Shay

I don’t want to use her real name for fear I might embarrass her, but I have to tell you her story. We’ll call her Shay – because I can’t come up with a better name right now.

Shay wanted to go on our upcoming Paintball trip (we had planned on going to spend the night in a cave, but nobody seemed to be able to come up with the $45). So, Friday night, she told me she had half the money.

I thought, “She’s very well behaved, she obviously wants to go on the trip badly – even if she can’t come up with the other half by the Tuesday deadline, I’m going to work out a way for her to go.”

But she had another couple of surprises for me.

When she brought me the money, she pulled out a $5, a $1, a couple of coins, and three rolls of pennies. By that point, I was even more determined that she would go – but here’s the kicker!

She said, “I’ve been saving up for awhile for this.”

Most of the kids at my church wouldn’t have given a second thought to coming up with $45 for a caving trip, let alone $15 for paintball. I teared up a little when I tried to tell Cammie about Shay.

Now, to the potentially sad ending: As with many of our kids, her life is very unstable. She is “definitely” moving to Ripley as soon as the school year is over – to live with either her mom or an aunt.

I don’t want her to move. We have a very good relationship – I’m attached. I’m praying that God will keep her here. Cammie wants to adopt. “Definitely” moving does not mean what it sounds like it means – not with MYC kids. But God knows what He’s doing. If she does move, I’ll be praying for her safety and that God will continually pull her closer to Him – even in Ripley.

We badly need your prayers here at MYC. We try, but we get tired; we get depressed; we get run down. Pray for us, pray for Shay, and pray for all these kids who are facing challenges I can’t even begin to comprehend.