Dear Partner in Faith,

Drugs are a very real problem in this great country of ours.  Drugs are responsible for armed robbery, burglary, rape, child abuse, violence of all kinds, and murder.

I want to explain something to you.  I know that you know it, but maybe you have not given it much thought.  I seldom hear it preached in the churches, and the secular world is not geared to work on the problem.

All government agencies have allotted funds to solve the “drug problem”.  We have a “war on drugs” don’t we?  But, it seems to me we are losing the war.

Now, Dear One, here is what I want to say to you.  If you are an adult man or woman on drugs, there are many programs available to help you.

If you are a teenager on drugs, or pregnant, there are government agencies, private foundations and ministries trying to help you.

If you are an abused woman, there are agencies and ministries dedicated to helping you.

If you are disabled, injured, mentally ill, or aged, there are programs set up to help you.

But, God has brought to our attention one area that needs our Christian attention.  Some of you will understand, because you have “been there”.

Pretend for a minute that you are a teenage girl living with your mom who is a drug addict.  Your dad has been gone for a long time.

Your mom brings in many men to your apartment.  Many of them try to sexually molest you.  There is little to eat, the electricity has been turned off, the toilet won’t work, and the landlord is asking you to move —— yet again.

Remember, you are only 15 years old.  You are scared to death most of the time.

Your mom brings other drug addicts into the apartment, and she has little time for you.  Once she had 12 other addicts living there in your little 1 bedroom apartment for over 3 months.

You witness drug deals, and sex acts performed right there in your living room.  Some of the sex is prostitution to obtain money to buy more drugs.

Night is the worst time.  During the day you can escape to be with your friends —— if Mom doesn’t send you out to shoplift, or run a scam with food stamps.  But, at night you are frightened.  You fear beatings, which you have suffered before, and you fear physical rape.

You had to quit school, so there is no escape there.

You have relatives that you could live with, but they are either taking drugs, too, or they are working as dancers in bars.

I am telling you an actual life story here, Dear One.  One of many that are all different, and yet the same.

Your mom, and her men go in and out of jail.  Sometimes you are left alone for days.  There is no food, no water, or electricity, and the apartment’s kitchen is stacked high with garbage in plastic sacks.

You are expected to care for your younger brothers and sisters.  If you don’t, it will be another beating.

When your dreams are not nightmares, you dream of having a “real mother & dad”.  You long to know the love of someone —— anyone —– who would really care for you.

You begin to think about becoming a dancer in a bar yourself.  “Heck.”  You say. “At least someone would admire me, and want to hold me.  My aunt seems happy.”

You are at a turning point in your young life.  You could make the wrong turn.

Then one Saturday night you are hiding behind the couch with your sister’s boom box.  All of the adults are either passed out, or “tripping”.  It is a time of fear.  You have developed the habit of staying awake, and on guard, all night, and sleeping during the day for a few hours.

The Holy Spirit guides your fingers as you scan across the dial, and you find The FaithLine Program.

At first, you are attracted to the music, and then you begin to hear the message of love and hope.  You hear about this Jesus, and you feel a stirring in your heart.  This is what you have been searching for!!  This Jesus that loves you.

You quietly leave the house, and call the program on a pay phone.

“Brother Jacob,”  You say.  “I want Jesus in my life, but what do I do now?”

Are you feeling the love here?  Are you experiencing the problem?

I said to the first young woman, “Come.”.  I did not believe that she would.  But, Praise be to God forever!, she did come.

We helped her become emancipated, helped her get her GED, and loved her like our own.

Today she works full time, has her own apartment, and works for the ministry.  She is our spiritual daughter, and we love her with all our hearts.

Then……………. Here came another….. and another.  Who can out guess God?  Who knows what He is going to give you to do?

So, here we are, Dear One, a refuge for young women, and we have no refuge.

These young women need to be taught much.  You see, they have never had a real mother to teach them.

Yes, they need a father, and I give them that, but what they want and need is a home.

A home where they can feel secure while they learn about God, and about life.  Where they can be safe while they prepare to go out on their own.

This past week I have had to turn away 2 young women.  I have no place for them to stay, and no funds to pay for another apartment.

I know that you share my grief and frustration over this situation.  The Government agencies won’t help us, because we are teaching Jesus, so we need your help.

We need a home (Many homes, but one to begin with.) where good Christian women can teach these young women about living.  They need to be secure, they need to know how to fill out a job application, they need to learn how to cook and clean, well —– they need to learn everything.

All they have ever been taught is how to survive in a world filled with drugs and sex.

I am bringing this need to your attention at this time of the year, because I know that you care, and you may be looking for a worthy cause.

Here is that cause!  A real need.  We are calling them in the name of Jesus, they are coming, but we have no room at the Inn.