Bill Milliken grew up in what appeared to be a typical American family. Yet, underlying issues meant “they couldn’t be there for me, emotionally or in any other way.” He received both subtle and loud messages that he didn’t belong, even that he “was dumb” from both home and school. He briefly felt connected with some guys at a pool hall that could have led him down a destructive path. Fortunately, he was invited to a youth camp where some counselors built a relationship with him. “I could see immediately that they wanted to know me as a person; they cared about who I was, no matter…” It was his first experience of unconditional love. Bill says it was not the program, but the relationship that made the difference. “They didn’t offer us an ‘answer’ or a ‘program’ -- they offered themselves; they offered the time, love, and energy it takes to form a relationship with another human being,” and it made a world of difference in his life.
