Month: April 2015

Looking back, I am so thankful I chose to volunteer at Waco Center for Youth. Brian Stevenson was right when he said, “There is power in proximity.” When I heard about the opportunity to volunteer at Waco Center for Youth, I was very hesitant to sign up. Working with teenage boys who are emotionally and/or behaviorally disturbed sounded terrifying. I was very tempted to choose an “easier” option that was more inside my comfort zone, but I had a gut feeling that that would be a mistake. I know this was God tugging on my heart, telling me to trust Him and take a risk.

I soon began looking forward to going to Waco Center for Youth. In the beginning it was awkward and uncomfortable at times, but I grew to love the kids and the time I spent with them. It amazed me how a game of Connect Four so easily brought the Baylor volunteers and the WCY boys together. We all come from different backgrounds and have countless barriers separating us, such as cultural, racial, economical, educational, religious and so on. However, these walls steadily broke down as we spent more time with each other. I have learned the importance of finding what I have in common with people, instead of what makes us different. This can prove difficult at times, but I know that everyone wants to be accepted and loved. I can at least do that.

Once I heard some of these boys’ stories, my compassion for them grew exponentially. I tried to put myself in their shoes and I began to understand why they act the way they do. If I had lived in eight foster homes before age ten, who knows how different my emotional and psychological state would be. A lot of the WCY boys were born into hard circumstances and did not have a strong enough foundation or sufficient guidance to properly handle them. There are various consequences for these unfortunate circumstances, ranging from a kid acting out and bullying others to becoming too depressed to make friends. Whatever it was, it has caused these boys to be labeled by society. Each boy knows his own label, and whether it’s “stupid,” “weird,” “bad,” or “unwanted,” they began believing it. I, however, wanted to tell these boys that the world’s labels do not define them. The only label they should focus on is the one our Creator has given them, and that is “loved.” My goal was to show these kids how valuable and important they truly are.

The younger one is when they receive help for their emotional and/or behavioral problem, the better. This is why Waco Center for Youth and similar institutions are so important. WCY truly lives out its mission of “Giving Youth a Chance for Change.” This program provides the recourses necessary for teenagers to turn their lives around, which creates a positive rippling effect on countless others. The future of our country, and even our world, becomes brighter with every youth who goes from harming themselves and others, to being a healthy and productive member of society. The thought of counseling teenagers in overcoming hardships and creating a better future for them excites me. I want to see these kids thrive and prove to the world that they can be successful, despite what their past looks like or how “different” they are.

Volunteering at Waco Center for Youth has given me more certainty that I am where God wants me to be. I will continue to pursue a degree in psychology and work towards becoming a counseling and/or clinical psychologist. I know He has placed this passion in my heart and I am committed to following it. I am confident God will continue to lead me to where He can best use me to help others and bring Him glory.

February 17

Today we had our four-hour orientation to become Waco Center for Youth volunteers. This included bringing my resume and background information, filling out an application, reading through the training information, taking a tour of campus and passing an evaluation. This orientation was extremely overwhelming and has made me nervous for what’s to come. Before I can begin volunteering, I have to get fingerprinted and all my background information has to get approved. I am completely out of my comfort zone, but I’m excited to see what’s in store.

March 3

Today was my first day volunteering at Waco Center for Youth. We are going to be spending time with the boys in the Bosque unit every week. I was initially very nervous about being assigned to the all-boys dorm. I have a lot of experience mentoring teenage girls, but have very little experience mentoring boys. I was very intimidated and didn’t know what to expect. When we got to the Bosque living area, we introduced ourselves and began playing games with the boys. Many of them enjoyed beating me, whether it was in Connect Four or a confusing card. However, I found myself having fun and laughing with the boys, which was a pleasant surprise.

March 17

Today I met fifteen year-old Elijah. The first thing Elijah said to me was that I looked beautiful and he liked my hair. He continued to give me compliments throughout the time I was there. As I was leaving I said, “see you later” to all the kids. Elijah quickly replied with, “in my dreams.” Although this is slightly comical, it did make me uncomfortable. In the beginning I responded to the compliments with a hesitant, “thank you,” not knowing what else to do. After the fifth one, however, I stopped verbally responding. I didn’t want to encourage this behavior, but I also didn’t want to ignore him. So I acknowledged him with a look that was nice, but stern.

March 24

Today we joined the boys in the dinning hall for dinner. I sat with Elijah and Neyo. I began asking them about their lives and was taken aback by what I heard. Neyo told me that he lived in eight foster homes before finally being adopted. I had no idea how to respond to this information. I need to work on how to react in these situations. But this fourteen-year old boy’s reality shocked me and my heart broke for him. Neyo had a very sweet disposition; right before I left he gave me a paper crane he had made. I wanted to give Neyo a hug and tell him that he is loved. Not wanting to creep him out, I refrained. This experience, however, reminded me why I want to work with troubled teenagers. My compassion for them grew exponentially that day.

March 31

Today was fun. We simply played games with the kids. However, I came to a realization that troubled me. As I was laughing with these boys I thought, “If I passed one of them on the street, I would immediately make a judgment.” I didn’t like this truth because I have come to care about these kids. From now on, I’m going to work on not making snap judgments. As Christians, we are called to love all people. All means everyone, not just those who look and act like us. It’s amazing how spending time with someone and showing that you care breaks down barriers.

April 7

As I was playing a card game with a few of the boys today, I noticed that one of them had scars all down the back oh his forearms. He obviously had a history of cutting himself, which is a way people outwardly express the pain they feel inside. Teenagers typically do this when they are lonely and feel as though they can’t tell anyone about their problems. My heart ached for this boy, and once again it reminded me that I am here to show these kids how valuable and important they are.

April 21

Today was my last day volunteering for the semester. It was sad saying goodbye to the kids. I’ m going to miss hanging out with them, even if that means getting beat at Connect Four five times in a row. Looking back, I hope I was able to make them smile more and realize that they matter. I want them to know that I don’t see them as the “crazy kids,” but as smart young men who can have bright futures. Even though this experience was out of my comfort zone, I am so glad I did it. I learned a lot and it helped me confirm that I’m in the right field of study. I’m planning to continue volunteering at WCY next semester.