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Stories from SouthSide Youth Outreach

Larry's Long Journey · Jose's Dilemma · Susie Survives

The names of the children in these stories have been changed.

Larry's Long Journey

Little Larry started coming to Tuesday Club when he was five years old. He kept coming, week after week and year after year. When he reached high school Larry would come to the Youth Outreach facility each afternoon to do his homework and play guitar.

Larry and Brett who was three years older and came from a stable and loving home became friends and they eventually developed a healthy mentoring relationship. Larry began to stay at Brett's house over the weekend because his Mom went to bed very early so she could get up early for work. Larry and his Mom had a strained and distant relationship.

One day just how strained and distant that relationship was became apparent. Brett was getting ready to go home one Thursday evening and he told Larry that it was time to pack up and go. Larry, even though it wasn't a weekend, asked if he could go home with Brett that night. Larry went home with Brett that evening and, three and a half years later, he is still there, preparing to graduate high school and go to college.

After Larry began staying with Brett and his family, he revealed that he had been "couch surfing" for three months before asking to come to their home. After Larry came to live with Brett, his mother didn't call for two months to see where he was. Brett and his family have spent much time helping Larry heal and work toward establishing a healthy relationship with his mother.

back to topJose's Dilemma

Jose has been coming to Tuesday Club since he was four. He has always been a challenge as he is very active and, often, defiant. One day Tena took him aside and asked him how he felt. He told her he didn't feel very good and that his head hurt. It turns out that Jose has had a brain tumor since he was two. He has had numerous surgeries and has a stint in his head with a tube that empties into his stomach. Sometimes that stint needs maintenance and the pressure in his head builds causing much pain.

Jose also comes from a difficult environment where of his sisters and brothers, there are three fathers, none of which were married to their mother. One father, whenever he sees Jose, threatens to kill him. Another father molested Jose's younger sister and is in jail. Jose is fourth-generation government assistance and his mother has been involved with drugs with jail time.

Jose is an outwardly rough and tough kid, fast-talking and defiant. One Tuesday, recently, he was subdued and, obviously, hurting emotionally. Matt noticed and took him aside to talk with him. Matt brought him to "Papa" Steve who talked with him for an hour and a half. Jose was sobbing not knowing what to do. His mother said she was going to go to Mexico and marry the man who had molested her daughter. The one father is so threatening that Jose and his brother sometimes carries baseball bats to protect themselves. He said, "I don't know what I am going to do!"

back to topSusie Survives

Susie first came to Tuesday Club when she was in the third grade. She walked across the park from her home. She came because some of her friends were there and she had fun. She also learned about the hope that was in Jesus Christ.

As she went into middle school, Susie was drawn away by wanting to be cool and popular. She was also drawn into using drugs and lots of interaction with boys.

One day just before she graduated from high school she ran into Steve and Tena and pretended everything was OK. It was obvious she was high, and not on school. Tena just loved her and told her that anytime she wanted to come back to church she was welcome. The next Sunday she did and she soon moved in with Tena and Steve.

During that time, she began healing from a lot of hurt. She hadn't seen her mother since she was seven. Because of mental illness and choices she made, her mother had spent a number of years in federal prison. Susie got to go see her mother for the first time in eleven years while she was living with Steve and Tena. It was a difficult visit as she saw her mother would not be able to be what Susie needed in a mother.

When Susie returned, she went to see her father, but he would not let her in the house. He had checked-out emotionally when Susie's mother was arrested. She began, then, to relate to Steve & Tena as Dad and Mom for the emotional support and love her parents were unable to give her.

She is now happily married with a child and is a wonderful, loving Mom and Wife. She still relates to her parents in a loving and encouraging way and is working and hoping those relationships will grow over time.

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