October 20, 2009

Every organization needs a ‘techie.’  You know the guy.  The one who is up to date on the latest trends concerning the cultural, computer, entertainment, movie, sports, tv, etc. industries.  The one who seems to know what no one else knows regarding what young people are relating to today.  We have one too.  Ours is Adam Godfrey.

Adam is one of the counselors at Salem, has been with us for about a year and a half, and entered a whole new world when he came to Salem.  Adam came to us from Louisville, KY, where there is a little bit of everything, to Flanagan, where there are….cornfields.  He went from an environment where he was dodging sports cars to one where he is dodging tractors.  He traded in lattes for Folgers, and the neighborhood eclectic community for the Wal-Mart 12 miles away.  But we are glad we were able to steal him away from the city.

There are two main things I think of that Adam brings to Salem.  One is his knowledge of culture and the things that make up the world of the average teenage boy.  He can speak the language of today’s youth, which enables him to connect quickly with the boys who come to Salem.  I frequently find myself asking Adam who a certain person is or about a specific music artist that I have heard the boys mention because I don’t have a clue.

But secondly, Adam is able to take that entertainer, show, technological issue, etc, and bring it back to the Gospel.  He is able to help the boys see how the messages that are being put out in today’s culture are or are not in conflict with what is contained in Scripture.  This gives Adam a special audience with our boys, as they see him as ‘the cool guy’ in the midst of us ‘oldtimers.’  He communicates with them on their level, in a God-honoring, Christ-exalting way.  And the boys listen and their lives are changed.

Thanks Adam for being at Salem, for your ministry to the boys, and for helping us stay up to date with the world of our boys.  We are glad you’re here.

Brent

October 4, 2009

This past Saturday, our guys competed in the IIAA state soccer tournament.  The boys usually qualify for the state meet in about all the sports we compete in.  And we have won our share of state titles in the past in various sports.  But the soccer state title is something that has eluded us as long as we have been competing.  But Saturday, that changed as our boys finally won the title against the same team that usually eliminates us from competition.

Salem won the first game 3-0.  It was a good team effort against another team that, although who also put in a commendable effort, was out-manned from the beginning by our boys.  Our guys then had about 20 minutes to be ready for the next game.  Game 2 was a revenge match for the boys, playing against a team that gave them their only loss of the season.  After a scoreless first half, the boys got busy and scored three goals and held the other team scoreless to win 3-0 and avenge the loss from earlier in the season.

Once again, they had about 20 minutes to get themselves ready for the championship game against the perennial champion in this sport.  This is a team who we have had a great rivalry with over the last few years.  In fact, we defeated this team in the bottom of the seventh inning this summer to win the softball state.  We started strong, taking a 1-0 lead in the first half, which quickly became 2-0 early in the second half.  The opposing team did not give up though, scoring twice in the last few minutes of the game to send it to overtime.

One minute into the three-minute overtime, we scored to take a 3-2 lead, and were able to hang on for the last two minutes to claim the title.  It was a very exciting way to end a great day.  Congratulations to Corbin, Alex, Buck, Nick, Logan, Juan, Ronny, David, Jon, Ben, and Antonio.  You guys were great, you deserved to win, and you represented Salem well both in attitude and participation.

Brent

September 16, 2009

Once again, we had the opportunity to graduate one of our boys last week.  Chasen finished the program and went home for good after being here for 21 months, or as his mother put it at his graduation, 649 days.  It was a great celebration and an opportunity to send a young man off with great fanfare and a lot fun.

Chasen was not unlike many of the boys who come here.  Trouble at home, trouble in school, and by his own admission very lazy.  Much of Chasen’s progress at Salem seemed to have been the classic two steps forward and one step back.  But Chasen is also a very determined young man who never gave up.  He worked very hard and has some great dreams of what he would like to accomplish in the future.

There are many things that set Chasen apart, but let me mention two.  One was his smile.  Chasen was told more than once that he had a smile that would get him into and out of much trouble throughout his life.  You cannot help but smile yourself, when no matter what the situation, Chasen would interject some humor, smile and laugh, and things would be better.  We will miss his smile greatly.

