Hello there, I am coming to you to ask for help. It’s a very humbling feeling when you don’t have control, or the ability to do the things that seem right, but the Lord has made it clear that I don’t have to take this road alone. My 15 year old son Nathan became addicted to some really terrible drugs, meth, cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl, nicotine, alcohol….I’m sure you can imagine the horror I felt when we found him camping in a stump in Rohner park last summer, high on all of these things last summer. The constant running away all hours of the night to get his fix, and to meet up with other children with deviant ideas was impossible to stop. I called police, probation officers, pastors, friends, family, teachers, social workers, psychiatrists, whoever I possibly could to get guidance and help, but he just kept spiraling. In September he ended up on a psychiatric hold in the hospital for a week, but still continued to spiral, and started showing signs of psychosis from the drugs. He continued to use. My little boy, who had always been quiet and sweet, bringing me homemade cards and gifts, love and hugs, had transformed into a person I didn’t even recognize anymore. Finally in December, he got scared and wanted help. We tried medication but even that didn’t make all of the scary things he was seeing go away. He needed time for the drugs to work themselves out of his system and for his brain and body to heal from all of the damage. Well time ran out last month, when he was so scared of what was happening to him, made him want to take his own life. He hadn’t used drugs in weeks so his tox screens came back clean, and he said he had found Jesus again, and he never wanted to use again. I praise God that it happened while I was there and that I was able to get him help. He went into the hospital again and waited for transport to a juvenile psych facility where they could get him stabilized enough to be able to be safe at home again. We prayed and fasted. A lot. I knew that he needed help and support but I didn’t know how to do that for him. And an answer to prayer came. 

    Several weeks ago I had contacted the director of teen challenge here in Eureka. He came over and prayed with Nathan and recommended that we look into the boys center in Sparks Nevada. There is no teen challenge for teens locally just adults, and the one in Sparks is the closest one to us. When he said that we should call I was hesitant, I didn’t want to send my boy away. I wanted him to feel loved and wanted him near me, so I called and left a message for them to call me back, but I hadn’t heard from them, so I thought that that was just God’s way of letting me know it wasn’t the right thing. 

    After days of prayer and fasting I had peace that the Lord would give me the right thing to do next. And when I wasn’t expecting it, the phone rang and it was the director of the Sparks Teen Challenge Eagle Ranch for boys. I spoke to him about how Nathan has been and what he’s done, that he has a dual diagnosis now that needs more help, that he needs a lot of outdoors time, and he’s very smart, but how would I ever afford it? He said that they send out letters to help get sponsorships for any of the boys who need it, and that I could also seek sponsors to help offset the cost of the program. You see, it’s a 12-18 month program and it’s costs $3950 a month! I thought Lord if this is right, then just make this easy and make it happen. And He did. Every single piece of the puzzle has just fallen into place. I filled out the application, was able to get ahold of the proper paperwork they needed, had all of the documents they needed, I even got a check from my pastor to help pay for his first month 😊 I know that I’m asking a lot. But please help me save my boy. I know that if we don’t do something, I’m going to end up losing him for good. Teen challenge has a much lower relapse rate than so many other program that are out there. And I really feel God leading me this direction right now. He’s a big God and he has big plans for Nathan. It doesn’t have to be you personally, but maybe ask your church? I know a lot of churches support missionaries this way, and this is a similar thing, but rather than sending out someone to spread the word, we are paying for the word to be infused into this boy so that the Lord can take hold of his heart. I’m praying this is the thing that gives him the foundation of knowledge that will equip him to learn new life skills and coping techniques so that he doesn’t return to old habits, and all of this can be his testimony one day, so that he can save others just like him. So please 🙏 from a desperate mama, I’m on my knees begging, please just ask. This is the right thing for my boy, and I need your help. Did the Lord put it on your heart and you feel led to help? I have a form that I can send you to fill out for a one time gift or a monthly gift that will help offset the cost. Please get back to me and let me know if you are able to help us. Please keep us in your prayers throughout this journey.