But Then God's Love...

Just 8 years old, but the little boy had a heart as hard as a rock.
Seemed like he enjoyed hurting people.
Didn't appear to have one drop of remorse.
And yet often, Jayden was actually in charge of his younger brother and sister! They were only 6 and 3.
But then God's love entered the picture.
Somebody invited Jayden to a S.A.Y. Yes! Center in Rochester, Minnesota. Here's what happened:
There was constant trouble in one of Rochester's low-income housing complexes: daily police calls; basketball court full of trash; no playground equipment — no place for neighborhood kids to play safely.
A ministry called The Next Chapter decided to take action. They cleaned up and resurfaced the court, installed new hoops and playground equipment.
All summer long, they got to know the neighbors.
By summer's end, housing managers wanted Next Chapter to stay. They offered them a two-bedroom unit so they could continue working with the children. Next Chapter said yes, but they wanted their program to be as effective as possible — so they came to Here's Life Inner City for training in establishing a S.A.Y. Yes! Center. Result? A more structured program than during the summer: three sessions a week, with tutoring and homework help, plus a Bible study, for up to 25 children!
As Jayden was exposed to the message of Christ — and to Christians who were living it out — he opened his heart to the Lord. His personality softened. Today, at 12, he has developed great insight into Scripture.
His family's circumstances are often unstable, but no matter where his family winds up — a new apartment, a homeless shelter, a relative's place — Barb, the program director, always tracks him down and makes sure he gets to S.A.Y. Yes!
"I always know you’ll find me," he tells her with a smile.
Jayden's mother, at first cold and suspicious, has embraced Barb and the S.A.Y. Yes Center's program as she sees her son changing. She's grown more responsible, too, caring well for her children and her home. She's even planning to return to college!
Here's Life's goal, through S.A.Y. Yes! and other resources, has always been to "serve and mobilize the Church" — and Barb's work in Rochester is just one wonderful example.
Serving and mobilizing the church to live out God's heart for the poor...