Teen Challenge

Last Saturday Teen Challenge International of Mid-America held its annual banquet at the Show Me Center. The night was filled with inspirational testimonies, wonderful music and prayer.

The organization, a nationwide drug rehabilitation program, has 145 male students at the Cape Girardeau facility participating in the 10-month program.

An encouraging reflection on the night was the widespread support of the organization. Churches, businesses and individuals from across Southeast Missouri filled the tables set up on the arena floor.

The banquet is Teen Challenge's main event of the year. Later this spring the local group will also hold their annual strawberry festival. Both events help raise much-needed funds to cover program costs, which average about $45 a day per student.

While Teen Challenge strives to meet the physical needs of its program's participants, even more important is its dedication to the men's spiritual needs. All students in the program attend local churches, and based upon the testimonies of current students and alumni graduates at the banquet, program participants have made major changes in their lives as a result of this nurturing.

Thank you to all the Teen Challenge workers, volunteers and donors. You are making a positive impact in the lives of many men and their families.