Missed the Boat by Susan L.

  When I first went house shopping, we pulled into the long driveway of a little harvest gold raised bungalow. There was a teenager, fourteen or fifteen years old, standing at the end of the driveway. He was unkempt and forlorn looking. When the real estate agent and I spoke to him, he told us he was not to speak with us but was only there to let everyone know when we had left.
  The place was clean enough but the smallest bedroom, just a cubby hole of a room, had a bare mattress on the floor. That was it. No closet, no clothes, no other belongings. There were none of the trappings that usually fill a boy's room. There was a stained and tired carpet on the floor.
  Using holes that had been kicked into the closet wall of another bedroom I peeked into the attic. It seemed that was why the holes were there. Besides a good, healthy amount of insulation, there were a couple of pot plants and a small arm chair up there.
  There were two beds in the unfinished, graffiti covered basement. All in all, there were six or seven people living here. It must have been crowded.
  I said the other day that the house bore evidence of someone with a temper. Once I moved in and had met the neighbours, they shared stories of police visits, the fact that the mother was rarely there and when she was, she had her own addiction issues. They shared stories of loud parties and violent arguments. Their stories made me very sad. I had just escaped a similar environment.
  Back to the boy. He's been in my heart lately. All I can do is pray for his soul because I don't know where he is. Hopefully he got out. Collection agencies called here this morning looking for his mother even though I've lived here for nearly seven years. I had been thinking about him anyways.
  I regret not calling children's aid that day but I assume neither had the neighbours. Not that it makes my inaction right. However, the police were familiar with the address and living conditions of this young man. I am saddened that nobody, myself included, cared enough to see to his well being long before he had to stand guard.
  May he find his way to You, my Lord, the best Father he could ever have. Forgive us our sins, our fear, our indifference my God. Be with this young man wherever he is. In Jesus' name I pray and ask that anyone who reads this post pray for him as well. Thank you.
  "Honour your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." Eph 6:1-4