We had a good weekend in Middlebury with Phil, Shari, Rachelle, and Ryan. They took really good care of us! We also were able to listen to Ron Guengerich, formerly of the Zion church, preach on Sunday morning at Silverwood MC.
This evening we were at Archbold Elementary School for the beginning of the year open house. Savannah and Therin are quite ready for their return and got juiced even further by the visit to the school.
After this evening, Kathy is ready for them to go back to school as well!
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I recently read a rather provocative article about Rob Hawkins in a magazine. Few of you, I predict, recall that name though I am betting that many of you would have been briefly familiar with it in the middle part of last December via the media.
The article related the story of Rob's early life, how he was born to parents whose bitterness toward each other was more important than nurturing their infant; how he was neglected for much of his childhood, finally ending up in foster homes; how he was ultimately not wanted by anyone; and how he was even set up to fail by the child welfare system that was supposed to protect him from further hurt.
Woven within this tale was the not-surprising information that Rob had terrible difficulty in school, a raging temper, and practically no ability to display empathy toward others. He could not hold a job after high school nor follow through on commitments. He was a drug addict. He struggled mightily in relationships. Surprise, surprise.
I wish I could say that the end of the story was triumph from tragedy. Alas, the end was entirely too predictable as well.
On December 5, 2007, nineteen year-old Rob Hawkins stepped into the Westroads Mall in Omaha, NB with his step-father's AK-47. He went to level 3 and mowed down eight innocent patrons. He completed his rampage by blasting a teddy bear and then taking his own life.
In Matthew 8, Jesus meets two demon-possessed men in the region of the Gadarenes (v.28). They were known for their violence so no one would go anywhere near them (v.29). Jesus does not run away from them like all the others, however, instead commanding the legion of demons into a herd of pigs that subsequently hurled themselves down a steep bank toward a lake and there drowned (v.32).
We do not know what became of the newly healed men but we can guess that they were able to begin living new lives amongst a community that once feared them so greatly. Jesus' compassion gave them a chance to live free.
Even in an insulated region like Fulton Co, OH there are Rob Hawkins' lurking in the shadows, oppressed by evil and pain, and hoping for new life. Yes, in their fear they instill fear. Yes, they stir the quiet pot of our communities. Yes, we want them to go away or someone else to help them or for them to just stay in the shadows.
I think Jesus has a different idea.
You see, He grants us strength by the Holy Spirit and an enormous storehouse of love to bring healing. He empowers us to do as He did! I believe that He desires for us to take the love He has lavished on us and to pour it out on little ones who are in danger of becoming traumatized like Rob Hawkins. I believe He will show us ones who are deeply wounded as well, ones He will desire for us to befriend and minister to. Jesus loves Rob Hawkins and ones like him so much and He is waiting for us to courageously reach out to them.
Our prayers for ourselves and ones like these will lead us into ministry to them. Are you ready?
In Christ,
Jeff
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