Successes of 2010

by Gary Lemmon, UMCH President / CEO

     In our culture, when we talk about being “successful” we are usually referring to having money or material items (new cars, large-screen TVs, taking vacations, etc.).  In fact, the “American Dream” seems to be all about material consumption and self-centeredness.  The measure of success for For-Profit organizations is the amount of profits that are generated for their owners or stockholders.  For Not-For-Profit organizations and ministries like UMCH, success is measured by how many people are served and how much lives are being changed for the better.  By that measure, UMCH is very successful.

     The number of youth that we serve has been steadily growing through the past several years.  However, this past year has seen a giant leap.  We have gone from serving around 250 individuals per year to a record 892 during this past fiscal year.  This is due mainly to outreach into the communities by our Community Connections division and by the addition of the Family Voices program.  We are no longer just a children’s home.  We are now touching the lives of high numbers of individuals of all ages with multiple problems in an ever broadening geographic area.  We are increasing our influence exponentially by providing professional training and consultation to other social services professionals and agencies.  UMCH is emerging as a leader in the human services realm.

     Of this we are proud and grateful.  But does this mean that we are “successful”?

     I count success as when a youth in our Transitional Living Program who had been extensively sexually abused tells me that she no longer is tormented by nightmares and intrusive thoughts and has stopped cutting herself.  Or when I learn that within the past 3 months 5 of our YouthBuild participants who were high school drop-outs have earned their GEDs.  Or when an attorney said that she learned more in 10 minutes at one of our trainings on Children Affected by Trauma than she did in two days at another training she had attended.  Or even more so when a very troubled youth gives his heart to the Lord and then demonstrates this with a changed life.

     UMCH is first and foremost a ministry of the Lord Jesus.  Our success is truly a measure of how much we yield ourselves to Him and are used in His ministry.

     Won’t you become our partner in this exciting mission work?  Please lift us up in prayer and ask the Lord what part He would have you play as together we minster Healing Today for a Brighter Tomorrow.