A Place to Call Home
Watch our newest video, showing you a glimpse of the children and families that call Show-Me Christian Youth Home- “Home”
Mighty Man Coming Soon!!!
Many young lives have been touched by our VBS videos, Cowboy and Mr Blaine. They continue to be a great way for kids to learn about Show-Me Christian Youth Home and learn some great lessons about the love of Jesus.
We are excited to announce our new series – The Adventures of Mighty Man– the five-part series will be available for the 2018 camp and VBS season. The video series will take your kids on a fun, action-filled video series where they can find their own super powers to make a difference in the world through missions.
Your kids will be excited to journey with Mighty Man around Show-Me Christian Youth Home as he searches for his SPARK. Each episode, they will learn about the true super powers God can unlock in all of us: unconditional love, wisdom, talents, trust, and faith in action.
To check out the BRAND NEW Mighty Man Trailer, or if you would like more information about bringing The Adventures of Mighty Man to your church or camp, go here.
Introducing the Graduates from the Class of 2017
Each of these young adults have earned their Path to Purpose diplomas. By achieving this milestone, each graduate will have access to $500 in emergency funds, assistance in purchasing their first vehicle, and whatever ongoing support they need to keep their momentum moving in the right direction.
Name: Destin McMurray
Years at Show-Me: 4 years
Graduate of: Show-Me Christian School
The Next Chapter: Attend State Technical College of Missouri in Linn, to specialize in Biomedical Engineering Technology. “I will help people by fixing the machines that are used to save their lives.”
Impact Show-Me had on his Life: “When I came here, I didn’t talk to anyone. I was shy and kept to myself. But, I learned how people think and what their actions mean. I have learned the confidence to be a leader.”
Name: Emma Novak
Years at Show-Me: 5 years
Graduate of: Grundy County High School
The Next Chapter: Become a PreMed student majoring in Biology at The College of the Ozarks. After college, I plan to continue onto Med School to become a Pediatrician and eventually travel as a medical missionary.
Impact Show-Me had on her Life: “Show-Me planted a seed in me for loving children and a yearning to help those in need.”
Name: Grace Brodersen
Years at Show-Me: 6 years
Graduate of: Show-Me Christian School
The Next Chapter: Major in Social Work at Missouri State University. “I want to help kids in foster care who don’t have a voice. I want them to feel loved, safe, and know someone is watching out for them.”
Impact Show-Me had on her Life: “I learned to forgive and love the people who hurt me. I had real control issues that I learned to let go. My biggest challenge was finding self-worth and knowing I am loved, but I know God overcame that for me.”
Name: Jenna Watkins
Years at Show-Me: 6 years
Graduate of: Show-Me Christian School
The Next Chapter: Attend Missouri Southern State University majoring in Early Childhood Education to one day become a Kindergarten teacher and Volleyball coach.
Impact Show-Me had on her Life: “Show-Me really is a family. It is all about family. You have lots of siblings, so you never feel lonely because there is always something going on.”
Drysdale Unit Breaks Ground for New Home
On May 7, Show-Me Christian Youth Home (SMCYH) ceremonially started the construction of its new Reed Home at Drysdale Farm in Barnett with approximately 60 in attendance to make the occasion.
The addition of this new home will mark the first major step in expanding the current Drysdale Farm facility into becoming a campus community for the non-profit organization as modeled at the main campus in La Monte, Mo.
SMCYH is a faith-based organization aimed at helping young lives by providing a safe, stable, loving home to young people struggling because of circumstances in their current home environment, according to their mission statement.
“We face a challenge to rescue and restore even more young lives,” explained Director Chad Puckett. “The need exceeds our capacity. The Reed Home is the next opportunity to meet this challenge.”
The Reed Home will serve as a residential home for a new Show-Me family of up to eight children. Located just north of the current house at 19314 Jones Creek Road in Barnett, this second home will be approximately 3,500 square feet and will have six bedrooms.
