A Message from Dr. David Anderson, Executive Director
Thank you to all those who were part of the 2008 LYDIA Benefit Gala! The event was a great success in terms of contributions received and number of guests (about 900). As the staff continues to process gifts, it’s becoming clear that donors gave generously. The running total brings us beyond our matching grant amount of $100,000, and gifts are still coming in.

As always, one of my favorite moments of the evening was when clients shared how God has used LYDIA in their lives to bring spiritual and emotional healing. And I really appreciated Dr. Crawford Loritts's insight about how LYDIA and ministry partners like you help "break bonds and bear burdens" by coming alongside people as they overcome the obstacles in their lives, such as domestic violence, drug use and poverty. As he said, the government can’t be the solution because these problems are moral in nature and rooted in character. The government can help, but they can’t give hope.

But LYDIA can, through the power of the gospel. As Dr. Loritts said, LYDIA has a legacy that will last into future generations; it represents a "turning around" of what the enemy wants to destroy in terms of families. Thank you for being part of that "turning around" by living out the gospel in your own lives and supporting this ministry so faithfully.

In closing, I would like to extend special thanks to our Gala Event Sponsors, Table Hosts, volunteers and those who donated items for the Silent Auction. Your partnership makes this ministry possible!

Time is Right for Year-End Gifts
The economy may be shrinking, but the need for LYDIA programs — particularly Safe Families — continues to grow. As we approach the end of the year, we are hoping that, despite difficult financial times, our donors will give generously to the ministry so that we can continue serving children and families in need. Here are some examples of how your gifts to LYDIA make a tangible difference in the lives of our clients:

• $5,000 provides one year of tuition for a student at LYDIA Urban Academy.
• $3,000 pays for a mother and her children to participate for one year in our Healthy Families program.
• $1,200 covers the cost for LYDIA to serve one family through Safe Families.
• $500 provides 10 counseling sessions for a family in crisis.

Gifts to LYDIA can take many forms. The most straightforward is a gift made through our secure web site at www.lydiahome.org/donate or by mail at 4300 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60641.

We are also seeking donors who will support LYDIA with a donation via electronic transfer each month in the amount of their choice. We offer this option as a convenience to our donors, and also to help us anticipate our monthly donor income. It is especially helpful when we are riding out the slow giving months of January, July and August. If interested in monthly giving, please contact Erica Postma, Associate Director of Development, by or call (773) 653-2249.

Something Beautiful
Those who attended the Benefit Gala were moved by Antwan Turpeau's story of how God used LYDIA and others to save his life. Here, we share the highlights of that story.

"When I was little, my mom had paranoid schizophrenia and we lived in extreme poverty, with no electricity and very little food. At certain points we were forced to live in homeless shelters or bathe at McDonald’s. When I was 10, both my younger sister and I were removed from our home and placed at LYDIA.

I lived at LYDIA for about two years, and during that time a couple of great things happened. One was that LYDIA matched me up with a mentor, whose name is Cliff. He would pick me up every other weekend to do things I'd never experienced before, like go to museums, Bulls games and Lambs Farm. He motivated me to work hard in school, be responsible, and respect other people. We're good friends to this day.

The other thing that happened was that in the fifth grade I became friends with a boy named Nick. I hit it off with his family right away, and spent a lot of time with them. I had hoped to live with them then, but before that could happen my father was granted custody of my sister and me, and we went to live with him. After a couple years, though, he became so abusive that I ran away. I was 15.

I stayed with people on the south side of Chicago and got involved in gangs and robbing freight trains. My life was out of control, but somehow I still kept in touch with Cliff and the Katz family. When I was 16, the Katzes asked me to come live with them in Park Ridge, and that was a big turning point. They embraced me just as if I had been born into their family.

Today, I am manager of the DCFS Contracts with the Chicago Area Project, and I'm working on my master's degree in social work. I got married briefly, which didn't work out, but I am a proud and invested father now, of Kennedy Ann, who is three. God has done something beautiful in the last 18 or so years of my life. He's given me a new family that includes the Katzes and Cliff, as well as wonderful friends and most importantly Kennedy Ann. I'm thankful.