“Dear Father, please protect the children in Ocean View and the surrounding areas. Don’t let the children’s abusers even think about using them physically, mentality, and especially sexually. God, I hate that these kids are suffering the things they do and I pray that you shield them from it. I pray that you convict those who do it and encourage the kids who are abused to tell someone about it. I can’t really even describe the hatred and sadness that flooded my heart when I saw Jason this morning. Protect him. Protect these kids so they don’t grow up and carry the same acts to others in their future. I pray for those who do these things, because I don’t know what may have happened in their past to scar them in such a way they have now grow to be so full of perversion and evil. Father, give the kids the strength to endure and to shield themselves with their faith and reliance in you. Never leave them. Holy Spirit you can do all things, so please be the ultimate comforter and enduring crutch. Jesus hold them in your arms as they should be held. And Father show them how a true father should act. Protect them tonight and always. Amen.”
Guys, aside from the occasional break, its been an energy draining and stressful month here. But so rewarding. Tonight I prayed a similar prayer to the one above and I can’t really capture in words how consumed with hatred I was this morning when I heard that a kid, Jason, had hickeys all over him. The rest of what happened and commonly happens here I will spare you of the details. I’m guessing he is about 5 or 6 years old and he is a sweet kid. Crap like this happens commonly here and I miss or rarely notice it. Many of these kids suffer from infant alcoholism syndrome (which produces physical and mental defects), HIV, physical and sexual abuse, and much much more. Sometimes I get frustrated with a certain kid or two and have even noticed myself being a little happy when one kid decided not to show up to Kids Club one morning because he was such a problem the day before. But the sobering reality is that I have no idea what lead that kid to develop such behavioral issues or what may have prevented them from coming that morning. Jason experienced more trauma yesterday than I have in my entire life. This morning helped me realize how important much of the work we are doing here is. We are simply getting many kids out of their miserable home situations. No matter how lame the songs and dancing may be at kids club it is immeasurably better than what happens all to often to these kids.
This morning and this evening as I am writing this, life feels hopeless. You want to trust in God but things like this make me doubt. I wish I could come up with some awesome solution to why God allows these things to happen but another sobering reality is that there is no definite answer this side of eternity. I trust God though and do my best to believe that He will rescue humanity from themselves. But if I truly believe this, I and these kids, have a reason to hope. It sounds cliche, but as genuine Christians we should know to seek refuge in our Father. Jesus Christ really is the only hope for this world that has often gone to hell. Today has shown me that. If there is no God, and Jesus was just a nice guy that got carried away with himself, then life is a cruel joke. Everything is hopeless and meaningless. The gospel was written in vain and my and your existence is utterly void of meaning or purpose.
But thank the Lord, our Father, for Christ. With Him life couldn’t be more meaningful. The Gospel is not a collection of vain and meaningless attempts to invent one’s own worth. Christ was not a liar. Christ was not a Lunatic (just read through the gospels and you will discover this). Christ is one with the Father (Jn. 10:30) and invites us to be with them. The Lord is a strong tower and the righteous man finds refuge in Him. I realize that this post isn’t the most encouraging or uplifting post ever but tonight I chose to be real with those of you who read this. This is very serious and these kinds of things simply cannot be ignored because they make us uncomfortable to speak of. Being comfortable is something we as Americans easily become contented with. But it breaks my heart to know that this stuff is happening 10 minutes away from me this very moment and I am powerless to stop it. The Lord is their refuge. Everyone, please pray for these kids and their protection, not because I am asking you to, but because your heart cares for them. My heart breaks for Jason and those like him. Pray for him and others if yours does too. I doubt the Lord desires our half-hearted prayers. These are real people living real lives and just because we live thousands of miles or 10 minutes from them doesn’t make a shred of a difference. I dread the day I become contented in my comfort again, caught up in the hassles of life, and act as if this doesn’t happen to thousands (maybe more) every single night we lay down to sleep. Thanks be to God that we can take heart because our Savior, Jesus Christ, has already overcome the world (John 16:33)!
Thank you for your heartfelt prayers and love,
Josh Shep
“The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.”
Ps. 37:40
Josh- I will be praying. Thank you for your honesty. My heart aches for those kids. I served in South Africa last summer for a few weeks- Unfortunately, the abuse is real in the squatter camps and townships. It is too much for us to handle/ resolve apart from Christ. Praise the Lord that He redeemed us from our sins. We have hope through the blood of Christ.
ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about whether your post is encouraging our uplifting. There at times that we need to hear the truth as it is. It is so easy to sit back in our comfy place and put blinders on to what is going on around us. We need people like you to share what is going on. It is only through the honest that you just shared that we can know what to pray for.
I pray right now that God will give you the strength to continue doing His work where you are serving. He has given you a tenderness and compassion for the people around you. I pray for the seeds that you are planting that they will not fall on deaf ears. I pray also that you will feel the encouragement of prayers being lifted up on your behalf.
Thank you for being willing to leave the comforts of here to go and serve where God has called you! I will continue to lift you up in prayer.
Lena Dodrill