The main construction will begin this summer and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2018. Like most of the homes at SMCYH, volunteers will assist in much of the labor.
“Show-Me’s story is our story: one person will tell me about how their church helped to put up the roof, another how they built the porch,” Puckett said. “The Drysdales or Reeds may have set aside the funding and dream, but it takes the whole community before a child can find safety under its roof. ”
The new home is named in honor of Ned and Louise Reed, who donated their property in Camdenton, to start the Camdenton Unit in 1988. Due to the close vicinity of the new highway directly next to the unit, it was closed in 2008. Funds were set aside to establish this new home at Drysdale.
High School Students Serve in Chicago
Over spring break, this past week, our high school students had the opportunity to serve others. They loaded up the vans with four of our house parents, and traveled to Chicago. Throughout the week they served at Pacific Garden Mission, a ministry that serves the homeless in the downtown Chicago area. They helped by making hundreds of beds, serving hundreds of lunches, and resetting the dining room for dinner each day. The mission does not only function as overnight housing for guest, they also have long-term programs that help people get back on their feet. These programs include intense Bible studying and teaching basic life skills to those in the program. The kids worked each day with men who are in the New Life program. These men oversee almost all the functions of the mission and supervised our group during our time there.
Each day we began with a devotion, led by the students. As the week went on, all of the students expressed how impressed they were with the men we were working with. Most of them shared how fortunate they felt to have a place like Show-Me that has stepped in to help take care of their needs. They realized that with out Show-Me their life could have taken a very different path, probably not much different from many of the men we encountered. Through serving these men, women and children the kids had the chance to experience something they will remember for quite sometime. We hope to give our kids many more opportunities like this in the future.
Hard to say goodbye
How lucky we are to have known someone who is so hard to say goodbye to…
Turning to a new chapter brings mixed emotions – the confusing culmination of loss with anticipation. But, face a new chapter we must from time to time, as the “Author and Perfecter of our faith” continues to write our stories.
Justin Danielson served as a dear friend and excellent member of the Board of Directors since 2011. Prior to that, his family served as Relief Houseparents from 2006-2008. Justin combined his voice of experience with his heart of a pastor to guide the Board toward great decisions. He and his family invested their time and talents to make the ministry a wonderful place, cheering on the athletes, encouraging the children and staff at Show-Me, and championing the value of this mission in the community.
God called the Danielsons to serve with the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. While the new adventure brings excitement, we mix that with our sadness to have to say “goodbye.” They will touch lives for the Kingdom there and we will forever be grateful for the fingerprints they left all over our lives at Show-Me.
To Our Booster Friends…
Love is not a feeling. Love is a commitment.
As any parent may tell you, real love isn’t shown in a boutique of flowers, a box of chocolates, or even a diamond ring. REAL LOVE is found in the Mom who is up at 2 am with a scared child or a Dad who makes sure to be in the stands cheering at their daughter’s game. Love is an action that says “you matter and are valued.”
To try and demonstrate to some of our Elementary students at Show-Me just how much they are loved, we showed them the large stacks of responses that Show-Me received when we sent our Boosters a request.
And, what does that mean to the kids? Well, click on the video above and hear for yourself if it makes a difference!
Who is a Booster?
Boosters are a special kind of Show-Me hero – individuals, families, and groups who voluntarily give Show-Me permission to “let them know when we’re running low” or have a special, unbudgeted need.
As a member of the “Come Thru Crew,” Boosters go above and beyond. They are ready at anytime to answer our call for help to support the children who call Show-Me “home” by standing in the gap as a faithful source of stability through prayer and financial support.
Do you have what it takes to be a hero to children? Then, sign up to become a Booster today!
2016 Open House Awards
This past Saturday, September 10th, was our Annual Open House. If you didn’t make it, you missed out on a great day! The day was spent catching up with old and new friends, great music, food, family and fun. It was also impressive learning about our kids, and what they are up too in our Leadership U program. But one of the highlights of the day was our chance to honor some very special people.
