Aaron's  Story

Aaron’s mother was killed in February, 2003...four weeks after Aaron completed his three day stay in The Lincoln's Challenge Program.  Since then, Aaron has come over about once a week.  Otherwise, he's been staying with a friend in Riverton.  His step parents wouldn't let him stay at their house unless he was working.  If he had no job, he had to ride to Springfield in the morning when his stepmother went to work.  The problem becomes more complicated when he lost his job the second day after his mother’s death.
  So, time passed and Aaron realized “staying with a friend” wasn’t a home.  He began checking people out…a 36 year old girl friend, me and his step parents.  I said I could help but couldn’t do a “full-time job” right now.  The girl friend wasn't an option…she couldn't give up her current boy friend.  That left the stepparents who said they would not give him a home.
  Three months ago, Aaron was getting his cloths from the step dad’s trailer.  Aaron loves his step dad and was really “letting him have it” with his thoughts about being rejected.  Suddenly his step dad got up out of his chair and started for Aaron.  He was intending to “beat him up”.  Aaron fought back but he did it carefully.  His step dad wasn’t being careful.  Aaron got a black eye and called the police.  The police arrested both of them and they both spent the night in jail.
  I picked up Aaron when he called after his release the next morning from jail (Friday).  He stayed here for the night and left Saturday morning (April 26th) at 8:30am for Nebraska.  His step dad and step-mother met us at the bus station with Aaron’s cloths.  They were friendly and talked with Aaron.  The line Ill never forget was step dad’s…He said. “I can’t understand why Aaron called the police.  I was just disciplining him.”  Then he talked about how his brother “beat up” his son and his son didn’t call the police.  I think we have a problem here.
 

When Aaron got to Nebraska, he called to say his sister had been placed in foster care several months ago.   Furthermore, the trailer his dad and sstep momare living in has no furniture except for the bedroom where the step-parents spend all of their time.  Aaron said he is planning on getting a job and working for a couple weeks so he’ll have the money for his bus ticket to return to Springfield.  I urged him to contact and talk with his other relatives there in Nebraska.  He said he was tired of asking for help.  He just wanted to come home.
  And, so we end Aaron’s story and we ask the question, “If God has his eye on every Sparrow, why are some of his birds lying along the side of the road?”  Can we leave all His work in His hands? If you say “yes”, I’ll add to  Aaron'sstory and tell you that in seven months he has received $200. of his ssurvivorsbenefits.
  Thank God he likes fishing.   It’s this recreational activity that keeps this young man sane. Thank God for the butterflies that have occasionally landed on his shoulder this past week.  They give him hope.




Grab your fishing pole and lets get back home...