Lk.11.

9 Keep asking, and you will get what you ask for
Daniel Globig Sen. Reflection YMI480 Prof. Brian Kono Weekly Article 3.0 9.23.13 o o o o o o Title of Article: Youth at Risk Author: Gordon McLean Source: Book Cities of Lonesome Fear: God Among the Gangs Date of Article: Moody Press (October 1991) Length: 15 pages Subject/Issue: At Risk Youth; Inner-City Youth Ministry

Summary (1046 words): In the United States, arrest patterns per capital, among youth, has remained steady, states the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. However, the severity has dramatically increased. Youth are no longer slapped on the hands for a petty theft or minor offense. Now, youth tote an AK or a Tec-9. Now, youth will be charged for homicide, attempted murder, rape, or drugs. Demetrius was only 18 years old and he led 5 young men in the gang-rape, repeated stabbing, and driving over the body of a young girl they picked up at a party. Once arrested, he simply kept his leadership in concealed cells. He started coming to the church services, learned to read, began reading the Bible, and was changing or so his cousin Curt seemed to notice. Demetrius had been a youth without a conscience, labeled a sociopath. But being behind bars actually helped clear his thoughts to an extent, in that he was able to rid the effects of drugs and drinks. He actually ended up being a leader for good, and was leading with the Bible group. Still, McLean still had very little concern for him, mostly because of what Demetrius had done. As time went on, McLean discovered a neglected childhood of abuse. So, it made sense why he chose to get drunk and high; he wanted numbness because it was too much! Demetrius cousin, Curt, was sentenced to natural life in prison without parole, well he was condemned to death. The jury had decided he should be killed for something this horrible. On Demetrius arrival on death row at Menard Prison, he was one of the two youngest inmates in the state awaiting the maximum penalty. As I pray for him, his family, and the family of his victim, I only wish the gospel had come long before he sat in a jail chapel service. Just possibly things might have turned out differently. Headlines definitely show the worst in a person, but behind the headlines are real youth at risk. Many of them are bound to be drug and alcohol abusers, violent, and so much more. And the main stem comes from the breakdown of the family. You want to see pain? Look at the families! Look at the brokenness! Look at divorce! Look at single-parent homes! We are in an age of unprecedented stress.

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Lk.11.9 Keep asking, and you will get what you ask for
The absence of fathers has brought a list of things: [ low] motivation for achievement, inability to defer immediate rewards for later benefits, low selfesteem, susceptibility to group influence, and juvenile delinquency. One kid told Gordon McLain he had bought his mom some dish sets which cost $6,000 and she never questioned him. He was a dope dealer by the way. And for the times when kids show up with a new crotch-rocket, new 200 dollar shoes, and sweet new clothes out of the blue, there are so many parents who ignore it. Some do not even care. One kid, Charles, told McLain his mom and older brother were actually the ones who were pushing him to steal a lot of stuff, so he could bring it home. Eventually this kid went to juvy because of his stealing from the school, but McLain did something. He stepped in! He encouraged Charles by telling him, [You] need to be a better person than they are, Charles, and you have all the ability and chance to do so. Long story short, Charles ended up working for a living, having a wife, and a little daughter. And this type of young corruption is so commonplace. Eight years old might be the time they get trained-up in the gang in which their daddy and big bro throws down. One girl, Rachel, was a very attractive girl, but she was never loved by her parents. He parents were into drugs and drinking, and she needed emotional support. So what did she do? She ran to away, into the streets of Chicago, and go picked up by some gang-members who partied. She mistook the attention for affection, and got in bed with one of the guys. Next day, when a cop noticed something was strange, she was brought back to her old home with her parents (and not her foster home, which was horrible because they kept most of the state money for themselves, and did not offer any emotional support there either; they were horrible foster parents). So, her parents made all these promises. But the promises were short-lived, and her parents ended up abusing her. She went to voluntary Bible studies, and she learned about the love of a Father-God. She learned about security, safety, promises, and a relationship into Gods family! But she wanted God to save her parents. Long story short, her parents came to church and were saved, and joined a group called Parents Anonymous. Still, this is just one success story! There are so many other problematic-painful stories, stories of youth getting sucked deep into drugs. Cocaine is huge! Its so huge that if it was not distributed from Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil, those economies would collapse! That is intense! But drugs are appealing, luring, and enticing for youth who see their older peers get wealthy quick. And they have good reason to want and need money because there are not very many job opportunities which pay much. There are not many incentives to work at McDonalds. McLain summarizes the three words which characterize the nineties for these at risk youth: fear, anger, and despair. There is no hope. But the hope needs to be brought to these youth, before situations get worse. Someone needs to stand in the

