Lee and Dana Trotter
Prescott Community
Outreach
October 2017
We just returned from attending the Christian Community Development Conference inspired and
ready to love our neighbors more than ever! I returned to a long to do list of getting ready for a
work day to replace some flooring at the church, a clothing give-away, and a Harvest Fest trunk or
treat event.
La Paz House is going well. The atmosphere has changed a little. When we opened up for the fall,
we started with some behavior issues. I planned a parents meeting to deal with it. We told the kids
that they were not allowed to come back to La Paz House unless their parent came to the meeting
and signed a behavior contract. We figure this will help us develop relationship with more of the
parents and help the kids be accountable for the way they act. The only problem was that with all
my efforts to send notes home with the kids, put a letter in their mailbox, and text most of them,
only one parent showed up to the meeting. I was disappointed, but not too surprised. Getting
anything going or organized has been much harder in urban areas than when we were ministering
in the suburbs. On to Plan B. The next day, when La Paz House was to open, I left the door locked
and sat in front to meet the kids and tell them they could not attend until I personally met with their
parent. Half a dozen moms came walking up the road with their youth to talk to me and fill out the
permission form. A few of my worst behaving kids have not been back, which is a little
disappointing, but in the long run probably best for La Paz House.
The atmosphere has changed to a
hang out with mostly junior high and high school boy. Things are calmer. We work on bikes and
skateboards. We have good and much deeper conversations about just about everything. We get
the chance to encourage and challenge the boys to e better. With the pressures on urban boys to get
into trouble, we are blessed to be able to hang out everyday with them.
Thank you for your support! We are seeing God slowly
change our neighborhood!
We love you,
Lee & Dana
No comments:
Post a Comment