That is the sentiment that runs through my mind all the time, as I sit down with young people and listen to their stories.

Even here, in this newsletter, we seldom print the whole story. On the one hand, some of the stories are so terrible that they are simply unsettling and sometimes hard to believe. On the other hand, there are so many young people today who are
trapped in a similar nightmare that they need to know that there is hope and a way out.

So I decided that this month, we would try to tell the whole story. Of course, words simply cannot convey the heaviness of these matters: they cannot accurately convey the hurt and pain that still linger in the heart of a young man, the perpetual fear of abandonment and constant desire for acceptance, the frustration of sleepless nights spent awake with nightmares and flashbacks. On the other hand, words fail to convey the preciousness of an innocent heart that is searching for genuine love and healing.

And as tough and as heart-wrenching as this month’s testimony is, it is by no means the ‘worst’ case that we have dealt with. In fact, these kind of stories are starting to become the norm. And it breaks my heart.

That is why it is vital that you keep reaching out and partnering with us. That is why we must push forward with Camp Victory for the younger children. We must let each young person know that, no matter what has happened to them, God loves them and has a plan for their life. And there are still people out there who care.