Lamar's Story: "I Know Jesus And You Will Never Leave Me"

A few weeks ago, Leverage Ministries hosted the 2nd Annual Roger Evans Memorial Golf Classic. It was an incredible day of golf with more than 100 golfers and volunteers. This event, along with the faithful support of so many people, allows Leverage to continue reaching the abused, abandoned and arrested youth of central Florida.

Kids like Lamar.

About 18 months ago, I shared Lamar’s story. I met him just a few days before we were leaving for our annual summer camp, and he was uncertain about what to expect or how he fit into the group. Late in the week at camp, Lamar asked if we could go talk. He wanted to share his story with me.

A few months before I met him, Lamar’s mom joined the Army. She told him the day before she was shipping out. She told Lamar, “I probably won’t see you again. Please take care of yourself. If you behave, you can probably stay with your aunt for a while.”

But then he shared his good news with me: earlier that morning after our morning meeting, Lamar had accepted Christ as his Savior. He said to me, “Now I have a Father who will never leave me.”

Soon after camp, we lost track of Lamar. He moved, and none of the other boys knew what happened to him. Unfortunately, that’s not uncommon in our ministry. But I continued to pray for Lamar and that he would remember his time at camp and his decision to follow Christ.

Now I’m going to fast forward a year and a half to the Wednesday night after our September golf tournament. After four months of not being able to minister because of the pandemic, we were invited to resume our weekly meetings at the Runaway Shelter.

As I walked through the door, I heard a familiar voice yell, “Pastor Scott is here! He’s back! I told you all he would come.” I barely got inside when Lamar was giving me a big hug and pulling me inside to meet the other kids. No social distancing requirements were going to hold him back!

After 18 months, it was great to see him again. He told me about all of the troubles he had faced since that summer camp and shared about how he was going to be placed with a foster family. But then he said, “I still remember the decision I made at camp, and I know Jesus and you will never leave me.” 

That’s what Leverage Ministries is here for: to share Christ with hurting kids and to let them know that we’re here for them. 

Please continue to pray for Lamar and the many other teens we reach each week through our Breakfast Club and at the Runaway Shelter. We hope that our other ministries will resume soon as things continue to re-open.  

Your financial support is vital as well. You can give online at www.leverageministries.org/give-now. Your gifts will help us continue this important work with the hurting teenagers in our community.

In His Service,

Scott