I used to work 3rd shift at a boys’ home (last night was my last night…more on this in another post). When Abby and I moved to Louisville, we both needed jobs. We wanted to find jobs that were meaningful, where we could make a difference. The Bible often stresses the importance of looking after orphans, so we prayed about it and sought employment in that field.
It could often be quite emotional to work there. The boys have had some of the worst experiences imaginable, everything from neglect to abuse. Not only did I have to learn to cope with their pasts, but also with their present behaviors. Amist the constant defiance, offensive remarks, and fighting, tension can build extremely fast. At first, it was was quite difficult to bear.
After awhile, I became kind of desensitized to all of it. In a way, I had to force myself to do this, in order to cope. But from time to time, I still got a glimpse of the reality of the situation.
Often when I came in to work at midnight, the boys had their radios blasting very loudly while they slept. Before turning the radios down last night, I remembered why they do it. It gives them a bit of normalcy in spite of their chaotic lives. The music drowns out their parents’ raised voices, drowns out the gunshots down the street, and drowns out their own horrific memories.
I’m not saying it’s right, only that it’s the reality that thousands of boys grow up in. Being pro-life means more than being against abortion. It means caring for those who need someone to care for them. How can you, as James urges, “look after orphans…in their distress” (James 1:27)?