Dear Friend,

Just this week, one more time, we were reminded of what life is like for the kids who live here. Monday morning as a staff member was picking up a child for a session of Metro’s summer camp, he pulled up to the child’s house and there were several police and emergency vehicles on the block.

Once they were ready to leave, he asked what had happened. The boy told him on Sunday a kid from his neighborhood was beaten and shot dead just blocks from his home. The sad part is he was one who had attended our Sunday School program. Even sadder, he was just 16. The saddest part: Saturday was his 16th birthday.

He would no longer be coming to the youth program or helping in Sunday School. No more summer camp. No more playing with and being an example for his 12-year-old sister.

Justin Richey turned 16 on Saturday.

Justin Richey was dead on Sunday.

Over the last several weeks there have been more young lives cut short in the violence that escalates to a whole new level in these neighborhoods once summer hits.

We are in these neighborhoods for a reason: to offer a chance for these kids to make the right decisions for their lives. To offer them advice, show the love of Christ to them through the Sunday School and camp in the summer.

Camp is to help them escape all this, even for just a little while, to teach them how to get their lives grounded in the Lord. I certainly would not be where I am today if it weren’t for the man who knew how important it would be for me to go to camp. As you know, I was the kid who was picked up and send to camp.

I will always advocate for the summer camp opportunity because I know firsthand how it can change a life.

Each year we do everything we can to provide this time for these kids to have that same opportunity. So many of you are such a huge part of that and I wanted to take an extra minute to tell you Thank You and for you to know how much you are appreciated.

Several hundred kids and teenagers will have the opportunity this summer to meet God on a different level. All because some folks like you determined to make a difference by partnering with us so they could go to summer camp.

There are more Justins out there to reach, so many more young lives to be changed, camp is such a great tool to see that happen. I would ask that you keep Justin’s family in prayer. This summer is going to be very difficult for them as they try to get through this time.

So again, to the ones who make it possible for the ones: Thank You.

Without Wax,

Pastor Bill