The Cross and the Switchblade

Despite the challenges they face, the workers at the Center never give up. Wilkerson attributes this to the fact that the Center feels like a family, and it is full of laughter. He describes the harmless pranks that the teens engage in, explaining that they are so busy that they rarely have time to cause real trouble.

Despite the staff’s best efforts, the Center is unable to secure a permanent cook, so the residents and leaders all take turns cooking. Rather than dedicating a portion of its small budget to food costs, the Center relies on donations for food. One morning, they wake up to no food at the Center. Wilkerson encourages the residents to pray for food for the rest of the day. In the middle of their prayer, a woman comes in with a monetary donation that is enough to feed the Center’s residents for a day.

Most of the Center’s funds come from donations from across the country, and the money is usually just enough for them to get by. The second mortgage installment for the house is due in August, and Wilkerson worries about how he’ll pay it.