers from Youth for Christ, I did not like them. I would not listen, I was disruptive and they banned me from their chapel services because I would try to turn others against them. I would get out of jail and not really care and then I would get locked up again. Every time, I would see the YFC people there and they were always nice to me. Finally one of them, Charlotte would leave the classroom and come into our POD and talk to us. She seemed willing to do that and to listen to us even though she didn’t have to. She was real and it seemed like she really wanted to know us. Soon after that, I met another person names Chrisy and she smiled and played guitar and when she sang, I really felt a release inside. I love music and it hit me and my walls that I had put up began to come down. After that I began to attend chapel and learn a lot each time. I usually brought all the other girls from my POD to chapel.

             The volunteers from YFC were so nice and they listened to me and then would give me advice. I listened because I knew they cared and respected me. Other adults had come and gone in my life and had tried to tell me what to do, but I never listened because they did not understand me, this was different. I used to try to ask the YFC volunteers tricky questions to see if they would be real or not and their answers were always “on point.” After getting to know them, I began to hang out with the YFC people once I got out of Remann Hall. At first I mainly went because they had free food. But after awhile, I asked one of them, Chrisy to be my mentor – I told her that she was the one I wanted and no one else. I had had so many counselors and probation people speak to me, but I never felt connected to them in a real way. I had trouble having a mentor who was involved in my discipline (court people, etc) because I never could be real around them. I couldn’t trust them. I was looking for a friend and someone I could look up to. Chrisy looked so happy and inside I was sad and hurting. I felt like giving up many times, but on the outside I would try to seem happy. Chrisy started to meet with me and talk about my life and where I was headed.

            Once I had finished my eight months at Naselle, I began to spend a lot of time with Chrisy. She helped me get a job and would try to help me focus on my future and the hope that was ahead. Soon after, I got a chance to go to summer camp with the SOZO and YFC people. Not long after we got back, I got locked up again. Instead of getting sent back up again, I got a second chance.

            After that last time, things have really been changing for me. I am not always keeping everything inside and pushing everyone away. I have a mentor and friend I can call anytime who will give me direction. I have so many resources through my mentor: jobs, school, someone to listen to me. I have found out who I am and what is ahead in my future. I now have hope to deal with problems, when they come up. I am so encouraged by so many people that have come around me through Youth for Christ. I feel like I have a big family. They help me identify obstacles that have come against me in my past so that I can look forward to my future with hope.

            Recently, I have been helping others. It makes me feel good to help other people and now I have a chance to do that more. I am no longer quiet. When I walk down the street and see others, I say “hi” to people and try to make them smile. I am no longer just in my own little selfish world anymore. I have been trying to help other girls out of prostitution and gangs. I listen to them and encourage them, the way I was encouraged. I am trying to help my sister and family as well. I have a list of twelve people that I focus on to encourage them and point them in the right direction. A lot of them are younger girls who are in the same place I used to be, except some of them are worse because of how bad the streets are now.

            Now I see why there is a reason for authority. It has been good for me to listen to where other people are coming from. I listen and listen to get the full picture and understand more clearly where people are coming from. Before, I was always, “you’re wrong and I am right!” I used to have anger out of control. I now know it is not worth it to take my anger out on other people, so now I see how decisions put my future on hold and keep me from growing and developing the way I should. I now deal with my anger the way my mentor has taught me, and with God’s help, I get through without exploding.

            It makes me feel great to know I have someone who is there to listen to me and care for me. I have a purpose for my life now that I didn’t see prior to having someone to walk with me. I love helping others get out of there old lives, just the way I have. I care about others and I really want to see them make it out of lives of crime, drugs, prostitution and hopelessness. I understand what they have been through and I want them to know they can overcome the old ways in new positive ways. Thank you for listening to me.

Sincerely,

Kayleanna Escalante

JJM Mentee of Youth for Christ/Tacoma