Dear friends:

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to touch the life of a child.  As you know, our motto here at Aslan is "changing the world . . . one child at a time." With your help and dedication, the world truly is becoming a better place.

As Aslan's Christian Education Director, I am responsible for our "Right Choices" program.  The overall goal of this program is to bring each child into a personal, loving relationship with Jesus Christ.  Then we want to nurture that relationship and aid in its growth.  He is the only one that will bring hope into their otherwise hopeless situations.  We need to help each student understand that He can radically change their lives, beginning with their hearts.

Unfortunately, many students are looking for a "quick fix." That is why some of the youth we work with have already turned to drugs, alcohol, sex, or even crime for support.  Within each of them is a hole.  What they are searching for is love, unconditional love to fill them.  However, they turn to the world for answers and are only left empty and wanting.

When we offer Jesus to these youth, they are not quite sure what they are being offered.  While most of them respect "God," they do not know Him.  Thus, they cannot comprehend how or why He would desire a relationship with them.  The easiest way to bring Jesus into their lives is to be Jesus to them.  I am sure that many of you are familiar with the passage in Matthew 25 that says:  "I tell you the truth - whatever you did for one of the least of these, brothers of mine, you did for me." The students we work with are the "least of these." Many times we are the only representation of Jesus that these children ever meet.  We are their light in the darkness.

The bottom line is the most important lessons we bring these young people do not come in a written curriculum.  Relationship is the key to success with our children.  We are never afraid to throw out the written lesson for the week and just talk.  By listening to the hearts of our students, we are able to go farther.  In the end, these students walk away changed.  "Where your treasure is, there is your heart."  Hopefully, each student will find, as we have, that Jesus is that treasure.  If they can walk away from their time with us one step closer to His arms, than we have done our job well.  Thank you so much for being a part of our team.  Never forget that through your gifts and your prayers, you will radically change the life of a child.

God bless you,

Leneita Fix
Christian Education Director