Here, There, and Everywhere

Extreme Youth is in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, not far from New York City. Jackie Perez leads this ministry, which includes a S.A.Y. Yes! Center.

      At Easter time, she invited neighborhood children to an egg hunt — with the promise of receiving a treat-filled Easter Bag (provided by Here’s Life). Parents signed their children in, then left with instructions about the pick-up time. The children hunted for these special “Resurrection Eggs,” and then they opened them one by one as Jackie told the Easter story.

      Because the egg hunt went longer than expected, the children were just receiving their Easter Bags, with Gospel bracelets, as their parents began showing up. The result: the parents listened to the message too!

      Jackie used the colored beads of the bracelet to explain the Gospel, and then invited those who wanted to ask Jesus into their hearts to raise their hands. All the children raised their hands — and so did all their parents! Together they prayed, turning their hearts toward God.

      During the summer, Jackie and her daughter started kicking around a soccer ball at a neighborhood park. Slowly five other kids gathered, and they all played. The next week, 10 kids were waiting for them! Soon Jackie had to enlist volunteers from the church to coach, referee, and bring snacks, because there were 40 elementary-aged kids and nearly 20 teens — plus parents watching from lawn chairs!

      Each day’s games began with the children in a prayer circle. Eventually Jackie introduced shortened versions of our S.A.Y. Yes! curriculum. You could see by the way the kids played their games that they were really absorbing the message.

      But it became clear that many of these children needed shoes. They were trying to play soccer in flip-flops or old oversized sandals; one child’s sneakers were so bad that Jackie actually had to use Krazy Glue to attach the sole.

      So the church organized a carnival, and as the grand finale, the children who participated in the soccer program got a PowerPack backpack full of school supplies ... and new shoes ... all supplied by Here’s Life Inner City.

      Jackie is committed to making an impact for Christ in her community, and resources from Here’s Life are fueling her efforts.

Previous Stories of Hope:

• Walking with God Through Hard Times
• Life With a New Focus
• How Dreams Come True
• New Meaning for “Spring Break”!
• S.A.Y. Yes! is for Parents, Too
• The Turnaround
• Celebrating New Lives
• Extreme Makeover
• Something Beautiful
• Walk a Year in These Shoes
• Authenticity From Experience
• Transformation Station
• The City Pulled Me Up
• Language of Love
• Thriving at 13
• S.A.Y. Yes! Celebration
• Urban Immersion: One Life-Changing Day
• Reach a Child, Impact a Family
• It Started With a Fishing Trip
• Hope Grows in Brooklyn
• A Transformed Family
• S.A.Y. Yes! Long Term
• Partnership in Brooklyn
• S.A.Y. Yes! for the Long Term
• Moving Toward a Career
• Breakthrough at S.A.Y. Yes!
• We Don’t Ever Have to Go Back!
• Prison Prevention Ministry Helps Redirect Lives