The other thing was his humor.  Chasen is one of those kids who can get away with saying things no one else can say.  I am not sure how that works, but he has it down to a science.  During his time here, he frequently had some well-timed humor to make a bad situation bearable.

But one significant thing we take away from Chasen being here, is just how hard it is on the parents.  While we talked about his time here as ‘being a long time,’ or ‘months,’ his mother reminded us—649 days.  To her it was an eternity.  Every day was one day her son was not with her.  And it reminded us of the enormous task and privilege we have, and responsibility we carry, in ministering to these boys.

Chasen, you are an awesome kid and you will accomplish much in your life.  And Kim, thank you for sharing him with us and calling to mind our mission.  We will miss you both.

Brent

September 4, 2009

If you live on a horse ranch, a vital person to have is a cowboy.  Without someone who knows about horses, and how to care for them and break them so they can be ridden, it would not do much good to have them.  At Salem, we have one of the best in Kevin Lindley.

Kevin runs the barn.  He is responsible for all things horse related.  He ensures they have food and bedding on hand.  He coordinates the veterinary care the horses need.  He breaks them so that we have lesson horses for the boys.  He is in charge of Friday stall cleaning.  He makes sure they get fed and watered every day.  He maintains fencing and stalls in good order.  There is more, but you get the idea.  For those of you who have owned a few horses, you know it is a task.  Now imagine having oversight of 40-50 horses, and the task becomes very large.

In addition to working the ranch part of Salem, Kevin also has much interaction with our boys.  From teaching them how to ride, to taking them to horse shows, to making repairs with them, Kevin is there to teach the boys a good work ethic.  Kevin works hard and expects the same from the boys.  ‘If you have enough time to do a job twice, then you have enough time to do it right the first time,’ is something that the boys will hear from him often.

Kevin can often be seen late at night after everyone else has gone home out in the barn breaking horses so that they can be sold for a higher price, or simply because we need more lesson horses; or maybe just because he wants to ride.  Riding can be a great stress reliever, and we will often find our boys spending time out with the horses if they get some free time.  Kevin helps our guys develop a love and appreciation for our four-legged friends.  Thanks for all you do Kevin.  You are a valuable asset to the ministry at Salem.

Brent

August 18, 2009

It is truly a great day at Salem when we have the opportunity to graduate one of our boys from our program.  The last two weeks have been especially great due to the fact that we have been able to graduate not one, but two kids, who are now back in their homes and off to good starts toward getting the rest of their lives back on track.

Dale was with us for about 16 months.  He made great strides when he was here.  He went from a shy, depressed, withdrawn individual to a young man who was leading bible studies in the cottages and challenging his peers to live right before God.  These were not merely changes to move through our program.  Dale is a new kid.  He is a kid with a purpose.  And that purpose is to know Christ and to make Him known.  Dale has transitioned well back home and we are excited to hear reports in the future about how God is working in his life.

Matthew was with us a little longer-about two years.  He also made huge changes in his life during the time he was at Salem.  Not only physically, as he grew several inches and transformed from looking like a little boy to a maturing teenager, but also in every other way.  He made great progress in school, learned how to interact with others in appropriate ways, and is striving to do the things he needs to do to be successful at home.  One of the great things about Matthew is that he takes a strong stand for the rights of unborn children.  He is not afraid to speak his mind regarding this issue.  We are very encouraged Matthew by your dedication in standing up for these little ones.

Salem is very proud of both of these young men.  They have made tremendous strides in their time here, and we have grown to love both of them.  We will miss them both immensely, but they are back where they should have been all along-at home.  Our prayers are with them that make right decisions in the future.  Great job guys!!!

Brent

August 11, 2009

One of the things we pride ourselves on here at Salem is being able to offer our guys a top-notch education.  That would not be possible without someone heading it up who has both a handle on the academic/administrative side and the relational side.  Most of the time, the head master is very gifted in one or the other of these areas, but not both.  Salem is blessed to have someone in Mike Hansen who is gifted in both.

