Glimpsing
Very sad day for my community as we learned last night that one of the graduates of our high school killed another. The murderer, a star hockey player three years ago, beat his girlfriend (a college student) to death. It is horrifying and unbelievable. The mother is a classmate of my husband (a year ahead of me in school) and I ask that we hold all the families in prayer. I cannot imagine what today must be like for any of them…to know that your child is a murderer or that your child has been murdered. Unfortunately, I know that there are too many people out there who can speak to this first hand. My heart breaks for all of them. So today I am glimpsing. I am certain that God is in the outpouring of love and sympathy. I don’t know any of the people involved, really, but I cannot get them out of my mind. I am guessing because the Holy Spirit is working in all of us to hold them together. Another member of the Body who is battered and bleeding and who we must hold in compassion and in prayer. But this is just one incident of violence in a world bent on violence isn’t it? But there is hope, always. For example a friend of mine is running a marathon today. She had vowed to never run a marathon but today she is. She has been training for months and has gotten others involved in it too. Her motivation? Her drive? South Sudan. Sudan has a very violent history and there is still danger for the people who live in the South. So she is running for the children and families of South Sudan to raise money for education. So far, she has helped them build a school, receive books and get much need wells. She has heard the plea of one person (Gabriel Deng) who survived the civil war and has dedicated himself to changing the future of his country through education. She has pulled us all in on some level to keep us aware that while violence hits our community on one given day, it is a steady diet in other places. So we glimpse. Where is God in all of this? God is in Tiffany. God is in Gabriel. God is in the mother who sensed her daughter was in danger and called the police. God is in each of us who make the choice to have compassion, to have empathy and to have courage to believe in the darkest of times for those who cannot. “I will never leave you, I am with you always.”
There is so much sadness in the world. Yesterday I was privileged to help facilitate a retreat in a prison for women. These women have suffered much and they are grateful for whatever time we give to them. I listened and prayed with a few individually and I was blessed by their presence.
Please know that these families will be in my prayers. May God give you the wisdom and strength that you need as you respond to your own children’s questions about these events.
Lynda,
What a gift to both of you to have that relationship. I used to work with that population as well and they need someone to see them as God sees them. Thank you for sharing that love with them.
Yes, prayers for wisdom are appreciated. Since she just graduated this past June, she is well known…though my own kids didn’t know her. Still, she is in Sydney’s math class, and her name too is Sydney. The whole thing is unbelievable.