|
|
An Overview of the Organization
by Mike Petrillo, Executive Director, CEM
Christian Encounter Ministries (CEM) has
been dedicated to the purpose of reclaiming
damaged young people for more than thirty
years. Since its inception in 1970, CEM has
provided a safe haven for troubled youth to
begin the process of restoration of their
physical, emotional, academic and spiritual
lives. Located in the Sierra foothills
north of Sacramento, Christian Encounter
Ministries has an 82-acre ranch with
facilities for twelve to eighteen residents
between the ages of 16 and 25. In this
rural setting, the students have an
opportunity to separate from their
dysfunctional, and sometimes violent home
atmospheres for a period of time, normally
about one year. Many of these students have
experienced tremendous personal tragedy.
They are victims of sexual abuse, child
abduction, drug abuse in the home,
alcoholism, multiple parent combinations,
abandonment, gang violence, educational
deficiency, and many other issues. Yet,
because this is a voluntary program, the
residents have at least a mustard seed of
faith that they can live a healthy and
successful life.
Christian Encounter Ministries provides a
private high school curriculum and is
approved by the State of California to grant
high school diplomas. In this environment,
students receive counseling by licensed
Marriage and Family Therapists, spiritual
guidance from a committed Christian staff,
an opportunity to work and gain confidence
and skills in practical areas, and a
structured social milieu that promotes
responsibility for oneself and others.
Alongside the residential program ("Tending
Lives..."), we offer an internship
opportunity for college students and
graduates who want experience working in the
youth guidance and ministry fields
("Training Leaders"). Students from many
colleges around the country have used an
internship at CEM to round out their
academic training before continuing their
education or going into their professions.
Colleges from diverse backgrounds, such as
Pepperdine University, William Jessup
University, Humboldt State University, George
Fox College, and Wheaton College, have
granted internship credit for students
interning at CEM. In providing this
training, we multiply ourselves beyond the
borders of our 82 acres, and touch the lives
of many more young people.
As a nonprofit organization, we offer these
services to the students on a sliding scale
basis. The families or guardians of the
students are able to fund only about 20% of
the actual cost. The balance is raised
through sponsoring individuals and
organizations. All financial operations are
done in strict accordance with the
guidelines of the Evangelical Council for
Financial Accountability (ECFA). We accept
no government funding except an educational
grant from Nevada County for our work with
students with reading disabilities. Our
goal is to draw funds from the private
sector and to provide a service that these
students could not receive at any other
place. As we have for more than thirty
years, and with the Lord's blessing, we will
continue to send these students on to
productive lives within the society. |
An Overview of the Organization
