Aslan Newsletter of October 11, 1997
One of the most difficult things we encounter in our work with disadvantaged children is that there is no foundation laid upon which they can build their lives. From the moment they are born, their lives are built on shifting sand. Only one in ten of our kids have their father living with them. An equal number of our children live with neither biological parent and are being raised by a grandmother, aunt, cousin or foster parent. Our mission "impossible" is to work backwards, trying to undo the damage and help these children construct their lives on something solid. It is not easy, but neither is it impossible!

A couple of nights ago I received a call from Cara**. In our July letter I wrote about this young woman and how her sixteen short years on this earth have been filled with more problems than some people face in an entire lifetime. As with all too many of the Aslan kids, alcohol and drugs have destroyed her family. Her stepfather abused her both physically and sexually, and her mother has been in jail for several years on drug-related charges. Cara lives with her cousin , the cousin's boyfriend, a grandmother and five other children. She has gone to Haiti with us twice, she went to "Creation Festival" with us in June, and she comes to Aslan every time the doors are open.

Cara is a perfect example of why our work is so challenging. No matter how many steps forward that we take with her, it seems there are an equal number of steps backward. In July her "family" moved to an apartment in Long Branch. Trying to make new friends and adjust to a new school have not been easy for Cara. On her fourth day at Long Branch High School, she mouthed off at the vice-principal and ended up suspended for 10 days!

But back to Cara's phone call. She called to tell me she is back in school and doing her best to be respectful and stay out of trouble. And then, out of the blue, she said, " I am so grateful for all that you and Lynn Ann and Aslan have done for me. You and Lynn Ann are the only people who have believed in me and thought I could ever amount to anything. Even though I've never told you this before, I really am so grateful." I told her that with God's help she is going to really make something of her life. She laughed shyly and said, "I believe it."

Cara's words speak volumes about her life. Brick upon brick, a solid foundation is being laid. And one day soon the winds will blow and the waves will pound, but Cara's life will stand firm against the storm (Matthew 7:25).

Most sincerely,

** Cara's name has been changed to protect her privacy.