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Special Treat ??“ Sharon Bryant

Dec 6, 2005

  THE HOME

 Sharon Bryant

Today I counted up all the cards and letters and I am VERY HAPPY to say that we have 1187 Christmas cards going to Iraq!  My dream this year was 1000 as last year's response was so low with only 322 from the schools.  The schools came through this year, and more are still coming in.  Praise God.

I read every single card the kids wrote.  But there was one that will stay on my mind forever.  It was from a boy, age 13.  I quote:

"Dear Soldier,

I am 13 years old and I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas this year.  I know you all are so far from home and won't be with your families.  I know what that feels like.  I won't be going home for Christmas either this year. 

I know I'm too old to believe in Santa and so are you, but I know miracles can happen.  I know God hears our prayers, so I'm praying a special one for all of you.  I hope that one day you get to come home just like I hope one day I can go home too."

And then he wrote the whole Pledge of Allegiance.

I quote from his letter again:

"I think all of you are so brave for joining the Armed Forces and fighting for freedom in our country.  You sure have a big job doing that.  And I pray that you and I both get to go home one day."

Merry Christmas Soldier

Love,

Your Friend

(And then he wrote a prayer to the soldier)

The address to this letter was at the top, so I knew where it came from.......a Home.  A home for kids whose parents did not want them or claimed they could not make them mind.

Oddly enough, I was at this home just days ago.  I was led into the school house and saw many boys and noticed two that didn't seem to be over 5 or 6.  I asked the woman who led me to the school house why there were kids so young in the home.  She said their parents said they have behavior problems and they can't handle them.  I said, "What, at age FIVE?"  She nodded her head yes.  She told me that some parents are on drugs so bad themselves, the kids 'act out.'  She said it was sad but it happens more often than people know.

I don't know this boy of 13 who wrote the letter to a soldier.  But I DO KNOW one thing and that is, one day he wants to be able to go back home.  His prayers said so. 

It is so sad that our troops are across the world because they have to be there.  I know they would be home for Christmas if they could.  But it's even more sad to hear a 13-year old boy tell a soldier he knows what it feels like not to be with his family on Christmas.  And the parents do not live that far away.

It reminded me of a boy I met at Children's one year.  He asked the nurse if he could pull one of the wagons for me that carried the stuffed animals for the kids.  The nurse told him if I said, ok, then it was ok.  He was 14 years old, and they called him R.C.  The boy was so sweet, polite, and told me he was in Children's because he had kidney problems.  I asked where he lived and he responded, "Here."

The nurse later on told me the parents didn't even come to visit their son, that they were two alcoholics and didn't have TIME.  She said every 3-4 months they would stop by but only stayed for a few minutes then said they were busy and had to run.  That Christmas, that nurse took that boy home to her house for Christmas.

I've never forgotten that.  Nor that boy of 14-years old.

I can't imagine being a child my parents didn't want.  I can't imagine living in a home with both parents drunk all the time.  I can't imagine feeling that my parents did not love me.  I can't imagine what that young boy thinks of at night when he lays his head on his pillow.  He's on dialysis.

I will think of the boy this year who is in the Home.   I think I'll make up a few pounds of fudge and take it to the Home.  I think it may lift some spirits and maybe help a 13-year old boy know that somebody cares.

Sharon Bryant

1946@Bellsouth