My name is Dillon*, and I live at Baptist Children’s Home (BCH). Before I lived here, I lived with my adoptive mother and biological brother. I have lived at BCH for about three months now. I think what led me to live here was I knew I needed to restart my life. I have a lot of distractions back at home, and I struggle with some addictions that I would still be struggling with if I did not live here.

My biggest adjustment to living at BCH would probably be living with five other boys and no longer having access to the things I was addicted to. However, I really like living with boys my age and being able to have someone to hang out with. I also really like my houseparents. They listen to me, and they try to help me in any way they can. I appreciate the activities we get to do as a cottage, and I enjoy taking classes and doing school with Epic, because it has helped me focus and do better in school.

Each day, I wake up around 6:45 a.m. and then eat breakfast around 7:25 a.m. I go to the on-campus school room and take classes after breakfast and then break for lunch in my cottage. Once I am done with school in the afternoon, I do study time for about an hour. I spend the afternoon hanging out with the other kids on campus and maybe play games like Uno or play outside. After dinner we have devotion time and chores and then go to bed.

Some of my favorite hobbies are playing basketball with the other boys, cooking with my houseparents, and going outside when it is nice.

Recently, I gave my life to Christ! I got in a disagreement with another kid on campus, and that disagreement taught me to forgive. I learned that I should forgive because Christ died on the cross to forgive me of my sins. Now, I just want to live for Him and get my life together.

Lately, I have been seeing Jeremiah 29:11 everywhere, and I think God is telling me I have a purpose – do not give up, and trust Him that it will all get better.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

I am so glad I came to Baptist Children’s Home, became a Christian and am now working on becoming a better person. I am proud of myself for getting my grades up in school. I went from failing most of my classes to passing them with nothing lower than a B.

If anyone was nervous about coming to live here, I would tell them that it might not be easy to adjust at first, but it gets better, and everyone here is really nice and wants you to succeed.

In the future I would like to go into the field of investigating crime and working with families for closure on crimes that have been committed against their family members. I am excited about my future and will keep trusting God to help me become a better person. I would appreciate prayers for me as I try to put God first in everything I do. Please pray that I can see my self-worth. Pray for my family, and pray for my little brother that I can share with him and help him see all that God has done for him, and he will turn to Christ.

*Name changed to protect their privacy.