My day started with two emails back-to-back.
The first was about “Jenn” who arrived at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch this morning. She’s only 12 years old. Her case manager said in the email, “She is pretty quiet and reserved today but also had to wake up at 5 a.m. for the drive here so she may just be tired. She told me she loves to paint and do arts and crafts in her free time. She did say she prefers to work with female staff but is willing to try to work with male staff. Make sure to say hello and introduce yourself!”
Whenever I read these first introductory notes about a child who has just joined us, my heart fills with sadness and my head fills with questions.
Yes. I am sad that any child ever needs to come to a place like the Ranch. I am grateful and proud of the Ranch, but in a perfect world, no child would ever need to heal from trauma. But this is far from a perfect world.
Then, my head fills with questions. What happened to Jenn? Why doesn’t she trust males? Does she have good people in her life? How scared is she? What will it take for her to heal? Does she have a place to call “home?"
I opened the second email. It was the school announcement video for our Fargo Campus. In it, one of our wonderful Special Education Teachers, Sequoia Magrum, shared an anonymous Daily Inspiration.
"I sometimes hear people say, 'Hope is not a strategy.' I agree. But hope is a beginning. To have hope is to feel, dream, envision, and believe that things can be better. It allows us to march forward with faith that we can make a difference."
Pretty sure the timing of that email was a God thing. (Sometimes I wonder if He gets tired of nudging me.)
Just as sadness and questions arise, I am reminded that “hope is a beginning.” And “with faith we can make a difference.”
The questions still need to be answered, but with hope and faith in Him, we will help Jenn heal.
Your prayers and support are lifelines to our work. Thank you.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
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