Don’t let the name fool you. I remember two men in their seventies who came to us; it was for teens in the early years only.
Apart from God granting me an eternal salvation, followed up with a family of my own, it was then Teen Challenge that became the third great blessing of my life. When I was only about eight years old my brother Jack showed me how to draw human figures. I quickly picked up the knack, and getting a little carried away, I drew about a dozen young men all in one night. Above every head I printed a name, along with a rhyming nickname. They became my guys. A couple of years later I developed a big interest in the U.S. Cavalry due to a TV series that I’d always watch. I asked two of my uncles if they would put yellow stripes down my younger cousins’ blue jeans. I wanted a cavalry of my own. As a teen I loved belonging to a gang of guys who hung out in Hale Park, mostly looking for trouble. All my life I’ve been fascinated with the idea of being a part of a body of people, beginning with make-believe ones as a young boy, pretend soldiers a couple of years later, and troubled teens in the days when I was troubled.
In 1973 a miracle occurred in my life. I became what Jesus referred to as “born again”. I had become thrilled over much of what I was learning about Christ and the scriptures. But what I was also excited over was the fact that I’d become a member of a body of men and women of faith - both of the church where I attended and of the worldwide body of Christ. But then came the autumn of 1995. The ministry of Teen Challenge had visited our church. They told their stories and they sang their songs; they laughed and they cried; and I knew that night that I had to become a part of who they were. I afterwards spoke shortly with the director. We set up a day to meet and talk further. By February of the next year he brought me on as part-time staff. For seven years, nearly to the day, I conducted bible studies with the men and led them in prayer sessions. I was numbered among them and bound together with them whenever we came before the Lord. I couldn’t have been more grateful or have felt more privileged for the door that God had opened to me.
Some things last a lifetime but not so for everything. In January of 2003 the four story building where the men stayed was ravaged by fire. It wouldn’t be habitable again for an entire year. The ministry along with the men moved far from Chicago’s inner city, where it had been located for about two decades; so far was the move that there was no way I could follow. For a good while I felt a bit lost and empty inside. From time to time, while on my regular full time job, I’d drive by the building on the corner of Cortland and Central Park. I’d look up at the fourth floor windows and remember the prayer times we had together, along with the studies; it blessed me to recall it. After about four years from the time of the fire I began going back every couple of months to speak in the chapel hour. Every now and then I’d run into an old student who had enrolled in the program again, or who had just stopped in to visit. It was always so good to see them. We’d talk a while and maybe even catch some lunch together.
It will be two years this May that I entered into retirement. Once I had done that I began looking for part-time work - something of a ministerial nature. A program like Teen Challenge was what I had in mind. I knew that there were many in Chicago. However there was one that I would exclude - Teen Challenge itself. Why? I never did like the idea of trying to recapture the past, of retracing my steps. And so I began to cover north, south, east and west. To my surprise I would find nothing. I’d say it was early in December of the year I retired that I was to be speaking in the T.C. chapel hour. Upon entering the building I met the director. After we talked a few minutes he turned to one of the staff, a man that I worked alongside before the fire hit. He told him how they would be needing to hire a teacher soon. Your teacher is right there, said Darren. And the rest, like they say, is history.
The ministry that I excluded early in my search was the Lord’s choice all the while. Sometimes we can really miss it. Well, I’m at Teen Challenge again for over a year now, and glad to be back. And in some ways the ride is better than it was the first time around.
- J. Pecoraro
