I met “Devin” during lunch hour and he was friendly and acted happy to chat with me. I asked him if he would like to give me a name to refer to him during the interview and he asked, “any name I want and you won’t care?” I assured him that I was open to suggestions, and he said very distinctly, “Then call me Martin Luther King, Jr.!” He added that he really admired what he had accomplished and loved the respect he gained, and he would like to make an equally fine impression on the world. I loved his attitude and his willingness to share so openly. It also allowed me to see that he had paid attention in class and had listened openly.
Devin was ten years old and had been placed at Genesis for a while. He bragged about all the many gifts he received at Christmas time and what a lot of loot he got! He enjoyed school and excelled in math and reading. He was the youngest in his biological family and had three older brothers and two sisters. He enjoyed sports, especially basketball and soccer, and enjoyed playing defensively. He really loved attending the Thunder basketball games and observing the players in action. Devin wouldn’t mind becoming a professional basketball player.
One of his favorite pastimes at Genesis was riding horses and he wished they had horses at the facility full time. He made friends with a horse named Big Joe, but it took a while for Big Joe to relax as he was tense and had been injured when he was hit by a car. It made perfect sense to Devin why Big Joe was skittish around other people. He also enjoyed swimming but informed me that the pool had been closed for cleaning. He understood how important it is to create a clean environment for all of them.
Devin would really like to have his own room and he does not enjoy having a roommate when he is down for the night. He loves superheroes –especially Batman—and if he could turn into one himself, he would love it and want to be called “Sonic Batman.” Speaking to “Martin Luther King, Jr.” was a real pleasure and it was obvious that he was growing and gaining ground while at Genesis. He answered my questions but after a while, he wanted to be back in his own niche and familiar environment. His time was limited until he aged out and I am sure that must be a scary thought for these young men.
Devin is the very reason why Genesis was created and with the help of your concern and support for this facility, it carries its weight in creating a safe environment for these boys to overcome the problems they left behind. Every one of these boys has a unique story unlike any that we have known before. This is a chance to make a dent in these kids’ souls and point them in the right direction, but we cannot do it alone. We need your help in developing these youngsters into contributing members of our society. They need our help and pray you consider what I have shared. This is truly the tip of the iceberg.
