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COSICANNA FACILITY May 22nd 11Th Annual Pennsylvania
Tour April 16th-26th Marzelle Hill March 20th TARRANT COUNTY FEBRUARY 13TH Juvenile Detention in Tarrant County, Fort Worth, Texas has extended an invitation to Youth Direct. Chaplain Mike Brown is coordinating this event with new staff member Kevin Cook. More information including directions will be available, soon. Mark the date in your calendar. MART JANUARY 23rd Performers will include MELVIN ADAMS and KERON JACKSON. Keron is new to our ministry. He has a powerful voice and a captivating testimony.
The youth will appreciate this program and a visit from our volunteers. If this is your first time, fill out the application (on this web page) and fax to 972 572 8335. CHICAGO YOUTH EVANGELISM
Fifty boys at the TYC facility McFadden Ranch in Roanoke, Texas will have a program and visits from trained volunteers. Arrival time is 9 am. We will leave the facility at 3 pm. Please sign up by November 27th or call 972 572-8336 and leave a call back number. MART SEPTEMBER 19th
RETURN TO COLORADO Don will give three presentations in Colorado juvenile facilities this summer through Kelly Barlow, a dynamic juvenile prison ministry leader who set up the events in Pueblo and Colorado Springs. The minstry had events in Colorado in 2005 and 2008. The Juvenile Justice System of Colorado has always made Youth Direct feel welcome!
8th Visit to Pennsylvania Don will speak in juvenile and adult prisons, churches, at youth rallies and provide training for ministry professionals in over 15 Pennsylvania cities between April 17th - April 28th. This is his eighth evangelistic trip to Pennsylvania. Wayne Benjamin coordinates these events. For exact details check www.yokefellowspa.org. FAITHFUL VOLUNTEER JOINS STAFF
Don Appointed Chairman The committee will recommend evangelism strategies for reaching juveniles, women inmates, minority offenders, and families. Composed of prison ministry leaders from across the country, the committee meets by phone conference each month. OSL is a collaboration of over 20 national ministries including Prison Fellowship, Navigators, International Bible Society, The Billy Graham Organization, and Campus Crusade. Youth Direct is a proud member of Operation Starting Line. For more information about OSL go to the Prison Fellowship web site. The recent photo was taken at the Washington
DC meeting in October with Mark Early (President of PF) presiding.
Don is in the second row (fourth from the left). May 23rd Gainesville Training to be announced the week before at Westside Baptist Church and downtown Dallas. First time volunteers Fax application to 972-572-8335.
Volunteer of the Year In the past, Wayne has joined us in Florida and other states. For the eighth year (April 2009) Don will speak in churches, schools, jails, and juvenile facilities in over 15 towns and cities in Pennsylvania. Each year, Wayne has coordinated these visits and attended every event. The ministry is so grateful to Wayne for his dedication. He also coordinates the Lehigh Valley chapter of Yokefellows Prison Ministry. Wayne is living proof that there is no retirement from Christian service. Wayne inspires all that meet him and work with him. Countless prisoners and juvenile offenders are saved today because of his leadership, volunteer training, and evangelism. We applaud Wayne for all he has done for Youth Direct Ministries. We pray for many more years of partnership. Jacob Hope, Brillant Drummer, Joins Ministry The youth were mesmerized by his skills from Stomp Style on pots & pans to a Buddy Rich style solo on his elaborate drum set. He will play at Crocket and is a welcome addition to our very talented performers. Come hear him in person!
Donation for the Blind Our Chairman, Tony Pack donated 100 sets of the new Mended by God Audio Book to the Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind. The organization expressed their gratitude and many blind individuals will hear the drama and inspiration of the story. The audio book is now available on Amazon.com and this web site. Corsicana, Saturday, February 28th 45 minutes south of Dallas, this will be a great day of faith sharing and blessings. New volunteers need to mail or FAX the 2009 Application. Training locations will be announced. 75 male & female volunteers are needed. God will bless you for helping a young person find a new direction in life! Blessings at Youth Village As always, Alan Ward mesmerized the youth with his illusions, and new performer Jacob Hope was outstanding with his great percussion skills. Many boys accepted Christ as Savior!
Crockett Over 55 volunteers attended an event at Crockett State School in November. The superintendent and chaplain joined us for a group photo.
