The neighborhood surrounding Area Youth Ministry is run-down and dreary. Many of the buildings are falling apart and need a new coat of paint.

But the Drop-in Center at the youth ministry is as comfortable as your friend's basement. As you enter, you'll see groups of people playing cards, watching TV and playing video games.

In late spring, Y-Press interviewed four teens at the Drop-in Center, a safe place for area youths to hang out and learn about God. Quentin Garrett, 19, Kimberly Thorpe, 16, Ka'shoin Rutledge, 16, and Michael Martin, 16, regularly stop by the center for recreation and fellowship.

Across from Tech High School on the Near Eastside, the center has pool tables, Ping-Pong tables and snacks, but that's not what draws these kids there. As Quentin said, "Getting to know God -- that's the main thing."

What the ministry is

Quentin: Basically this program is for anyone who doesn't know the Lord and is trying to get to know the Lord and trying to know new people.

Kimberly: At first I just came for the activities and I'd leave, but as I started to stay more and started getting more interested, then I wanted to be here. Basically, what we do is we play around for a while, associating with people, and then there is a time where you have Bible study or Bible class. I just like it.

Michael: There are some people who are saved that come to the Drop; they can brush up on the Word. But it is actually targeting the kids that are unsaved so that we can have more saved people in the community.

Ka'shoin: I started coming here because it's something like a church. You have respectful people here.

What they do

Ka'shoin: My favorite thing to do is play the pool table or Ping-Pong, and eat, too.

Kimberly: My favorite thing to do is play spades or pool, but my very favorite thing is when we're talking about God, because I love to get into the Word; I love to hear what everybody thinks about it.

Support from staff

Ka'shoin: This is like another home for the people who have problems at their house. You can come here and discuss your problems, tell them how you feel.

Kimberly: They bring me a lot of support. If I'm down that day, they'll just lift up my spirits, just make things exciting or better for us.

Quentin: You know, they help with all three (kinds of support) -- spiritual, physical, mental. The physical, you can, you know, greet somebody with a hug. And mental, you can get a lot of knowledge, and spiritual you can just get to know the Word.

Michael: I'm not perfect, so sometimes I might do something bad, and if I do something bad, one of the people that works here at Area Youth Ministry will take me to the side and they'll talk to me about it. It makes you stronger when you come here -- you have somebody that knows about you and they know about your situation.

Quentin: I don't know what I'd be doing without this place. You know, God giving me knowledge to do right from wrong. Maybe be doing something negative.

Long-term impact

Quentin: I think it'll help me in being a gentleman, treating females with respect, giving me the right (push) to go down my path as I graduate from high school this year and go to college.

Kimberly: I'll just remember back on here and on what they taught us and what I know of God, and it will just be my spiritual guidance.

Michael: I think in the future, I should be saved and just help out different people. So it would be good to come back and give my testimony to some kids who are here and just to let them see what can happen if you let God lead your life.

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Andrew Clark, 16.

REPORTER: Stephen Miller, 13.