Mike has been at Salem going on five years now.  He has built and is building a school that started off very basic with little resemblance to any type of a typical classroom, to a school that hopes to reach full accreditation by 2011.  He strives to make sure the boys have the best curriculum available.  He spends extra time writing grants in an effort to get things for the school that our resources simply do not allow us to buy.  And he is very knowledgeable in what makes for a successful school.

But, for all the value he brings to Salem professionally, he brings even more on a relational level.  He has seen many boys come and go.  There is not much that happens here that really surprises him anymore.  But Mike has a great ability to read a situation that is occurring with one of our boys, and to bring just the right words delivered in just the right manner that speaks wisdom into their hearts.  Sometimes that is in a gentle yet firm way, and sometimes a little more forceful, but never without grace and love and care and concern for whichever boy he is speaking to at the moment.

Mike is a tremendous asset to Salem.  We would not be as effective at reaching the hearts of young men without him.  Thanks Mike, for all you do.  I, along with the rest of the Salem team and the boys, are blessed to work with you.

By the way, Mike will also be a member of Team USA in the Deaf Olympics this September in Taipei, Taiwan.  Bring home the gold Mike!  We will all be cheering for you.

Brent

July 20, 2009

One of the things we try to do at Salem is model godly family relationships to our boys and families.  We try to give them a proper biblical framework from which to operate at a basic family level, so that when the boys go home for good, they have an understanding of what that looks like.  Nowhere is that more evident than with our houseparent couple Joe and Brenda Coe.

Joe and Brenda came to us last November and live in one of the cottages adjacent to the boys.  They work three to four evenings per week and are there many mornings to wake the boys up and get their day started.  They are no strangers to ministry or to working with teenage boys.  They came to us from Georgia where they worked with delinquent and state kids in a group-home type environment.  Additionally, they were missionaries in Venezuela for eight years.

Having raised three children themselves, they bring a great deal of experience, patience, and wisdom to Salem.  One of the best things they bring though is the example of what a truly biblical marriage looks like.  Our boys get to see Joe and Brenda interact with one another on a daily basis.  They learn first-hand about love and forgiveness.  They learn what it means to base your marriage on Christ.  They learn that a couple who have been married for over 25 years can still have a great time with each other.  They learn the value of hard work and doing things right the first time.

We are extremely grateful the Lord brought Joe and Brenda to us.  Joe’s ‘nose to the grindstone approach’ and his willingness to talk with the boys about anything at anytime, and Brenda’s firm yet gentle sweet spirit in dealing with our guys through challenging life situations are a tremendous asset to the ministry at Salem.  Thanks Joe and Brenda for all you do.  Your love for the Lord is evident in all you do here.

Brent

July 2, 2009

What do extreme heat, high humidity, and 28 people with a passion to build relationships with young men and serve others through construction all have in common?  They all descended on Salem Ranch the week of June 21.  Once again our great friends from Calvary Baptist Church, in Rocky Mount, NC came and did amazing things at Salem, through rebuilding our facility.  But more importantly, they were instrumental in rebuilding lives.

The team of Bob, Bryan, Steve, April, Cindy, Jeff, Allison, Roseanne, Jessica, Carl, Kay M., Ms. Julia, Zachary, Chad, Kim, Bradley, Clint, Larry, Kay C., David, Larry, Alvaro, David, Scott, and Hope (pictured) and Earl, Donnie, and Scott H. (not pictured), almost did not make it here.  After many delays, and a planes, trains, and automobiles type adventure, everyone arrived in three different groups throughout the day on Father’s Day.

The group did not waste a minute getting started, and in what seemed like no time we had new classrooms, a new family room for counseling, new stall fronts in the barn, repairs to our gym roof, new doors to the gym, and a spotless kitchen.  You would need to see the pictures to get the full effect and they will be posted as soon as possible.  It is nothing short of a miracle what these great people are able to accomplish in a week’s time; even more so when you throw in temperatures in the mid 90’s and high humidity the team had to deal with the entire week.

But that is dwarfed in comparison to the effect they have on our boys and our staff.  The group is always a huge encouragement to the staff here.  It refreshes our souls to meet with a large group of like-minded believers who, just about the time we think we are making no difference in the lives of our boys, affirm that we are.  They are the ones who exhort us to continue the work of the ministry to the glory of God.  They are a group who we know have our backs.  They are invaluable to us.

