The Source September Newsletter

September, 2022

Cultivating a Culture of Honor

We believe that even the tiniest life has intrinsic value. Where there is a lack of this belief, there is selfishness, pain, and loss. In each of our youth homes we see the results of how honor can bring restoration to those places of loss. Even caring for the smallest creature, using our strength to gently aid those who are weak, brings a sense of purpose, and encourages kindness as a way of life.

The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.
— Mahatma Gandhi,

Our staff team has grown from 38 at the beginning of the year, to 71 just 9 months later. It has been an incredible time of joy seeing more kids come to receive the help they need, but it has also come with challenges as we learn how to work together with new, larger teams, across 4 separate homes. Scheduling shifts for our staff, keeping track of all the necessary forms and records, training all the new staff, while also saying goodbye to staff and kids who have moved on is a regular part of life in this job- and that’s beside the day-to-day interactions and escalations with kids who have behavioral struggles. This job takes grit and patience.

One of the keys we hold to is to always desire the best for one another. In a culture that honors each person, we choose to note the strengths in each other. We choose to believe the best. We seek to call out the gold in one another rather than focusing on the dirt.

Each person carries qualities and perspectives that can help create an amazing team, but it does take work to bridge the gap between personality types, communication styles, and different perspectives. When we recognize that our differences can be points of harmony instead of discord, then honor begins to grow and spread. We each need to face the reality that we will always be around people who think differently, and communicate differently than we do. The key is to believe that it is good for us to navigate those differences and learn from each other!

Home Life

Hilltop

With 5 boys currently living at our Hilltop home, there are cards games, Legos, and outdoor adventures aplenty! They are each energetic & have such creative minds! We are also very proud of the Hilltop management team. Though they have only been a team for a few months, they truly honor one another and do a great job with the boys.

River Bluff

This home has our older boys, and has also had new-comers to the management team just this summer. The boys have enjoyed fishing, catching crawdads, playing games and going to the park to play sports. We are very impressed with how well our staff are carrying all the transitions, and the boys absolute love the team and managers!

Grace House

Our girl’s house continues to see incredible progress with the 2 young ladies who call it home. Learning impulse control, communication skills and how to manage emotions is a regular theme. It has been beautiful to see the strength and stability our girls have grown in. This summer our staff have taken initiative to plan lake days, artistic projects, and other activities that promote health and wholeness.

Birch Meadows

Our northern-most youth home is also our newest, but the management team has plenty of experience working with kids in need. There are 4 boys in the home, each with their own story. Our staff team has done a great job of meeting them where they are at, and encouraging them in their interests and sense of adventure, while also putting healthy boundaries in place.

Meet Our Staff

Benjamin is the newest member of our Management team, and has joined the Grace House group. He is soon to be 41, and a father to 3 very amazing and talented children. His passions are the outdoors and building small wooden fishing lures. he also loves to cook and prefers any item cooked on a smoker BBQ!

1) What helped you decide to work for the Source?

“The EMG when I had my interview, and the passion they projected to me about The Source and their love for what they do.”

2) What aspect of the culture here do you connect with? “The openness and drive for others.”

3) What is one thing you have learned since working here? “That growth is a daily item that helps me become me.”

We are very thankful that Benjamin has brought both his experience in the workplace and insight as a father to help us care for and mentor the kids we are privileged to impact.

Preparations for

The Source Malawi Outreach Trip.

Our team will be spending two-and-a-half-weeks in Lilongwe working with our Source Malawi Partners John Ng’oma & Mika Kayusa. We are leaving in one week, and currently packing supplies to bring with us. These include: One World Self- inflating Soccer balls, Solar camping lamps, First aid supplies, T-shirts for all the kids and staff in Malawi, and some little toys as well.

We have also been practicing our greetings and short conversations in Chichewa.

Muli Bwanji? (How are You?)

Dzina langa ndi… (my name is…)

Ndima chokela ku America ( I am from America)

Ndakodwela kukudziwani (Nice to meet you!)

Malawi is a very friendly culture and in the villages you must acknowledge and greet each person you pass.

Though our pronunciations may be rough, are hearts are eager to share what we have with the people we meet, and we hope they feel the love of the Lord through each interaction.

Donate

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE GENEROUSLY GIVEN TOWARD THIS CAUSE! WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR HEART FOR THE NATIONS!

Prayer Points

Pray for our 4 Management teams.
Please pray for wisdom and strength for each staff working at the 4 homes.
Pray for the kids in each home, that they will grow in health & wholeness emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Pray for our team heading off to Malawi to have problem free travel & health, to see God moving amongst the people there, to witness salvations and healings, and grow in their faith as they encourage others.