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Mayor Engen and TC Students Beautify Missoula 
Mayor Engen and his public relations specialist, Ginny toured the center on July 28. They were amazed at the work that goes on here. They had no idea that Teen Challenge encompased such a large feat with class work, Thrift Store and Higher Ground, gardens and the Serve-A-Thon.
The Mayor's office helped to facilitate our major fund raiser for this summer by connecting us to Missoula Parks and Rec's needs. The SERVE-A-THON 500 requires each woman to help raise finances for her expenses at TC by getting hourly sponsors and helping to beautify Missoula through serving our community for 50 hours this summer. We could have done a walk-a-thon or jog-a-thon, but wanted to give back to Missoula and do a Serve-a-Thon with the hopes of meeting a $50,000 budgetary need to hire more staff for our full house.
You may want to consider sponsoring one of our women at an hourly fee or possibly for painting necessary ball diamonds in a park. Email me to commit to help through donations, connecting us with interested donors, or guiding a crew to paint a park. (A matching grant would be a tremendous blessing.) janh@montana.com
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| Shannon |
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Jesus Makes It all New!  I was adopted off of the Ojibwa Indian reservation in NW Wisconsin at the age of 3 with my twin brother and 2 younger sisters. We were taken from abusive alcoholic and drug addicted parents. My twin brother and I were born very early with fetal alcohol syndrome. My twin brother grew up with cerebral palsy. Watching him suffer every day caused me to have a strong hatred towards my birthfather. I blamed him for the physical pain of my brother and my mental pain.
I grew up in a Christian home and was baptized in the fourth grade. The rejection I experienced with the kids at school, the teachers and even my own family caused me to shut myself away from everyone. I started to be very self conscious and at age 14 began to cut myself and develop food disorders. I began to get hooked on alcohol and in my junior of high school I attempted suicide.
I began to drink heavier, got kicked out of my parent home and started to take advantage of everyone. My boyfriend became abusive and I decided suicide was the answer. I locked myself in the bathroom, climbed into the tub, wrote a suicide note, took out a razor and slit my wrist. When I realized what I had done and started to fade away, I prayed aloud to God to forgive me and to let me live. Just then I literally felt my life being poured back into me and I felt the warm calming presence of God.
God intervened that night and saved my life. Sometime later my mother told me that she knew everything and asked me if I wanted to go to Teen Challenge. Without thinking further, I said yes.
I have been here a year and have received so much healing and deliverance. My life I have now I thought could only be a dream. God has taught me what lover really is. I never needed me to tell me that I was beautiful, I am created in God's image and I AM DOWN RIGHT GORGEOUS! I NEVER NEED THE BOTTOM OF A BOTTLE TO TKE AWAY THE PAIN. I NEVER HAD TO POUR MY OWN BLOOD FOR MY SINFUL DEEDS. I have a Savior who shed His blood on the cross for all my sins because He loved me and had me on His mind before the foundations of the earth were created. The biggest thing I learned how to do, was to forgive not only myself but others as well. Thank you Jesus and thanks to each one of you who have made it possible for me to attend this program.
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Belle Demeny joined the staff of Teen Challenge as our new Program Coordinator. She and her husband have worked as missionaries throughout the years, helped work with MAPS groups at Teen Challenge centers, has experience with troubled people through a crisis clinic and is devoted to Christ. She believes that nothing and no one is too hard for God. Welcome Belle! 