First, we celebrated this year’s recipients of the Champion for Children award, Pat and Paul Rhoades.
2016 Champion for Children Award
Paul and Pat first heard about Show-Me while attending Southside Christian Church in the 1970’s. When they moved to Westridge Christian Church in Raytown in 1977, their involvement ramped up significantly.
Their Sunday School Class, the Keystone class, attended Annual Meetings at Show-Me every July (in those days, it was outside under a tent in JULY). That class also rallied behind other programs to support Show-Me, and did so faithfully for decades. They started sponsoring children for Christmas, taking special offerings amongst themselves for various needs, and regularly contributed financially, adding much stability to the Show-Me budget.
Chad Puckett, Show Me Christian Youth Home Director, shared this memory. “My first interaction with Paul and Pat, was in response to an SOS we sent out about 15 years ago. Show-Me was running low on meat to feed the families here, so Karen asked me to contact Paul, and his Sunday School classmate, Charlie Wadleigh, to see about getting some ground beef. A quick phone call was all it took, and a few days later they delivered hundreds of pounds of fresh ground beef.”
Paul and Pat organize their church’s participation in the Change for Children Program, coming down to get change cans, distributing them to members of the congregation, gathering them back up and returning them to Show-Me. Since 2009, we can figure that nearly $20,000 has been contributed as a result of Paul and Pat’s diligence and support of this program.
Many years ago, likely over 25, Pat took over the Christmas gifts program at Westridge, organizing her congregation’s response to the needs at Show-Me, making sure each child at Show-Me was sponsored by someone in her congregation to receive Christmas gifts. Many churches do this, but Westridge was one of the first. Pat organizes this each year with passion and efficiency.
Someone had the nerve to mention to Pat one year that the Show-Me kids dress better than some of the children in their church, so why should she give gifts to them. Pat quickly scolded her that the church kids have parents who should take care of their needs; Show-Me kids don’t have parents that can.
Sponsoring children at Christmas is a big deal at Westridge. Early in the Fall, Pat begins preparations. She has several friends contact her directly, making sure she sets aside certain cards for them before they all get snatched up.
It’s always a blessing when we see Paul and Pat drive up to the office. They usually don’t stay longer then their business requires, but they’re sure full of hugs and encouragement in that time span.
Even if you press them to take some credit for all they do for these children, they respond “we really don’t do that much; we just do a little.” Paul said, “We enjoy it! It’s always a joy, never a chore.”
Show-Me is so blessed to have such dedicated supporters as Paul & Pat. We wish we had someone like Paul and Pat Rhoades in every congregation!
2016 Overcomer Award
We also had the chance to honor this year’s Overcomer Award recipients, Kayla and Casey Jones.
In 2001, Casey arrived at Show-Me with is little brother, Christian. His mother loved her boys dearly, but realized, with the help of her family and friends, that her mental illness prevented her from raising her boys. At 13 years of age, Casey was an excellent student and had some untapped athletic talents that were uncovered continuously as he grew up. Once they joined the Weber family, they had a family for life.
Kayla came from a long history of depression, dependencies, and suicide; her family came together to salvage Kayla from a life of self-destruction and helped her get to Show-Me in 2004 at the age of 13. Kayla joined the Pucketts and eventually adjusted to the responsibilities and advantages of having a stable family. She overcame her academic struggles and found athletic strengths as well.
Casey and Kayla became “High School Sweethearts” and anticipated a future together. Casey graduated from the Show-Me Christian School in 2006 and Kayla in 2008. They joined their lives in marriage shortly after Kayla’s graduation.
Kayla always dreamed of becoming a nurse. With a new marriage and a baby on the way, Kayla launched into nursing school at Lincoln. Casey worked multiple jobs to provide for the family.
Casey and Kayla agree that the biggest advantage of Show-Me to them was the fresh starts they were able to embrace. It’s difficult for a young person to begin the change process when they are trapped in the same environment, influences, and peers. The new families, friends, and structure enabled them to start fresh and build toward a better future.
