Who will care for these children?
23/02/2010 9:00 am <>
She sits in the corner of the supermarket, doing her homework whilst Mum takes care of customers. They will be there until 11 this evening. Ever since Dad came out of prison, life has been much harder for Lucy and Mum. He can't find a job, but drinks, gambles, and then gets into debt. Lucy's Mum has to foot the bill. If she refuses, it means violence. But she's too scared to leave. “Borrowing from the Underworld is a dangerous business. If I leave, they will come after me, and I don't want to spend the rest of my and Lucy's life running!” But what sort of a life do they have?
I take Lucy home so that, tonight at least, she can get to bed a little bit earlier without fear of her father. “Fan mama, you always told me that God loved me and would take care of me even when I left Bethany. My head tells me this must be right, but… in my heart… is it true? At church the other kids have Mums and Dads, they play, they have fun, they go out together. Even my Sunday school teacher doesn't seem to understand why I am different!” Her eyes fill with tears. We sing and pray together and Lucy sleeps peacefully with her head in my lap, just like she did when she was a two year old here. My heart aches. How can I help?
Visiting the local church, I chat with the pastor's wife. She wants to be able to help but finds it difficult to know what to do. She has never come across a situation like this before. The church is mostly middle class. Lucy's Mum can't go to church. She has two jobs from 5a.m. - 11 p.m. - just to be able to survive. Two days off a month - sleep, sleep, sleep. Other than Sunday School, the church has no other activities for children. I try to encourage the pastor's wife not to expect people always to ‘come in’ – “Isn't it exciting to be able to take Christ OUT to people where they are, where they need us? That's what Jesus did.” She reflects quietly nodding her head. “I will try.”
Ten year old Lucy is just one of the kids who used to live in Bethany Children’s Home, knows the Lord and wants to follow Him but finds it hard. Their situations are difficult but typical of many very ordinary families in Taiwan. Children from this kind of background don't always fit into Sunday School programs, find it hard to be part of a group (without causing a little bit of disruption). They long to be loved, accepted and belong. I wonder, was the little boy who gave his lunch to Jesus that day many years ago from this kind of a family? There was an Andrew who found him and brought him to Jesus - and look at the outcome!
"Let the children come to me and don't hinder them, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"
Linda McFerran - Taipei
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