As a freshman in high school, Wayne could have been described as quite a handful. But that year, he began to spend time at an after-school mentoring program called CryOut! The folks at CryOut! share a partnership with Cru® Inner City in Seattle and offer the same kind of Christ-centered mentoring as our S.A.Y. Yes! Centers for Youth Development®. When the mentors met Wayne, his reputation didn't scare them. CryOut!'s founders, Tara and Celestine, aim to create a loving community committed to seeing kids' lives reshaped by the gospel.
At first, Wayne struggled with a wild temper, and hung out with the wrong crowd. These issues often landed him in violent and traumatic situations. But the loving, caring community of CryOut! saw the gospel gradually take root in Wayne's heart. One day everything changed. Wayne recognized that things in his life were going badly. He felt as if nothing ever seemed to go right. "Something was crying out to me; something was saying, enough! So I kind of made a promise to God and — the promise is coming true!" he explained.
Wayne is now truly an example of gospel transformation! He seems like a different kid, with the violent temper gone; he's now full of joy and laughter. He's peaceful — you'd never think there was a violent bone in his body! Even the teachers at Wayne's school noticed a change in him. When asked, Wayne tries to explain how Jesus made the difference for him. Wayne and his family are getting along better than ever, loving one another well, and moving into a new home where they'll all be together.
God is at work through His faithful servants at CryOut! He's doing remarkable things through all the mentors of kids in need through these after-school programs like S.A.Y. Yes!
May He continue to work to transform young lives like Wayne's in cities across our country!
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Alicia Losier serves as the Communications Specialist for Cru's inner-city ministry.
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