Gambling with Peoples Lives

A kid at the Detention Center told me last night that there is a bet amongst the staff on whether he'll stick with his program or run. How very inappropriate. He even told me that he was tempted to run for the first time, because he dislikes the person who bets he'll stay and wants to see him lose the wager. So here's a person who believes in him, who potentially could cause his failure.

The young man still, comforted me by reminding me that he is determined to succeed not only in his incarceration experience, but in life; so I don't think he'll run. I just think he's a little bitter that staff would trivialize his situation. I am also disappointed. I thought so much better of these people. I don't know specifically, who the staff members are, but I've held them all in such high regard. It's just probably a foolish indisgression, but it could amount to something far more serious.

It makes matters so much worse that the bet should come to the ears of this young person.

In the mean time, the young man is preparing to teach our Sunday lesson this week! I am eagerly anticipating that event. He is bright, thoughtful and will doubtless teach us something of great value, from the scriptures. His inmates, who haven't previously come to church, are planning to be to this one.

I haven't really mentioned here, how very much I love serving the youth at our local detention center. I spend many hours each week with them. I've been blessed with a heart full of love for them and they reciprocate ten fold. I don't do this by myself. There are several of us. We are called the Vernal 12th Branch. While the Branch has never consisted of more than 13 workers and is now down to 8 we all love the opportunity to serve these wonderful children of God.

We teach them the gospel, help them recover from addiction, play volleyball and other games. We spend hours counseling with them and become fast friends with many. Too often they have experienced very little love in their lives. Yet they are full of love themselves and delight in spending time with a bunch of old fogies to whom they can hardly relate, but from whom they feel the precious, refreshing draft of love for which their souls so deeply thirst.