Sunday, July 24, 2022

An Ache Too Deep For Words

Monday, July 29, 2013



"Jesus said to them, "Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as they.  Don't send them away!  I tell you as seriously as I know how that anyone who refuses to come to God as a little child will never be allowed into his Kingdom." (Mark 10:14-15 Living Bible)

 Hey Gang,  His name was Tony and he was a spit-fire that could turn a peaceful and tranquil day into a roaring fire in a matter of minutes.  How he packed so much hatred into an eight-year-old body was beyond our comprehension but then we learned what "the bottom of the barrel really meant". 

 At the time we received a request to consider taking Tony into our very young and inexperienced program, we had visions of grandeur and believed there were no troubled young folks that we could not love and provide a "shirt tail for them to hand onto".   But, as we gained scar tissue, we also gained understanding that some children were beyond our experience level to deal with.

 Tony was one of those children.  I might add here, the younger the child referred, the more damaged the child.  On arrival, we found a zombiezed child.  His mom kept Tony locked in a closet and fed him the equivalent for a month’s supply of control drugs in a matter of days.  As the drugs wore off the temperature began to rise.  There was no way that we were going to place this child in one of the houses so, we did as we often did, we accepted the challenge and moved Tony into our home.    

 I could give you a running log of the two years we had Tony in our home, but it would fill many blogs and that is not the important point I want to make here.  Within several months my kids, who were the real treatment people in Tony's life, began to make huge inroads into his heart.  Tony became an integral part of our family and was soon functioning as an eight-year-old should.

 But,,,,,Toni provided his mom with a welfare check and found that if she moved to an adjoining county the judge of that county would return Tony to her.  This she did successfully.  Toni was taken from our family and returned to the same environment that had nearly destroyed him before.   She was very adept at keeping the legal beagles at arm’s length, moving frequently. 

 We lost contact with Toni for two years; then one day we received an application for a summer camper by the name of Tony.  Could it be our Tony? Miracle of all miracles it was.  

 The cabin he was assigned to went on a two-day camping trip several miles from the Village.  On pick up day, I notified the transportation person I would go and pick up the campers.  On the return trip home, I noticed that Tony's eyes were glued to the back of my head.  I invited him to come and stand beside me.  After several minutes he asked me a question that continues to hurt deep inside my heart.   He said, “Dad, why did they take me from you who loved me and sent me to a place that hated me?   I will not try and explain the pain that cut deep into my soul at that moment.

 Sooooo,  As I re-lived this tragic experience in my life, the Lord directed me to a passage of Scripture that I believe that every believer needs to place on their bathroom mirror, refrigerator door and the rear view mirror of their vehicles.  Shortly before the Lord ascended to the Father, He ask Peter three questions,  “Do you love me? Do you love Me? Do you love Me?" Peter's answer was the same, “Yes, I love You.”  Notice Jesus answers to those three responses: “Tend My lambs, shepherd My sheep and Tend my sheep.”  (John 21:15-17 KJV.)

 Now, tie- bar that passage with Matthew's words, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy mill stone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6).   Has a Tony crossed your path lately?

Blessings,

Gramps

My heart hurts when I think of Tony and so many  others whose wounds were so very deep. I wonder where they are, what they are doing, etc. Many we know and have been able to have some contact.  What we do know is- that every youth and family member who have participated in our programs have been loved and heard the Good New of Jesus’ love for them.  But we are only Seed Planters.  Choosing to follow Jesus is a choice we each have to make!!  Have you made that choice?  Gma J

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