John came in a torn T shirt and shoes that were much too large for his size. These two items were the only things he owned. John was bitter young man with a history of severe neglect and rejection. With no significant adult in his life, and no family, it was easy to understand why he always wore a scowl on his face and why his attitude towards everyone was so awful.

Today, John, through some very difficult therapy sessions, has turned his life around. He is enrolled in a local GED program and hopes to attend college someday. He has worked through his bitterness and his overall attitude has improved dramatically. John is currently employed in our community and is proud to be working alongside adults that he has learned to trust.

Upon coming to our children’s home, Tom was so angry and alienated that his behavior kept him from attending public school. Tom would not cooperate with anyone. His only discernible interest, and considerable talent, was baseball.

Through this medium a relationship was built with a children’s home staff member. After untold hours of catch and hitting fly balls, coupled with consistent dis­cipline, Tom became accustomed to civilized living.

Tom entered public school and after a few false starts became successful there. When he found that it was possible to trust some adults, his behavior became the direct opposite of what it had been.

Now Tom was anxious to please and became a positive leader among the other residents. Tom left the children’s home, and became gain­fully employed. He is now married and has a daughter. He is living in another city and is successfully working as a landscaper.

Joel is fourteen and has lost contact with both parents. Authorities brought him to our care early last summer after finding him living in a vacant garage. (Joel is not his real name).

"I´ve always been a quick learner” That’s what Joel told his case worker. "When I was little, Dad would always slap Mom & me when we did something wrong. I learned real fast not to do the things he didn´t like. When Mom took me and we drove away from home, I learned that Mom needed someone to listen to her. I learned to beg for food in grocery stores - because we didn´t have enough money to buy much. I learned how to get by. And, when Mom stopped coming home at night I learned how to take care of myself."

What Joel didn´t learn were the things most children learn in school. Oh, he went to school when they lived in one place long enough - but he was never encouraged and inspired to learn more.

Can you imagine how alone Joel must feel?

Can you imagine how incapable Joel felt when the new school year began last September?

And yet, Joel is making progress in his therapy here:

He is learning to deal with his feelings of abandonment.

He is learning to follow structure in his chores and school work.

He is beginning to be able to trust the people around him.

What about Joel´s future? Joel tells me his is afraid to leave here - this is the first place he has ever felt safe; and he´s really not ready yet to trust people he has not met. We´re working on that. . . and believe he will be able to go to a foster home sometime in the fall. He´s doing really well in school, and just needs to work on trusting people. His mom´s leaving him really hurt him.