New Horizons Youth Ministries
Marion, IN

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New Horizons
Youth Ministries
To Mark 40 Years

New Horizons Youth Ministries would like to announce they are eight months from marking their 40th anniversary, which means forty years of serving families in crisis. Looking back we can visualize the many faces of students and staff, where lives were intersected and intertwined either in Indiana, the woods of Canada or on a mountain in the Dominican Republic. And we rejoice in the positive changes we have witnessed in the families and children over the years.

For four decades, NHYM has faced many challenges and changes. Our culture has changed, working with teens has changed and our economic climate has changed. Since the attacks of 9/11, we have seen a steady decline in our student population and the question has been raised if we will survive this recession through this fiscal year. Currently we along with our board are facing some tough questions: Is an overseas school still viable in our culture today; Has NHYM served its purpose for the time and era it was needed; Is God taking us in a different direction or asking us to expand to work with young adults?

Here are more facts: NHA has been closed and if it reopens will need to be a different school. MWA did not operate last year and we have decided not to open again this summer. We have both the Canadian and Indiana campuses for sale and we are working daily to keep EC functioning. At this point, the campus in the DR has settled in under the leadership of Richard Webster who has stepped in as the new Program Director. Currently we are serving only 15 families. If God chooses to bless us, we are working toward and planning to operate Mountain View Academy this summer for 20 youth.

In spite of these facts, we do not sense a clear mandate to close. We still see God at work in the lives of our students and are motivated as ambassadors for Christ to keep fighting even if we personally face economic hardships.

We need your help and support, first with prayer for God's wisdom for us to clearly know his will, second, we will be holding two auctions at Marion on April 9 and April 16 with the goal of raising funds, downsizing, restructuring and re-launching in the future as more of a faith ministry. Please help us get the word out to others about these auctions. Third, share your thoughts with us…great inspiration and ideas come from those who look through different lenses. And finally we need your help/support financially. Please consider giving as we approach the Easter season.

We are available to share our vision for this ministry, to present parent seminars or to speak in some other capacity in your church. Please consider speaking to your pastor about this. As we slowly walk with a tired gait through this year, we hope to hear from those of you who have such a great heart for our work with teens and families. We know all have been hit hard through this time, but this is a crucial time for New Horizons. We would love to hear from you. Give us a call or send an email if you want to discuss or share an idea. In all of this we seek to hear His voice daily. We appeal to you and wait upon the Lord.

Blessings to you all,
Chuck Redwine and the administrative staff