Program shatters the “deadbeat dad” stereotype
SURREY, BC—Dave Morgan devotes his life to helping teen dads rise above the brokenness, emptiness, and instability that many of them have known most of their lives.
He can do that, because until he met Jesus, he was where they are now.
Morgan runs Stepping Up, a Surrey-based outreach to teen dads under the umbrella of Youth Unlimited Canada, a partner ministry of Youth For Christ Canada.
"A lot of these boys don't have any hope," says YU area director Cecil Rast. "Dave's example of his own life gives them hope that maybe they can improve their lives as well. That is huge for these kids."
"I see a little piece of myself in their story, and I can speak directly to that," says Morgan. "We can see God doing a work in these kids' lives. Whether or not they recognize who Jesus is, the Spirit of God is definitely touching them."
Morgan became alienated from his dad due to a learning disability. With no one to guide him, he dropped out of school, became addicted to drugs and alcohol, and got involved in gangs. His marriage fell apart, and he lost contact with his son.
Then Morgan had what he calls "an experience with God that was transformational." Now he is clean and sober and remarried with two sons. He has reconnected with his first child, and is friends with his ex-wife and her husband.
In ministering over the years to teen moms, Rast says they realized that many of the fathers—contrary to the "deadbeat dad" stereotype—actually craved a relationship with their children and girlfriends.
"They're crying out for somebody to give them just a bit of a step up to be there for their kids," he says. "But they have no idea how to do it."
When Morgan came onboard three years ago, Stepping Up was finally launched.
"The mantra of Stepping Up is stopping the cycle of fatherlessness," says Morgan. "We want to see these guys connect with their children in a meaningful way, and help them gain meaningful employment, so they can sustain themselves and their young families."
They do that by mentoring and discipleship. And they forge that relationship mostly through fun activities.
"They feel very comfortable in a floor hockey game to be talking about different things," says Morgan. "Their life starts coming out in more natural ways than face-to-face over coffee."
Once established, these relationships have no expiry date. "They will evolve and change," says Rast, "but they don't end just because the guys are getting a little older."
Rast says they define success when a man becomes healthy enough to start giving back to his family and the community—like the man they know who is getting married this fall.
"Dave met him when he had nothing and no hope," he says. "So to get from not being able to have input into his young family's life at all to having a job and feeling in control enough to be able to say, 'I'm in a place where I can provide for my whole family, and I'm going to commit to this woman for the rest of my life'—that's success for sure."
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