The following post is from CBF field personnel Angel and Jason Pittman, who serve at CBF partner ministry Touching Miami with Love, which ministers among children, teens and families in the Miami neighborhood of Overtown.

TML is grieving right now over the shooting death of a young man who had been involved in our TML Youth Development Program.  Gary had struggles in his short life and our staff has stories of walking beside him through many of them.  You may have read in the paper the story of the Metrorail shooting on Sunday, October 9th.  Sadly, Gary chose not to come back toTML this fall and we grieve along with his mother, sister, and grandfather in his death.  

Our TML youth are struggling with losing someone they knew very well and our staff did an excellent job of helping them deal with their grief this week during their time with us.  A banner was created by the high school students and letters were written by the middle school students sharing memories of Gary.  Gary’s mom was overwhelmed with gratefulness to receive them all.  

Additionally, during our weekly worship time on Wednesday nights with the youth the staff shared from the heart the importance of a relationship with Christ to keep them on the right path.  Staff member, Tim showed the youth a banner (just one of three) with photos of all the young people he’s known personally who have died as a result of gun violence.  Youth staff member, Willie, joined Tim in sharing the various senseless reasons that they were killed.  You could have heard a pin drop in the room.  It was after this session that a new girl to the program came to youth staff members Sherese and Amanda and said she wanted to give her life to Christ.  

Thank you for continuing to Walk With Us even in the difficult times all while continuing to bring a message of hope to our community of Overtown.  

Pray With Us. . . Please continue to pray for the young men of Overtown.  The pull of the streets from the comraderie of gangs to the lure of easy money from selling drugs is a constant threat to our young men.  Pray for the youth to have the strength to make wise choices. Pray for our staff to have wisdom as they walk alongside the youth. Pray for TML as a whole to continue to create an atmosphere of love and respect that draws the youth to our doors.