But most of, they impact our boys.  Each of our guys has a story of how someone on the team impacted them.  Many times during the week I was wandering through the grounds at ten or eleven pm, and almost always, there were pockets of the team and kids meeting together, discussing hurts and pains, and how Christ is the Ultimate Healer to all of us.  And it was not just the boys sharing with the team.  The team was often just as transparent as the boys in sharing struggles they have in their own lives and how Christ working in them is how they have made it through those difficult times.

I am asked all the time, what makes Salem work.  And my answer is always the same.  Salem works because change happens in the context of relationships: with the Lord first and with one another second.  Nowhere was this more evident then at Salem the week of June 21, 2009.  Rocky Mount, you guys are awesome.  Thank you for giving to the Lord.  Ours are lives that were changed.  We are so glad you came.

Brent

June 8, 2009

If you have ever led an organization, no matter how big or small, then you know there is one person you can always count on to keep you out of trouble.  Linda Lindley is that person at Salem.  Linda wears many different hats, and she approaches everything she does with the best interest of Salem and our boys at heart.

To begin with, Linda runs our front office.  That means directing phone calls, handling incoming and outgoing mail, taking care of billing, ordering materials, and everything else that goes with making sure an office runs smoothly.  She is also the resident Salem beautician who keeps the boy’s hair looking presentable.

In addition, she is our kitchen cook.  She orders, tracks, and prepares Salem food.  She ensures that we eat healthy, nutritious, well-balanced meals.  She is in charge of all things food related.  She also makes incredible desserts on a daily basis that treat the palates of over twenty teenage boys as well as the staff.  Linda also substitutes in the classroom on occasion, and is in charge of our yearly auction and golf events; the two primary fundraisers at Salem.  Finally, she coordinates the Rocky Mount, NC mission team event every year.  They are a group that comes to Salem and gives us an extreme ranch makeover of sorts.

But there is one more thing that Linda does that is much more important than all of these things combined: she provides that motherly touch to our boys.  She is both their fiercest advocate and their harshest critic.  She is there for them to lend an ear or to give an earful.  She is there to bandage a wound or to tell them to quit acting like a baby.  But above all of this, she loves them unconditionally.  The moms of our boys can rest assured that Linda is going to handle their kids as she would her own; which is with much grace and love.

Thanks for all you do at Salem, Linda.  But mostly, thanks for who you are.  You are a blessed asset to the mission of Salem.

Brent

May 20, 2009

Elvis in the house!  That is what you might hear when Justin Watford, one of our residential staff counselors, walks into the room.  That is because Justin is a great impressionist.  There are not many people that he cannot imitate.  Frequently he has the rest of us falling on the floor laughing at his latest rendition of Dr. Phil, a relative, or even one of the staff.  He is great at picking up the nuances of each person’s character.

But there is One in particular who Justin tries his best to imitate.  That is his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Justin does his best each day to live a godly life and to provide to our boys a role model based on the life of Christ.  And it is a role that Justin portrays well.  He is gentle when the situation calls for gentleness, and yet can be firm when firm is needed.  He can be a great encourager and a great exhorter, depending on what is needed in the moment.  But in all of these things, Justin imitates his Lord in his grace toward others.

One of the ways Justin best demonstrates his love and concern for our boys is through activity.  Justin rarely leaves campus by himself.  He frequently has a couple of boys with him when he leaves.  Whether he is going to rent a movie, heading out to Wal-Mart, more affectionately known here as ‘Wat’-Mart, or going to a museum, zoo, or movie set, Justin, at his own expense, takes boys with him.  He gives of his own time, talent, and treasures to ensure our boys know that someone cares for them.

Justin has been at Salem for several years, and we hope we have several more with him.  One of the things we tell parents and others about Salem is that is not a job for our staff.  This is not a career. It is not something they are doing until they find something better.  It is a ministry.  It is who we are.  We do this because we love God and we love kids.  Nowhere is this more evidenced than in Justin.  Thanks for being part of Salem, Justin.  You are awesome!

Brent