What do you do with a kid who runs away from home? If you’re the police and you pick them up you would probably bring them back to their parent. What if the parent says, “I can’t handle this kid, they’re crazy.” What do you do?
“Kate’s” story started like that. Running away from home, picked up, and subsequently put into a mental institution by her mom.
After her stint in the institution she still couldn’t, or wouldn’t, go home. That’s how Ortie at Youth For Christ came to know her. Ortie is a grandma, passionately loves Jesus, has her church home with Cross City and is a Youth For Christ Ministry Intern ministering to girls in group homes.
Over their time together Kate’s been making changes. She started going to church and professes belief in Jesus. But you and I know that life with Jesus is a process and while we can be different, our circumstances may take a while to change.
The day before Easter Kate went to church with Ortie and while she was gone the other girls in the group home broke into her stuff, stole her journal and read it. That night they wanted to jump Kate for the things she had journaled. The staff kept her in their office and called the police to protect her. It was decided Kate had to leave the home and transfer to a new group home.
So it was on Easter morning that a case worker called Ortie: “Would you take Kate for a while so we can transfer her stuff?” When a kid is the guardian of the state, you don’t just get to take them, usually at all, let alone anywhere. But they trusted Ortie and valued her as a partner so much that they called her for help. On Easter!
Ortie picked up Kate and brought her to her own house with her entire family for an Easter get-together. “Best Easter ever,” Kate said.
Ortie shared with Kate God’s favor upon her and the miracle that she could even be picked up. She shared how she and the other adults in her life are on the same team and working together. And, importantly, she shared how she loves her enough to tell her the truth about things that still need to change, just like she would her own kids. I think Kate appreciated the honesty and the tough love because as they were leaving Kate saw the family photos on the wall and asked Ortie when she was going to put her own photo up.
It’s a sign of trust that the group home’s would reach out to Ortie.
It’s a sign of trust that a kid who wanted to runaway now wants a permanent home to stay in.
And, it’s a sign of trust in God that Kate now wants to be baptized.
God is using Ortie to connect this kid to His family and to bring light and love to spots that still need it. “By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14
Together. For Every Kid. One At A Time.
* Intentionally there are no pictures with this story
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