During our four years of living at the Bridge House, we have had 15 young adults live in our home and have had many opportunities to work with them on life skills that will help prepare them for living independently. Since the ages of the youth have ranged from 17 to 25, you can probably imagine the challenges that we have faced. We have had lots of time to evaluate what things work best and have made improvements to the Bridge program along the way. We have also sought North American and Honduran counsel regularly on how to better prepare our youth for adulthood and specifically for adulthood in Honduras.
Currently, 12 of the 15 Bridge House youth have left the house to live life on their own. As we evaluate the preparedness of those who have left, we’ve found there is a common struggle for them to provide for themselves. That same struggle can also be seen throughout a third world culture. The longer basic needs are provided for, the longer independence is postponed. In some cases, a deeply rooted dependence can take hold and challenge a person for many years. To address this concern, we are now emphasizing work to a greater degree to better prepare for the transition to independence. In the past, education has been the main focus of the Bridge House. However, we’ve discovered that even with a high level of education, little work experience and a lack of confidence in this area doesn’t guarantee a job to pay the bills. Hondurans often remark about how many engineers are driving taxis for a living.
The Bridge House program now requires that each 
resident work a job that is sufficient to pay their living expenses. The program still offers a college scholarship for any resident who desires to pursue higher education, but this greater emphasis on work will benefit them now and as they transition to life on their own. They will have an opportunity to earn much more than what we had been providing as a living expense stipend and they will gain the work experience that will help them be more competitive later in life. For those who choose to go to college as they work, a greater level of focus and determination will be required of them. Like many of us who worked our way through college, we are confident that their perseverance will produce qualities that will give them a head start on a successful future. With this new policy change, we are more excited than we’ve ever been in the positive impact this program will have on the future of WGO’s young adults.
Currently, 12 of the 15 Bridge House youth have left the house to live life on their own. As we evaluate the preparedness of those who have left, we’ve found there is a common struggle for them to provide for themselves. That same struggle can also be seen throughout a third world culture. The longer basic needs are provided for, the longer independence is postponed. In some cases, a deeply rooted dependence can take hold and challenge a person for many years. To address this concern, we are now emphasizing work to a greater degree to better prepare for the transition to independence. In the past, education has been the main focus of the Bridge House. However, we’ve discovered that even with a high level of education, little work experience and a lack of confidence in this area doesn’t guarantee a job to pay the bills. Hondurans often remark about how many engineers are driving taxis for a living.
The Bridge House program now requires that each 
resident work a job that is sufficient to pay their living expenses. The program still offers a college scholarship for any resident who desires to pursue higher education, but this greater emphasis on work will benefit them now and as they transition to life on their own. They will have an opportunity to earn much more than what we had been providing as a living expense stipend and they will gain the work experience that will help them be more competitive later in life. For those who choose to go to college as they work, a greater level of focus and determination will be required of them. Like many of us who worked our way through college, we are confident that their perseverance will produce qualities that will give them a head start on a successful future. With this new policy change, we are more excited than we’ve ever been in the positive impact this program will have on the future of WGO’s young adults.Photos in above paragraph are of 4 of the newest youth moving to the Bridge. On the left, our 3 newest young men are awaiting their mock job interview in preparation for seeking real jobs once in the Bridge House. Nancy, on the right, worked last Christmas at a local men's clothing store. She will move into our house at the end of November and will continue working at that store.
Please pray for young adults in the Bridge program as they make this new transition and look for jobs. Also pray for us as we prepare for the arrival of 6 new residents in the house. We are excited to have them come and look forward to all they will learn.
