They will not toil in vain
or bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the LORD,
they and their descendants with them.
Isaiah 65:23
Raymond is an eight-year old Hispanic child on my block whose life seems as if no other end will befall him but misfortune.
Have you ever known such a child? Whose life experiences past, present, and future seem to destine nothing more than turmoil and strife? Mother, incarcerated. Father, abandoned. Siblings, fending for survival. Extended family, interested in self preservation. At such a young age he roams the streets of our neighborhood of our city aimlessly searching for acceptance. Faith, hope, and love are almost unknown—poorly replaced by the street virtues of honor and credibility obtained in his quest for gratification. His face, burdened and innocent, desperately seeks comfort and some sense to make of his dilemma.
Such is the story of Raymond, and countless others like him. Lives that never enter the promise of hope. How do we discern the truth of their plight? How do we respond to their dilemma, their curse? I have not the answer, but a lament that cries for God to simply acknowledge the predicament. “Father, what is our response to the condemned?”
Raymond goes to school with my oldest son. He is in third grade and is educated, if at all, at a pre-school level. His mother is incarcerated and his father unknown. In his home, the burden of various family and strangers stemming from Mexican roots run deep. Gangs, survival, and loss haunts his story. At age eight, he has already been arrested for theft and breaking and entering to his neighbor’s house, and the influx of unseemly characters into his home confuses his sense of direction. Sureno gangs, Crips affiliation, and just plain old Mexican pride joggle his thought processes as he plays PlayStation 2 in our home.
We are perplexed. Do we allow him into our lives? Our son already at seven years old honors his friend’s struggle in ways that can make us nervous as parents. Or do we shun him from our presence to protect our blood? Do we engage our neighbors even when they reject our notion of hope in Christ? Do we join our local school district in the struggle to educate the Raymonds in our neighborhood, or do we home school our children and shelter them from the world around us?
Jesus invites us, “Follow Me.” There are no easy answers to living as he did, incarnationally, among those suffering. In fact we fall short at every turn. As I look at Raymond, while he enters our front door, I wonder if he’ll make it. What will be his story? What will be his fate? Won’t be very long, I think, won’t be very long. One of these mornings I will look for him, and he’ll be gone. Is that hopeless, or realistic?
I am not entirely sure; I’m guessing the remainder of my life may lead me to be even more perplexed. However, I am certain of one thing: that every attempt towards reconciliation and redemption is part of God’s hope for humanity.
In our living room, with Raymond, we continue to explore that hope.
Sam Trujillo
Father of six children
Grew up in a traditional Hispanic neighborhood
Experienced childhood through the lens of a child destined to misfortune
Comments (6)
Thanks for this post. I really stuggle with these same thoughts about our young friend. As the mother of our son, watching the two of them play is such a huge inner stuggle for me. The knowing allegiance that our son has for his friend is alomost at times a deep confusing, loving and yet painful thing for me. But then at other times I will sit back and watch the two of them together and realize that this is the way of christ. He sat with the hungry and loved on the least of these. I want our son to love on those that in many ways, if I'm honest have the same stuggles as we do. Thank you love you, Your wife
Posted by T | March 3, 2008 10:34 AM
Posted on March 3, 2008 10:34
Raymond desperately needs to know that another kind of life is possible. He needs to be accepted and enveloped in a place (YOUR place?) where another culture exists than the one he's known all his life -- one where he is valued, where people love one another, where truth is the center. He needs to know the truth, and the truth will set him free.
Over and over, in Scripture, God pulled people out of their culture and placed them somewhere where ELSE. Think of Abraham. Or think of Christ's disciples, one after another pulled away from their homes and invited, "Follow me." They joined a traveling culture in which everything they'd known all their lives was turned on its head, and that is where the hope came from.
By this I do not mean disrespect for Raymond's parents or the others in his life. They need the hope of a new culture, too. I only mean to affirm to you that you are correct in believing that if things continue as they are in his life he is without hope. HE NEEDS A CHANGE. He needs to know that he can live "in the world, but not of it." That is the strongest medicine your family can offer him.
Forgive me if I seem to oversimplify -- I'm certain that I do.
With tears,
Lori
Posted by Lori Ventola | March 3, 2008 11:17 AM
Posted on March 3, 2008 11:17
Sam, I thank you for this post, not because it bears great news, but it makes aware the struggle so many youth face today. I feel like I know Raymond, because his story sounds like so many of the youth I work with right now. I feel like I am fighting an uphill battle, some of the youth I work with take one step forward and two steps back, but I try to praise that one step forward. It's hard though, because I know many of these youth won't make it of their current struggle without an education, and support from more people, and without the will to want to change too!
I think you let you son continue to be friends with him because your son and your family may be the only ray of hope that Raymond feels. You may be his saving grace. I love how in the midst of your own life with your own struggles (yours and your family) how you continue to invite other people in who are struggling. May God Bless that!!
Posted by Vince T. | March 4, 2008 10:12 AM
Posted on March 4, 2008 10:12
Sam,
Your stories are heartwarming and tear jerking. You are making a difference in his life and living out loving your neighbor - quite literally. We have a "Raymond" that practically lives at our house on the weekends and we share some of your same concerns. Who is the greater influence? My son or his friend? Our family has "adopted" him as a Nowell and he follows our rules, shares in our chores, prays with us, and attends church with us. I see a kid changing before my eyes even though it is a slow process. He is quietly trusting us more and more and seeing how different a life of hope can be compared to the chaos he lives in during the week days.
You are doing a wonderful thing by loving that boy and welcoming him in! I'll pray for your family and ask that you pray for mine as we both continue to press on with the good (sometimes hard) things God has planned for us to do. Peace to you friend! :)
On a side note...we've made the decision to homeschool our children, but running a street ministry hardly keeps them "sheltered". Just a thought. :)
Posted by Niki Nowell | March 4, 2008 2:26 PM
Posted on March 4, 2008 14:26
Sam,
I understand your struggles. The so called "friend" of one our sons lured him into alcohol and drugs. I have to say our son might have made those same choices anyway.
However, when I was a mixed up child with a mixed up family an aunt took me in and accepted me. She made all the difference in my life. She gave me a window into another way to live.
Mom Rose
Posted by Mom Rose | March 5, 2008 9:14 PM
Posted on March 5, 2008 21:14
sam, thanks for sharing. it is all so hard. the tension of living in the trenches and letting our kids live there, too. we want to protect them from "bad influences" yet the reality is that their friendship could be such a powerful instrument for hope and change for raymond in the future. who knows? i don't think there are any easy answers. i think it's beautiful that you guys are wrestling with it, talking about it, just walking it out as best you can in the moment. i do believe your house, your family is some kind of sanctuary, refuge, place of hope on your block. love you guys
Posted by kathyescobar | March 6, 2008 8:53 AM
Posted on March 6, 2008 08:53