One moment has the power to change a child’s life forever. One moment, good or bad, that leads to another. And another. And another.
For Amanda, it began the moment a sexual abuser decided to make her his next victim. In an instant, her life changed from one of innocence to one of childhood trauma.
Loneliness engulfed her as she moved from foster home to foster home. When the family who had promised to adopt her changed their minds, she gave up hope.
Amanda didn’t deserve abuse or abandonment, but they seemed to follow her everywhere she went.
Then came the moment a loving foster mother opened the door and greeted her with a smile. And reached out to Youth Haven, asking if we could give Amanda the chance to experience a normal childhood again. She wanted us to help Amanda rediscover the hope she had given up on.
The moment Amanda stepped onto our campus, she saw kindness, acceptance, and love. She spent the next few days learning new things, eating amazing meals, and playing games with other kids. They had so much fun together, she didn’t want to leave! But most importantly, she learned that God loved her and had a special plan for her life.
When she came back the second time, she opened her heart to the truth of Jesus’ love. She listened more carefully when the staff explained the sacrifice He had made for her. Then, in the most significant moment of all, she accepted Jesus as her Savior. And she was forever changed!
Amanda has returned regularly since then, and we’re thankful we can continue to encourage her and provide Biblical teaching. We can’t take away her past. But we can point her to the One Who can help her overcome it!
One moment changed her childhood. Another moment changed her for eternity. Thank you for making that forever change possible!
*Name changed for confidentiality
From a parent:
"My crew is so excited to go to Youth Haven. They have already made sure their Trailbooks are ready to go. You should hear their excitement over the mail they just received and finding out there are more Harvey and Friends characters. This has honestly been one of the best experiences for them. I can’t thank you and the staff enough!"
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