Bill Wilson & Metro Ministries reach over 30,000 kids a week

Bill Wilson

"You wait here" is a typical instruction given by parents to countless children every day, but this time it was different. The 12 year old boy followed his mother's instruction and continued to sit on the side of the road in the hot Florida sun. He sat there for three days and nights remembering the last words his mother said, "I can't do this anymore. You wait here."

Bill Wilson, founder of Metro Ministries, continues, "My mom never came back. That's the beginning of my story and it's the same one we hear in the inner city of New York over and over again. It's about thousands of kids who have been abandoned by society. That's why we've been working in the city for so long. They need more. They need to be safe and well fed. They need a family. And they need something more . . . they need God."

2005 marked the 25th year that the once-abandoned boy, Bill Wilson, has been on the same corner in Brooklyn, NY reaching out to rescue the children left behind in this battleground of drugs, violence, abuse, filth and neglect. Through the Sidewalk and Saturday Sunday School programs pioneered by Bill, during a typical week, over 20,000 NY children and 11,000 in the Philippines and Africa will learn that; they are special; they have value; that God loves them. In a personal way.

Today, Bill and his staff of over 160 and army of over 420 volunteers have one thing in common; they know that one person can make a difference. But how do the over 140 weekly Sunday School sessions translate into a personal experience? With weekly visits to the children where they live.

Personal visitation in the homes is the key to the relationships shared between the families, volunteers and staff at Metro. "There's no intrusion, no pressure," Bill says. "The children just know we care for them and love them." These consistent visits build rapport with the families and in the community. When a tragedy hits, a family's first phone call is to Metro.

People from across the world have also become directly involved in the lives of individual children through the Won-by-One program. This active partnership between the sponsor and a specific child has a proven track record of changing lives. While the Metro staff and volunteers make weekly visits to the children in their homes, it is often difficult to get past the front door. This is where the sponsors really make a difference.

Armed with a letter or package from a sponsor, the staff person is often invited inside. During the time with them to help the child write a thank you note, they can see the home environment and share with the parent. This lets both the child and parent know that Metro and people outside of NY love them and are praying for them. Time and again, this simple act has been an effective tool for breaking down barriers that keep the adults away from church.

As Pastor Bill often repeats, "It is easier to build boys and girls than to repair men and women." The focus is on the children. The vision includes families. The heartbeat is Jesus.

Look for the Bill Wilson's program In the Crosshairs airing on Revelation Television and at the Issachar Institue in Brentwood February 23-25, 2006, where he will be teaching about how to organize, start and grow a successful Sunday School (Kids Club) program.

For more information on Bill Wilson, Metro Ministries or becoming a Won-By-One sponsor, visit their website

You can also hear the interview with Bill on Cross Rhythms radio by visiting our Soundroom