Dear Friends,

Although each and every child that passes through the doors of Aslan is equally important to us, we cannot have the same expectations and dreams for every child. Sometimes we are disappointed when a child with great promise drops out of Aslan and fails to reach his or her potential. We also are oftentimes taken by surprise when a young person goes far beyond what we imagined! Ethan* and Jamal* are good examples of such contrasts.

Ethan is a sixteen-year-old that we have great expectations for. Growing up in a typical Aslan home (impoverished with a single-parent mother trying to make ends meet) has not been easy for him. He is a strikingly handsome young man with a winning smile, a great sense of humor and all the potential in the world. Jamal, on the other hand, has a mother and father who are both heavily into drugs and well acquainted with the criminal justice system! He has dropped in and out of Aslan for the past 3 years, and he (unfortunately) appears to be following the same path his parents have chosen. A few months ago Jamal invited Ethan outside his apartment to "show him something." Jamal proceeded to pull out a large bag of marijuana. What he didn’t realize was someone in an adjacent building was watching. Within moments, the police were there and Ethan found himself running away. He and Jamal were quickly apprehended and they were both charged with drug possession, eluding arrest and burglary. Fortunately for Ethan, a highly respected attorney and wonderful friend of Aslan Youth Ministries represented him pro bono. Ethan ended up with a small fine and 25 hours of community service.

We believe Ethan is one of those special youngsters who will one day soon be on his way to college and a successful and fulfilled life. He is extremely grateful to Aslan and has promised us he will, with God’s help and ours, stay on the straight and narrow. Because of Aslan, a life that might have been wasted is instead being rescued. You are a part of this wonderful rescue through your continued giving and your prayers. Thank you for caring enough to make a difference in these children’s lives!

Craig

Craig Bogard