CHICAGO REPORT DENVER REPORT Melvin Adams to Perform Melvin's combination of humor and basketball skills are always a hit with youth. Over 55 volunteers joined performers Brandon (Hip Hop Artist), Jacob Hope (Drummer), Alan Dee (Illusionist), and Don Smarto (sharing his family story). The hospitality was great as the superintendent served a lavish meal of grilled chicken, brisket, and sausage to the volunteers. Although several units went into lockdown, many seeds were planted. In December, a program will be presented at McFadden Ranch for 55 boys. White House Supports Faith-Based
Programs
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Don
will speak in churches, juvenile facilities, schools, jails, and
drug programs in over 18 Pennsylvania cities in April. Coordinated
by Wayne Benjamin (Youth Direct Volunteer of the Year 2009) this
will be his eleventh straight year. In addition to sermons and banquet
messages, Don will present his informative Civil War Presentation
in a Civil War museum, his stimulating Writing Seminar in an alternative
school and juvenile detention center, and his Stress Management
Seminar to prison ministry volunteers and leaders. Don will speak
and train as often as five times a day for the nine days of his
tour. Prayers for safe travel, health, and a strong speaking voice
are requested.
This
was the 9th consecutive year Youth Direct conducted evangelistic
programs in Illinois youth facilities (prisons). 16 volunteers joined
us to share encouragement, Scriptures, prayer, and their faith with
juvenile prisoners. The program included Larry Howard from Georgia
who has recorded 18 albums and performed in 500 prisons. His expert
guitar skills and rich voice blended into a unique style of blues
music that captured their attention. Athletes Yago Williams and
Greg Molchan, members of the Conquerors Strength Team, performed
feats of strength that included tearing phone books, bending a horse
shoe, lifting people holding a bar, and bending a steel bar held
in their teeth. In addition, Yago shared his past which included
being a street fighter, drug dealer, and nightclub bouncer and his
transformation in Christ. Don Smarto shared his testimony and a
new Powerpoint on Making Good Choices. At the end of each program,
Don gave the inmates an opportunity to make a profession of faith
in Jesus and a second prayer to make Jesus the Lord of their life.
In every facility, at each program, a majority of prisoners raised
their hands, for which we praise God! 
MCFADDEN
RANCH DECEMBER 5th
Volunteers
are needed for an event in the TYC facility in Mart, Texas, eastof
Waco. Several hundred boys and girls will attend programs in the
gym. Volunteers will have opportunities to share their faith in
the day rooms. Arrival time is 9 am. At 3:30 pm we will close with
a sharing and prayer time and leave the facility at 4 pm. First
time volunteers are encouraged to attend a training session and
fax a signed application to (972) 572 8335 which can be downloaded
from this web site.
Kevin
Cook, a faithful volunteer and Youth Direct Camp counselor joins
our staff as Director of Event Logistics. His focus is often on
youth with learning disorders and troubled backgrounds. Kevin has
been one of Youth Direct's most active volunteers for over six years
and was a counselor at two Youth Direct summer camps at Eagle Mountain
Lake. He has hit the road running by establishing contact with a
new facility in Fort Worth. See his full background on the 
Wayne
Benjamin is voted our "Most Dedicated Volunteer of 2009".
At age 79, Wayne continues to be active in prison ministry. Last
Fall he drove 2000 miles to be with our team in Chicago.
Jacob,
known as J-DOG to youth, recently played on programs in Oklahoma
in June and the Dallas Youth Village in August. 
This
was the seventh year Youth Direct shared the Gospel in Chicago area
juvenile prisons. The Lord blessed our efforts and guided us through
storms. Once in Chicago, we were the guests of Awana International
in Streamwood with clean and comfortable rooms. We then criss-crossed
the Chicago area traveling 530 miles in 5 days. 
After
five exciting days in Chicago area juvenile prisons, with 7 hours
at home, I went directly to Denver to go into three facilities as
part of the Operation Starting Line outreach. OSL is a collaboration
of over 25 ministries working together to bring the Gospel to prisoners
across America. Since 2001, Youth Direct has been a full collaborator
conducting events in 62 juvenile facilities in 9 states. The ministry
was in Colorado in 2005. 
Melvin
Adams captured the attention of the youth at Crockett State School
recently.