Dear Friends,
“He (Jesus) took a little child whom He placed among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” -Mark 9:36-37 (NIV). The Message version puts it this way, “He put the child in the middle of the room. Then cradling the little one in his arms, He said, ‘Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me and far more than me—God who sent me.’”
I remember a song we sang in Sunday School when I was a little kid, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world….” Jesus loves kids, all kids. When He was on earth, He blessed them. He warned anyone against bringing harm to a child. He even told adults that they couldn’t enter the Kingdom of heaven unless they had faith like a child.
At DRM we love and care for children who are experiencing one of the hardest times in their short lives. We do this because Jesus did, and He commands us to, as well. We have tiny infants and high school students and every age in between.
These children did not ask to experience homelessness. Growing up in this world is hard enough—imagine having to do it while experiencing this kind of difficulty.
Yet every single day the staff at DRM welcome all these children in Jesus’ name. They care for them, tutor them, take them on field trips, and do their best to help them feel like kids, regular kids.
These children are a blessing! Last Thanksgiving our staff put up a gratitude tree. Anyone could take a paper leaf, write down something they were thankful for and then put it on the tree. Here are some of the things kids wrote down.
“I’m thankful for my family, school and God for giving us food and a roof over us.”
“I am thankful for my mom, dad, teachers. And most importantly God!”
Faith like a child. Thank you for making it possible for us to serve and care for these kids! We simply could not do this without your prayers and financial support. The need has never been greater, but God is greater than any need. Thank you for allowing God to use you in supporting this ministry!
Grace and peace,
Dennis Van Kampen
President/CEO
This post is part of August’s Changing Lives Newsletter. This month, we’re sharing how the Mission’s Youth Center is a safe haven for children and their families as they transition out of homelessness in: It Takes a Village.
