April 13, 2004

Dear Friend,

I know we’re not supposed to have “favorite kids,” but Shanaya* is definitely one of our favorites.  She’s one of the first girls to attend our program in Long Branch back in 1991, and she’s participated in nearly every activity and program we have – Right Choices Bible classes, tutoring, summer camps, long-distance bicycling trips and Project Haiti.  Shanaya is almost like a daughter to us and sometimes playfully calls Lynn Ann and me “Mom & Dad.”  Although she lives with both r mother and her father, there are lots of problems in her severely impoverished home.  Her father is a very nice man who has struggled with alcohol problems for almost 30 years, and her mother is also nice (although not much of a role model).  All too often Shanaya has been more of a mother to her two baby sisters than her mother has been.

I’ll never forget the time we returned from Haiti late one summer night, and Shanaya was the last student we took home.  It was 2:00 a.m., and I commented that her mom would be really glad to see her.  Shanaya laughed and said, “Oh, Mom won’t be home!  She’s at my aunt’s house playing cards.”  Sure enough, no one was home to greet her as we drove up.

A couple of years ago, Shanaya started working at a large store in the area.  For a teenager she was making good money, but she never seemed to have any.  We found out that her mother was requiring Shanaya to give her every paycheck.  Some of it was used to support the family but a lot of it was gambled away in late night card games.  In spite of all the problems, Shanaya still has a loving attitude toward her family.

One of the things I try to convey through these monthly letters is the incredible sense of purpose that every young person who passes through our doors finds during his or her time with Aslan.  It isn’t the flimsy, empty, “I’m okay, you’re okay – feel good about yourself” purpose that you learn in some self-help book.  The purpose we instill in the children of Aslan has teeth!  It is purpose found only in knowing the One who gives life both purpose and meaning. 

 

All the educational things we do . . . all the fun things we do (and we do lots of fun things) . . . all the challenging things we do . . . everything we do with the children of Aslan comes back to this one foundational truth.  If it isn’t built on knowing Jesus, it isn’t going to last.  In the end it’s a house built on sand, and it will fall.  Aslan has been successful for 29 years for one and only one reason – we are unapologetically a house built on the Rock, Jesus Christ. 

Shanaya understands this well.  Through her 5 trips with us to Haiti, she’s seen the need for quality medical care in the Third World.  Her love for God and her deep compassion for the people now drives her to pursue her dream to become a doctor.  Whatever she ends up doing, Shanaya found her purpose because of Aslan.  And this is precisely why your support is so important and why we so appreciate both your prayers and your financial support.

Without your help in the past, Shanaya would never have had the opportunity to come to Aslan.  With your continued support, so many, many more children’s lives can be transformed.     

In the service of the Lion!

Craig

Craig Bogard

We have purposefully changed Shanaya’s  and Eric's names to protect their privacy.