LIFELETTERMAY 2014 www.newlifeforyouth.com

NLFY CELEBRATING OVER 42 YEARS OF TRANSFORMING BROKEN LIVES

FOUNDERS VICTOR AND CARMEN TORRES

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we rejoice with the families reunited by God’s faithfulness through the work of New Life For Youth. One of our students mom told her, “Since you’ve gone to The Mercy House, a huge weight has been lifted. For the first time in a long time, I know where all my children are.” Many parents don’t know that peace. Their cries of desperation ring in our hearts as they watch their children slip away. This is what drives us. These parents are tormented by the fear that they may outlive their child. Fathers pace hospital halls & mothers collapse from the weight of their grief as they write their child’s obituary. They are ever-present in our hearts as we pull in the hopeless & pour out, in very practical ways, the love and training that hope & restores lives.God had a purpose when He formed these young people in their mother’s womb and in the Father’s hand is healing. Thank you for your prayers and financial support; without it, NLFY wouldn’t have the honor of giving so many women the greatest Mother’s Day gift imaginable: A future and a hope for their child.

A Mother’s Torment Meets The Father’s Touch

Carlos & Rosalinda Rivera Executive Directors

M O T H E R & C H I L D R E U N I O N“Brokenness” and “Shame;” that is what was under my tough-as-nails exterior. I turned to drugs to escape my pain and ultimately lost custody of my daughter. Lying on a jail cell floor, finally at the end of myself, I pleaded with God to take my pain & give me my family back. Behind bars, I was told about New Life For Youth. Now, my beautiful Johana, who my own sin stole from me, is back in my arms. Soon we will be moving into Mercy Mom’s House where I’ll be the mom Johana has longed for.

As David wrote in Psalm 107, God pulled me from death & darkness, took my guilt & broke the chains that bound me. When I cried out to God in that cell, He set me on a solid foundation & is building a legacy for my child and future generations. My struggles will not be in vain; God will use my experience to help other hurting women be restored to their families and their purpose.

GET CONNECTED:WWW.FACEBOOK/NEWLIFEFORYOUTHWWW.TWITTER/NEWLIFEFORYOUTH

GET HELP:HELP FOR MEN- (804)448-2750HELP FOR WOMEN- (804)230-4485

TARA AND JOHANA

Make checks payable to:New Life For Youth

P.O. Box 13526Richmond, VA 23225

All donations are tax-deductible

RUNNING THE RACEIan W., 31

Before I came to NLFY, I was always looking for my next high. I started drinking heavily, all day every day. I would even get up at 6:45am so I could get to the gas station by 7 to buy my alcohol for the day. After getting kicked out of every place I lived, I was totally hopeless & didn’t even want to live anymore. I cried and begged God to just let me go to sleep and never wake up, but God had a different plan for me. I came to NLFY in November of 2012, where I found my reason to live and smile. Whenever I start to think about my past, I remember Philippians 3:13, which says, “…one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead …”

Thank you, New Life For Youth for helping me

“press on toward the goal!”

Coming Events:Taking It To The StreetsMay 31st 6pmNew Life Chapel4905 Walmsley Blvd.Richmond, VA 23224FREE EVENT - CONCERT-FAMILY FUNGROCERY AND TOY GIVEAWAY YOU CAN HELP PUT

FAMILIES BACK TOGETHER!