Testimonials
Perseverance: James' Story
In this case, perseverance finished its work in the heart of a young man named James Reyes. “I was 14 when I came to Epworth Village about 12 years ago. I remember, because it was right before my birthday in October. I knew I had problems. I was already seeing a counselor because of the issues I was dealing with. I had behavioral problems, depression and I manipulated people a lot. A lot of my depression was from anger, from the abuse when I was younger. My step-father physically and mentally abused me. That is how I ended up moving with my aunt to Nebraska. My mom then moved here. That was my growing up, living with my mom and my aunt, just alternating between the two of them. There was not a lot of consistency or structure, so I just went wherever I could get away with the most.” Full story »
Enthusiasm is Catching... Dylan's Story
It doesn’t take long to realize that Dylan’s enthusiasm will leave a lasting effect upon everyone he meets. It’s in the way he looks at you straight in the eye and in the way his hands move as he describes the changes he has made. It is especially in the way he talks, there is an excited, enthusiastic intent behind every word. He has so many people he wants to thank and so many things he wants to say. The young man who came to Epworth in August of 2007 said, “It has been a real, long journey. I’ve had to deal with a lot of things. A lot of things have gone wrong and a lot of things have gone good.” Full story »
"A Change for the better . . ."
My name is Tony Clayton. I came to Epworth Village in early 1995 and left in mid-1996. I was here for what seemed like an eternity. Now, when I look back, time flew. While at Epworth Village, I learned about myself through group meetings, the friends I met at Epworth and the staff. I learned that what I did to get me to Epworth was wrong and that there was a reason why I did it. Full story »
I want to be the brother I never was . . . Ryan's Story
Ryan is 14. He has a mom, dad and two siblings. He said his younger brother likes to quote a line from the movie "Lilo and Stitch" a lot. The line is, "Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten." Sometimes families can't learn how to be families alone. Sometimes they need help. In this case, Epworth Village was that help for Ryan and his family. Ryan is able to admit many things today. He has recognized that he had an aggressive past and was verbally and physically abusive to his family. Full story »