"The Town Council finds the crimes being committed by criminal street gang members include
serious offenses such as murder by drive-by shootings, aggravated assault, robberies,
burglaries and drug-related crimes; and, finds loitering in public places by members of street
gangs creates a justifiable fear for the safety of persons and property in the area.
Members of criminal street gangs establish control over identifiable areas of a community by loitering in
those areas and intimidating others from entering. The Town Council of the Town of Apple
Valley finds and determines that having an enforceable ordinance targeted at loitering by
members of criminal street gangs and those in company with members of criminal street gangs
is critical to preserving the peace, morals and safety of all citizens in the Town.
Imagine if these kids had had adults committed to walk with them through life in an intentional long term manner...
In Deuteronomy 6:7 we read,
"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way,
and when you lie down, and when you rise."
Project D67 is KidTrek's specific plan, based on Deuteronomy 6:7, to place missionaries in strategic churches around the country; these
missionaries will be adults who will walk with kids through life in such an intentional, long term manner, we will see the kids
become Christ-changed, hope-filled, productive adults.
Project Specifics:
DESCRIPTION:
"Project D67: Apple Valley" is KidTrek's FIRST of many such projects to open KidTrek Centers in a community.
Every project will involve the opening of a minimum of 2 KidTrek Centers so as to provide the support system we believe our missionaries will need.
Keep your eyes and ears open for a Project D67 coming to your church and/or community in the near future.
LOCATION:
Apple Valley and/or Victorville, CA
GOAL:
Open two (2) KidTrek Centers, placing 2 missionaries at each site
by Fall 2008.
Integrate and disciple 50-100 "at-risk" FAMILIES from the community into the local church hosting the KidTrek Center.
COST: $150,000/Center, for a total need of $300,000
Here is how you can be a part of this project:
PRAYER WARRIORS: individuals and/or groups willing to commit to praying, on a daily basis, to see this mission accomplsihed.
GIVING WARRIORS: Please consider giving generously toward this
project.
NETWORKING: assist us in getting connected with others who would like to Join The Walk.
SOME ADDITIONAL IDEAS:
- BOOKMARK THIS PAGE! Check back to see how we are progressing.
- VOLUNTEERING: As KidTrek Centers open,whether a partner church or part of the local
community, KidTrek Centers will need volunteers. Please consider this
very important need.
- CONTACT: Please contact Joseph Parker directly regarding questions or thoughts about Project D67,
or how you may be able to Join The Walk in other ways...INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF YOUR CHURCH STARTING ITS OWN PROJECT D67!
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Some further reading/thoughts to consider regarding this project:
Do you have the kind of time, energy, or resources to:
- Regularly visit children’s school teachers?
- Daily tutor the children?
- Daily disciple the children in God’s word?
- Daily teach them life skills needed to become productive adults?
- Daily walk with them through life in such a way they can see the hope they have in Christ?
Kids need adults who can commit to building a relationship with them in such an intentional way, no matter how hard it gets, we see results.
Unfortunately, our experience has shown us most "volunteers," even part time church staff, do not have this kind of time or energy.
KidTrek desires to walk with kids, and their families, through life in such an intentional way we will see a high percentage of them become successfull adults.
To do this KidTrek is preparing to partner with two (2) churches in Southern California to begin buidling long term relationships with at-risk
families for the purpose of getting them connected to the local church, seeing Christ change their lives through these relationships. Visit our
Levels of Assistance page on our website to learn more about how we will do this.
Each Center will be comprised of two missionaries (KidTrek employees),
what we call Secondary Nurturers (SN). Each of these SN's will be responsible to develop relationships with five children
and their Primary Nurturers (e.g., mom, dad, uncle, aunt, etc).
Here are some short quotes from books Joseph studied on Resiliency Research, some of which has led KidTrek to move in this
direction:
- "…When the focus is on youth development, nearly 70% of young people in the most challenging of life’s conditions not only survive,
but grow into thriving adults."
-Bonnie Benard
"It’s HOW we do what we do that
counts more than what program we
do. Mentoring works IF the mentors
are developmental in approach.
Mentoring does not work if the
mentors are prescriptive.
Successful work with youths requires"
-Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mentoring:The Power of Developmental Relationships, Bonnie Benard & Kathy Marshall
"Families, schools, and any organizations
serving youth must make the
development and maintenance of
strong relationships the top priority in
their work."
-Bonnie Benard & Kathy Marshall
"For effective mentoring to take place, we must see:
"Providing defined expectations for how often mentors and youth spend time together.
"Offering mentors ongoing training during relationships.
"Providing periodic monitoring of the mentor/youth relationship.
"Providing mentors and youth with activities to participate in together.
"Supporting parental involvement.
"Utilizing mentors experienced in helping roles or professions, such as teachers.
"Allowing mentors and youth to interact in a range of different community settings."
-David Dubois
"Resilience does not come from rare and special qualities, but from the everyday magic of the ordinary, normative human resources in
the minds, brains, and bodies of children, in their families and relationships, and in their communities.”
- Ann Masten, "Ordinary Magic"
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