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Lk.11.9 Keep asking, and you will get what you ask for
gap! There needs to be a new identity. And the church congregations need to consist of more than whites, or more than blacks. Whoever is living in the area should be reached. But churches are not always reaching out with the gospel, through relationship and ministry. Instead, ignorance is put on over the eyes, so churches might even rightly be in the middle of gang turf but we should break through, and see a new vision without exclusive turf. This is Gods turf. [Perhaps] out of our tour [in the city blocks], the seeds of vision for reaching kids in their own neighborhood may start. Reflection Questions (8-10): 1. How might I connect the youth center to the local juvies? 2. Is there any way for juvenile delinquents to leave premises now and then, if they are escorted by officials? 3. How do I keep gang affiliations and colors from being thrown around like candy when at an event? 4. The Hub has a camera system and alarm system. But are the most effective systems? What is the best way to secure the inside and out of a youth center, especially in Detroit? 5. There is one kid in particular who constantly plays grand theft auto and saints, but the games are all about violence and killing whoever you want. Even if you are going after the corrupt cops, you are running over an old lady to get to the corrupt cops, to take them out too! So, how do I approach this kid who is into all of this, addictively? He even went out to buy all of the special extended plus a t-shirt package which he likes to brag about. 6. How should I handle myself since Im white? I never had to deal with it in high school, but people respected me because I was sweet at sports. But now, I will some white guy imposing on their minority-ness! 7. What are all of the psychological needs for inner-city at-risk youth, in particular? 8. What kind of foster-care could a youth ministry, or youth center provide, while yet protecting itself from getting sued or robbed from people in desperate need of assets? 9. What are the updated statistics of the items discussed in this book, since this book is older? 10. What is the approach of the Center for Women in Jackson (which Ive heard is educating young fathers as well)? 11. How might a youth center connect with such ministries? Application and Action: The breakdown of the home has been something I keep seeing at the Hub. One guy became a Christian in the craziest of circumstances his moms atheism due to his dads Islamic belief and abuse. Yet, he found hope. Another guy has come to me telling me about how his dad left his mom, so for most of his life growing up his mom hated him because he looked like his dad! And she was abusive! And

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Lk.11.9 Keep asking, and you will get what you ask for
although this is only hearsay, the brother claims his little brother and sister are being sexually molested by their step-dad! Another kid talks about how people have always picked on him, how he feels left out, and how he just wants to get back at the world by mass-murdering! He was very descriptive! He talks about how hes been abandoned, so he just hates everyone. Another girl has regularly had struggles with wanting suicide, or attention at least. But she has been to a mental hospital for a decent amount of time. There have been a bunch of other experiences and conversations. But one of the things I commit myself to continue doing is being available to these youth, to play games with them, to take them out for ice-cream, to talk with them randomly, to call them by their name, and to remember their dreams of becoming an architect. I commit myself to listen when I know a youth is lying to my face. I commit myself to continue to ask adults to go back to the front door, so they do not hurt the kid they hate. I commit myself to die if I have to, to make sure kids like Demetrius get a chance to find hope, love, and faith before they mess up by raping, killing, or destroying the city. I want to be a preventer, a prophetic imagination of an alternative future, a bringer of peace among gangs if not only momentarily in the confines of relationship and a family atmosphere at the youth center. And I want to bring identity and hope to those who seek the same acceptance in gangs. So, I commit to keep stepping in-between knife fights, to chase after kids who are throwing down in back alleys close to the youth center. I commit to keep going to graduations, to find out that the guy I came to support (after he told me at the last minute) was the only one who had to walk by himself because there was an odd number of graduates; later, he introduced me to the parents of his ex-girlfriend (who had died very young) as his best friend. He called me his best friend! I had no idea I was his best friend. But if the small things count that much, then I have to keep doing the small things! I will ask the guys in my merge group about their relationships in their families. I will look more into the issues which might come out of such homes. If there is a kid whose parents are divorced, I will look up some articles on divorce. For some of my other guys who might not feel they amount to enough because their parents have such high expectations, I will look into specific Scriptures that will show them they are good enough. I will meet up with one kid in particular to hang out with one on one the one who wants to kill everyone. I will buy more books about rhyming through preaching. I will buy more books about inner-city mentality, ministry, needs, and psychological barriers, tonight. I will look for updated articles and research concerning some of the questions left from this book. I will pray for Gods anointing to be able to be a wounded healer who brings hope and identity to those seeking it in all the wrong places. Random thought I will watch Henri Nouwens message sometime, and adapt it to another form.

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Lk.11.9 Keep asking, and you will get what you ask for
Quotes or Stats: 12. If God wanted to forgive the likes of this cold rapist-killer, He could, but I would just as soon not be involved. 13. Racial discrimination, poverty and unemployment, inferior education, hopelessness, the abuse of illegal drugs, permissive attitudes toward sexual activity all together put severe pressure on the family. 14. [There is a rise] in the number of single parents trying to do the herculean task of raising and supporting kids alone. 15. Both the growing number of children born to unmarried girls or women and the high divorce rate mean that roughly 50 percent of all kids spend at least part of their growing up years without one of their parents usually their father. 16. Ill never make it so why not live for today? 17. When a kid comes home with new $125 gym shoes or an equally expensive jacket or gold chains or a motorcycle, it should occur to parents to ask where the money came from. 18. Todays young offenders may carry a Tec-9, Raven P-25, AK-47, or Uzi and not hesitate to use it. He will be charged with homicide, attempted murder, rape, or drug sales. 19. Christ died for these [kids;] He cares about every single one of them those on the streets, those in the jails. God cares about the lives that are being wasted [(which remind me of entropy in physics class, which is wasted kinetic or potential energy.)], the pain and violence wreaking havoc in families. Through Christ these lives can be redeemed to be productive citizens and role models, helping other kids choose a different path. 20. [This will never happen] unless we admit that what is happening on the streets of our cities and in our suburban neighborhoods is our problem, too. 21. These kids are looking for the identity theyd lost in moving from the city They just wanted action, power, and quick money, and [we, the gang,] provide it. 22. Gang affiliation gave these minority youth a way of holding their own and even striking back

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