Dear Friends,
Every night in New Mexico, far too many young people go to sleep without the basic security of a safe place to call home. According to the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness, nearly 1,200 unaccompanied youth experience homelessness each year in our state. Many of them sleeping in cars, couch surfing, or finding shelter on the streets. Even more are considered “hidden homeless,” which means that they are staying in unstable or unsafe situations in order to have a roof over their heads.
These numbers aren’t just statistics to us because each one of these young people represents real faces, many we have met and know. A lot of these kids have lost parents, fled violence, or simply fallen through the cracks and these young people are the very ones we walk alongside every day through our ministry.
At LifeQuest USA, we believe in relationships and that no young person should have to navigate life alone and certainly not without a safe place to call home. This is why we focus so much and work so deeply toward prevention and intervention and value mentoring relationships so highly. Whether it be life skills training, youth advocacy, or ministry, we always seek to meet kids where they are so that we can begin building trust and helping them make choices that lead to stability and hope.
It is my belief that together, as people of faith and action, we can stand in the gap for these precious lives. Thank you for believing with us that every youth deserves not just a bed, but a future and a hope.
Thank you for your prayers, generosity, and commitment toward making a difference. Let’s keep going, one life at a time.
With gratitude,
Ryan C. Butts
President, LifeQuest USA
Getting to Know You
Youth homelessness is a heartbreaking reality in New Mexico, with many teens cycling through the foster and juvenile justice systems, some even sleeping in shelters or office buildings due to the lack of safe placement options. Nearly half of the youth in New Mexico’s justice system report having experienced housing instability. A child who does not go on to earn their diploma or GED are 4.5 times more likely to experience homelessness in their lifetime. At LifeQuest, we are stepping into the gap for the youth of New Mexico. We believe that with Christ-centered mentoring, transitional support, and hope-filled guidance we can help young people move from instability to purpose, ensuring their stories are not defined by statistics.
Your Invited! If you or your business would like more information on getting involved with LifeQuest, join us on July 22 or 24 for our showcases. Please sign up through the Events page on our website. We cannot wait to see you there!
–Tiffany
The Community Column
4:13 Journey / 4:14 Continuing Journey
What’s up Everyone?
Jim here!
I hope you’re all having a great summer and that you had a wonderful 4th of July!
At LifeQuest, we have the privilege of walking alongside young people during some of the most critical moments of their lives. This month, we’re shining a light on an issue that’s far too common and often overlooked: youth homelessness.
In our 4:13 and 4:14 programs, we work with youth from all walks of life. Some are navigating the everyday pressures of adolescence peer pressure, emotional challenges, or simply a desire for guidance. But many of the youth we serve are facing something much heavier: unstable housing, fractured families, or even life on the streets.
Youth homelessness doesn’t always look the way you might expect. It’s not just sleeping outside. It’s couch-surfing. It’s staying in overcrowded or unsafe environments. It’s bouncing between relatives, shelters, or detention facilities. It’s trying to survive without the support and stability every young person deserves.
No matter their circumstances, every young person who walks through our doors is met with consistency, compassion, and the love of Christ. We provide stability. Week after week, our volunteers and staff show up to remind these youth that they matter, they are not forgotten, and they are not alone.
Our goal is simple but profound: to help every young person know they are deeply loved by God and created for a life full of promise—regardless of where they’ve been or what they’ve faced.
What’s Happening in 4:13?
Throughout June and July, we’ve been busy planning for the upcoming semester, from new adventures to our Grand Canyon Hike!
Soli Deo Gloria,
Jim Bayne
Program Director
A Light in the Darkness Column
June saw 48 clients participate in Ready4Life. Part of the seminar is writing your hero story 10 years in the future. Here is a portion of one.
“My life has been hard since I was 9 years old. I was homeless for three years. I slept on park slides and stayed at the homies, and moved everywhere. We couldn’t stay in one spot long. I was put in very bad places that ended up with me and my mom in sex trafficking. I was drugged at the age 10 with Heroin and people tried to take me away from my mom. But my brother’s homie wouldn’t let them cause he did not know them. See, when I was 9 all the way up to 17, I was worried about where my next meal was coming from and where I was going to stay and how I was going to help my mom get out of the hole she dug herself. She was so deep in that hole she didn’t know or care about her kids she only wanted her next fix. My mom pushed me away to the point I turned to the gang life. I was raised around it, but I told myself I would never turn to gangs, but that was the only place that gave me love. I mean we were family. They taught me everything, how to keep moving no matter what happened, how to love, and respect. They made me who I am today. I told myself that I would do anything to stop someone from hurting someone like my mom was hurt. That’s why I’m here. Even though my mom hurt me I love her and will never stop. I try to understand the pain she has. my mom and dad were not the best but they have my love forever and I couldn’t or wouldn’t ask for a different mom or dad.
But this is a story about how I am ten years from now.
So here I go.
I have a shop, a Barber shop , I even have the name picked. It makes good money. I also have a clothing and hat brand, a tattoo shop. Everything I do is what I love. I came up with my business ideas while locked up. My barber shop was my idea when I was 13 years old. Being locked up helped me understand what life really is and how delicate and unique it really is and what freedom really means to me as a person. All I can do is be better and do what my mom and dad never did for me. I will be there for my kids because I know how it feels to have the weight of the world on me and the feeling that it was me versus the world. Life sucks, I know, but I will make sure I make it the best for my kids so they don’t ever feel the way I felt. That’s what a hero is – to know 1 am being the best dad I can be. In 2035, I have a beautiful wife and three beautiful kids, one girl, two boys. I remember the first time holding my daughter seeing the sparkle in her eye when she looked at me I knew it was love at first sight. I never felt that kind of love cause I knew no matter what, I would be protecting this little girl, even if I have to give my own life she was my first one. I would love my daughter even after death she is my world and always will be, just like my boys. They are all healthy and have no struggle other than walking and talking. I will be there for my kids forever till death cause my parents weren’t so I am my own hero.”
Until next time, Esther
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