Michael Baxter is a Mental Health Specialist working for the Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest, LA, in Sulphur. His daily duties consist primarily of monitoring youth with their activities and assisting with their treatment.

Michael has been employed with the Home for three years. Prior to this, he was in the United States Army for ten years and also worked in the Department of Corrections for twenty-three years.

When asked what he loves about his job, Michael said, “I love working with children and watching them mature and learn. I like the feeling that I am a part of their growth. Seeing a child who is angry or depressed learn to laugh and to be happy again is remarkable. I enjoy being able to talk and counsel with the children and make them feel better about themselves. It is fun teaching them activities they have never done; watching them learn how to do things and have a good time.”

Michael shared that his most rewarding experience thus far has been “Seeing a youth who is troubled come here and go through the program and watching a change come over him, and also watching a child who has never had Christ in his life, begin reading the Bible and learning about Jesus Christ and begin using the lessons from the Bible in his daily life.”