Learning From Our Children

My son is an undercover internal security person for our local Walmart. He is also turning his mission papers in next week. When he told me what happened that night during his shift, it brought tears to my eyes. He often comes home and unburdens himself about the people he had to detain or have arrested. He never mentions names. I'm a soft place to land...I love him dearly and he needs me. I'll do my best to relay the story as accurately as possible.
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Mom, he was there on the security camera screen again. Just standing there, hands hanging limp at his sides staring off into space with a look that made my chest hurt. I'd seen the look before, but this time it reached deep down inside of me and made me want to act, to help somehow. He looked like all his hope had been sucked dry, Mom. Each time he'd move through the store he'd stop, like he was trying to figure something out and failing miserably. So, I decided to go and talk to him. It had been four hours since he'd come into the store. I knew that after reviewing the store tapes. Too long for shopping-- but he hadn't taken a single thing.

So I approached him quietly. I stopped to talk with him. He really did seem lost, Mom. He told me his name as we talked.

When he realized I wasn't going to throw him out of the store he confided in me. I'd heard stories like his before, but somehow this man and his grief seemed even more deep. He had just been released from jail after serving a one month sentence. He had been arrested on an old warrant. He had served his month and then was dropped off at Walmart. He had no money, no home and no plans. He was overwhelmed and didn't know where to go or what to do. He had tried to call his mother, but after she was kicked out of his apartment for lack of money, she had simply disappeared. He had no other family, no connections, no job, no social security card....nothing. He was despairing....

I'm so grateful my son was the one who found this very repentant man. He said that he knew he'd done wrong. That he'd been a drinker two years previous, but before the police arrested him he'd straightened out his life and had a good job by then and was even taking care of his mom. He knew that the arrest was correct and had served his time. But no one had told him what to do next. When you are arrested, you are stripped of you social security number and must file for a new one. My son knew that from his police explorer training. They had resources for him to check out, but he hadn't understood and had failed to take advantage. So Ryan told him that he was going to try and put some things in place for him and he purchased the man some dinner in the McDonalds there in the store and told him he'd be right back...

Well, my son went from department to department all over the store telling people about the gentleman and asking for donations so that he would have a place to stay that night. Every last person he spoke with donated money. They all love my boy. He's a real sweetie. By the time he was finished he had enough money for several days at our super 8 motel and money for some food too. My son also had noticed that the man had lost a lot of weight and didn't have a belt and had to hold his pants up with his hand...so he had bought one for him while the gentleman was eating.The man simply cried when Ryan told him about all so many people had done for him. Then he and another employee drove him to and introduced him to a local church clergy nearby who had agreed to mentor him and help find him work.

All of this was done by a 19 year old who is preparing to leave for the mission field this summer. If he can do this for someone, so can we! Ask for Heavenly Father to send someone your way that you can help today. Never think, I can't help someone like that! You might miss an opportunity to change someone's life for the better--lift them up. Our son told me once, that "it's when we start thinking that we are better than the criminals, that we need to humble ourselves and think twice. Some people make one mistake and pay for the rest of their lives. Any one of us could make a wrong turn and regret it." I know in my heart that Heavenly Father will show us all the right way to live if we choose to follow Him.

Gosh I love my boys! I learn something from them every day.