Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.
Helen Keller

The Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home sits on the outskirts of the south side of Monticello. It is a home for children referred to them by DYS and DHS. All the children at Vera Lloyd are in their teens. The DYS teens have been arrested at least twice and have done some time in a juvenile detention facility. The teens referred by DHS have been physically and or mentally abused. Needless to say, these children are not popular in the town of Monticello. They are not allowed in our public library. They are the butt of many jokes and rude comments by locals. They are not sought after as playmates or classmates.

The Vera Lloyd kids usually keep a low profile in public. They do their best not to draw any attention to themselves. That’s why I think a miracle happened at Pauline this past Sunday morning.

I had a meeting with Mrs. Bonnie, the head of placement and training at Vera Lloyd. She was thrilled about what had happened. It was a normal Sunday for Pauline. We began the worship with an uptempo hymn and the worship leader asked the congregation to greet oneanother as we sang. The Vera Lloyd boys always sit on the front pews of our balcony. I always go upstairs to shake their hands during the welcome hymn. This past Sunday I came down from the choir and started down the eisle but I met the “boys” about halfway to the balcony. All eight of them had descended the stairs and they were shaking hands and hugging people and high-fiving all the way down the eisle. They walked all the way around the front row and back up the other eisle and up to the balcony. I was in tears.

These boys have been beaten, chained like dogs under their houses. They’ve been locked in closets and denied food and water. They’ve been emotionally scared by verbal abuse and neglect. But, for one Sunday, they felt like they were wanted. They were welcoming others. They were the ones who were making everyone feel at ease. Mrs. Bonnie said it was a miracle. I agree.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” Isaiah 58.6

Last Sunday was a fast acceptable to God at Pauline. I’m praying and working for another.