Purpose

(Pictured above, part of our small group of older boys, at the boys' restoration home 'El Camino').

2 years ago, at the boys' home El Camino, we saw the need to deepen & improve discipleship with the guys, and felt like a small group format was the right step to help achieve that. So now we've divided the boys into 3 groups at the home basically by age. Patty is over the youngest boys, (under 13); our friend & ministry partner Roberto works w/ the middle-aged boys (13-16); and Larry ministers to the older boys (17-21).

Tuesday nights are our small group nights, & overall it's been a tremendous success. The smaller audience groups the boys w/ peers their own age, & enables them to talk about & go to what the bible says about real issues, problems, & insecurities they're dealing with everyday. Years of having to survive on the streets, has hardened the boys & many have expressed feelings of great loneliness, despite being around caretakers & other kids 24/7. Part of the idea of the small groups is to create (or restore) TRUE community & friendship within the home. We've begun by trying to shed light on 'normal' teenage issues, going against the internal notion that most harbor, that they're the ONLY ONES feeling what they're feeling, struggling w/ what they're struggling w/ etc. The goal is to inspire the guys to follow Jesus from a young age. Part of that is linked to them releasing & being honest about some of the intense inner conflict that almost all of us feel during adolescence, & allowing their roommates/peers the space to do the same. So far we've been able to tackle issues ranging from honesty to sexuality to decision-making and now . . . Purpose.

We're using Rick Warren's, 'Purpose Driven Life,' as a tool to look at what God's Word says to questions about who we are? & what we're created for? The older boys just finished the little over 7 week/40 day study & it's been a wonderful eye opener for all of us. The boys are maturing & asking great questions, beginning to see their lives past, present & future from a more Godly perspective; & are being challenged to rethink a lot of what they believe about themselves, God, His world & His plans for their future.