It was in the latter part of last year that CYFD approached Don Compton, our founder and on-going liaison to CYFD, about starting a mentoring program at their John-Paul Taylor center in Las Cruces, NM.  The Center For Youth and Families Department's Juvenile Justice Division has been in the midst of a long-term paradigm shift in how they carry out their mission.  Based upon the "Missouri Model", "Cambiar NM" is, from what we have seen so far, a shift from a corrections-type philosophy to a more therapy-focused mindset.  A big part of this new paradigm is the greater involvement of the community with the youth under their custody.  That's where we, as LifeQuest, come in.  The state has invited us to develop the community support and involvement with their youth through the initiating of a mentoring program.  At the end of January, 2010, we carried out our first training and orientation at the John-Paul Taylor center for 27 new volunteers from the Las Cruces area.  It was an incredible start and have plans in motion to begin the ministry to the youth of the John-Paul Taylor center with a Pizza Party in March.  Beyond that a Camp DayBREAK is in the works and in order to raise financial support for the ministry in that area, we are planning a luncheon in April.  We are so confident that this is the Lord's will and so we press on prayerfully and circumspectly.  If you'd like more information about the Las Cruces arm of LifeQuest, click on the "Contact Us" link located to the upper left corner of the webpage.

-February 26, 2010