Thank you for visiting
our website and giving us
an opportunity to share our heart with you. We hope this information is
useful to you in your understandng of our ministry.
We
believe with knowledge comes responsibility and Wayside was birthed
after we became aware of the great need for a safe place for our teens.
Day after day we would see teens hanging out on the streets because
they couldn't go home or had no desire to. Home was a rough place, it
was painful and a place to run from, not to. These teens were good
kids, they just needed someone to care about them, give them hope for
their future, and listen to them.
Wayside
is unique in the fact that we make time for the teens that come
through our doors, anyone and everyone is welcome. We are not a
business, but a not for profit organization who's goal it is to reach
out to the youth in our community. This may not seem so important to
you, but to many of these teens it's the first time anyone took the
time to hear them out and truly listen. There would be no need for safe
places like Wayside if there were someone at home giving love and
direction, but this is not the case.
We
understand we could go on and on about what's wrong with
our society and our community but what we really want to do is offer an
answer, a solution to the hurt we see everyday. We believe that
solution is found through relationship evangelism pointing these teens
to Jesus Christ. At
Wayside teens find a safe encouraging environment that includes a
study hall they can receive tutoring and have access to the internet.
Since we open at 11:00am many teens come over for lunch and also get
involved in our job preparedness program.
There
is pool, foosball, bubble hockey, basketball and board games. We
offer concerts and many special events. But most of all we are there
for any young person who just wants to talk and hang out. We're there
to offer guidance, a shoulder to lean on, and direction through life's
storms. We
wish all homes, churches, and schools offered love and support to
our teens and maybe someday they will, but until that day comes we will
continue to do the work we were called to and offer a safe haven for
our youth.
