My job as a Direct Care Worker with juvenile delinquent males has continued to be a struggle for me. Mostly I've struggled to stay optimistic since often times there is little external evidence of my work making a difference. Also, the guys can be pretty hard on staff and I've had to work very hard at not letting them get to me. Lately, I've found myself praying for patience and peace and a gentle spirit in dealing with the guys. I've been asking God to help me view the boys I work with as he sees them: their hurts, their needs, their gifts, their dreams - and to help me respond to them as he would: with compassion, correction, grace, gentleness and above all love. It is my goal to simply live and work among them as a one who bears witness to the God who loves them and made them and seeks to redeem them. I'm not used to working in a place where I can't just pull out my Bible or lead a prayer time (government laws prohibit active evangelism/Christian teaching). I have to wait for them to initiate those kinds of things, so I am called to live in a way that they see Christ through me. I work to not raise my voice, to not point fingers, to not be harsh. At the same time, when I do have to hold them accountable for wrongdoing, I seek to do so in a redemptive way, to help them learn from and grow from the mistake and prepare to make a better decision in the future. Above all I try to instill in them a sense of worth and value and the idea that they can succeed. Renewing the mind and the way they view themselves is the first step in helping them turn their lives around. The last two weeks were really hard for me and I was getting very frustrated and discouraged. Since last night I have experienced Christ's peace and resolve to simply serve and teach and live as he himself would with these guys. Please continue to pray!
Grace & Peace,
Micah
