Maria Jose and Jill had a creative inspiration for a Father’s Day activity. They invited the ladies who participate in our program to write anonymous Father’s Day letters to their dads. Only Maria Jose and Jill would read the letters. Common themes in the letters were, “I hate you because….” The reasons were varied, from abandonment to sexual molestation. There were heart-wrenching questions like, “Why do you beat my mom and me? Why do you spend money on alcohol when we are hungry?” These girls are scared, angry and bitter, or surviving, but are beginning at times to release the raw emotions stemming from their trauma. They are receiving consistent biblical truth, being loved and valued in Jesus’ name, and they are responding. We know the process has only begun, but God is at work, and we rejoice. “Bring them to complete spiritual, emotional and relational wholeness, Lord. May they become beautiful trophies of your grace.”

In the Boys’ Club Lastman and Austin work in two communities that as of yet have no running water, ministering to those who have no positive father figures. Their goal is to consistently live out what it means to be godly male role models. They instill Biblical values through projects that require teamwork; building a tree house means planning and diligence and will take months to complete. They teach the boys responsibility through community service tasks like street clean-up and digging trenches for water pipes to be laid in the future. Serving full-time as Jesus’ representatives to these boys in communities where life is not easy brought an interesting comment from a believer there, “I have been praying for God to help the people of our community. I believe the S.I. ministry to women and boys here is an answer to my prayers.”