Last fall, YBGR had a readmission of a youth named Heidi*. She had discharged a couple months prior from the residential treatment program, and things had deteriorated quickly after she went home. She seemed embarrassed to be back and said she felt like a failure. At YoungLife Club, held every other week in the Chapel, Chaplain John Boeder could tell that she was feeling pain and frustration and asked if he could pray for her. She said, “Yes.” After talking a little more, she asked, “Could you stop by the lodge sometime? I would really like to talk to you about Jesus. I have some questions.” John told her he would schedule a time soon. As Heidi left for lunch, John began reading through the prayer requests that the kids had filled out, and there was a note from Heidi saying, “Don’t forget to stop by the lodge. 😊 – Heidi”.
It made his heart smile knowing that sometimes it isn’t always adults pursuing relationships with the kids. Some of these kids are doing everything they can to reach out and build positive relationships that will ultimately help them achieve their treatment goals. Heidi and John have had several discussions about Jesus and her growing faith which helped her build confidence and coping skills. Heidi has now discharged from YBGR and is attending her first semester of college, majoring in social services. She hopes her life experiences can help her better serve other kids who face many of those same challenges.
*For the privacy of the youth served at the Ranch, names have been changed. Image(s) shown here are a representation of those served at the Ranch.
