Jimmy gathered the scrap pieces of wood and stacked them in the corner outside Rescue of God Children’s Home. The older boys slowly gravitated towards him, picking up the remaining pieces of wood as they followed him. “Do you guys want to build something?” Jimmy asked them with a smile.

“Whenever Jimmy walks through the gate at Rescue of God, the children flock to him,” laughed Aaron Meeks, Back2Back staff. Many of the older boys and girls in the home have long lacked consistent, positive male presence, but Jimmy Francois, Back2Back staff, works hard to be someone they can count on.

Jimmy gathered the pieces of wood collected and talked to the boys about measuring the different pieces to build a small box. “Some of the boys messed up on measurements, and Jimmy calmly encouraged them to try again. He was in no rush to complete a small project that would’ve easily taken less then 20 minutes to do himself,” shared Aaron. Jimmy’s patience and willingness to help are creating a natural trust between the teens and safe adults in their lives. Eventually, they finished their project. The teens walked away with new skills and the reminder there are people on their side.

**photos and/or names have been chosen to protect the privacy of the children and families we serve and may not reflect the individual’s mentioned in the story