Both Casey and Kayla were standout-leaders on the athletic teams. Sports helped them overcome the distractions of things going on in their personal lives. They remained focused on being kids, not having to worry about things a teenager shouldn’t have to worry about.
Telling others that they grew up in a youth home left the impression of an institution. But Casey and Kayla always felt like “one of the family” in their Show-Me homes. Kayla said, “Special people invited me in to be part of their family. We still feel the comforts of “home” when we visit our Show-Me families. It’s still home to us.”
The Jones family now consists of Xavier, Jayda, and Elijah. Kayla is a registered nurse, Casey works with Culligan. They are active in their community and their church. Most importantly, they have broken the cycles from which they each came and lead lives that contribute greatly to our world.
Both of these honorees are very deserving. We are thankful to have the Rhoades and Jones families as a part of our Show-Me family!
Welcome
Welcome to our new website! We are so excited to share the ministry of Show–Me Christian Youth Home with you, in a way we never have before. Our hope is that anyone searching for more information about Show–Me will be able to find it here, or at least know the next step to take.
First, be sure to check out the “How We Help” page. It is a great resource of information for families who are searching for help for a child. We wanted to make sure that those who are needing help, are able to take the first step in finding it. This page also outlines how Show–Me Christian Youth Home differs from similar programs.
Second, we wanted to give those who already support Show–Me, or are looking to, increased access to the details of our ministry and programs. You won’t want to miss the new Leadership U, Path to Purpose or Private School pages. Learn more about these programs, and how they make lasting impact on the children’s lives who call Show–Me “home”.
Lastly, if you are a volunteer, you will love how easy we have made it to plan and prepare for your next trip to Show–Me. If you just want to come and take a tour, we would love to have you visit. You can make arrangements for that as well under the “Get Involved” tab.
I could go on and on about all the new stuff—but I think what you may like most are all the great pictures of our amazing kids! If nothing else, be sure to check out all the photo galleries. They are sure to brighten your day!
Rescue and Restore
Rescue and Restore
New Creations
Rags to riches
Trash to treasure
Broken pieces
Shattered lives
RESTORATION
Before & After
1 Samuel 16:7 – For the Lord sees not as Man sees, man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
2Corinthians 5:17 – therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!
It has been my pleasure to work with the kids in the past—months on some projects. We often receive donations of furniture. Some of the furniture is in good condition and other pieces have been discarded because they are flawed or their owner didn’t recognize the value or potential of the item. These have become some of my favorite pieces. With some sanding, stain, paint, knobs, patterns, and embellishments of all sorts we can make these pieces look like new.
We can parallel our lives with these unwanted pieces. Frequently we, and the kids we love here at Show-Me, feel inadequate, flawed beyond repair, unwanted, and hopeless. We fail to meet the expectations of others or the expectations of ourselves. We see ourselves as the world sees us, never measuring up.
At the beginning of the projects, the students look at their pieces, thinking, how is this ever going to look like anything that someone would actually want? Sometimes there is a stripping process that the furniture must go through before anything else can be done. This is often the case with people as well. When what we believe about ourselves is firmly attached to our identity, those beliefs must be stripped away before we can believe the truth about who we are, our value and our potential.
As the students set to work sanding and painting and adding personal touches, they begin to see it for more. They recognize the beauty beneath the rough exterior. Smiles take over their faces as they see hope for their rescued piece. They look at their creation with pleasure as they compare the drastic difference between before and after.
I am thankful that our Creator looks at us and sees more than we see. I am glad the things others have said about me and believe about me pale in comparison to what the God of the universe says and believes about me. He created us, who we are, for His exact purpose, and we no longer live in the confines of what used to be. We are a new creation. The old has gone and the new is here!
Broken pieces…changing our brokenness into a masterpiece.
Belinda Smith, houseparent.