Clyde and loads of other thoughts

Just warning you.. this post is going to be very scattered. I have a lot to say tonight :)

So as you all know I go to the corps every Thursday and help with the kids cafe program. Well this year I somehow got the job of looking after the little ones. They aren't really old enough for all the programs but they have no where else to go because there older siblings are involved in all the activities at the corps and their parents aren't home. So this one boy that I look after and love dearly is Clyde. He is a younger brother of another kid in our program named Issah (yes it is pronouced Isaiah but that is how he spells it). One day sometime last season Issah really opened up to me telling me all about his family situation. His mother is in jail, for what I don't know but he lives with some other realitive and loads of step brothers and sisters. His dad is not in the picture. He is about 11 or 12 years old but he has loads of responsibilities. Not only does he have to look after clyde and Trinniah (his half sister I think) but he does most of the cleaning in his house too. I know that only because he sometimes can't make it to the corps because he has to go to the laundry mat and do the laundry or he has to clean his apartment. I feel bad for him. He is 12!! He needs time to be a kid! That's why I'm glad he goes to the corps. For those 4 or 5 hours on Thursdays he has a chance to be a kid. He doesn't have to look after the little ones and he doesn't have chores to do he just has to be a kid and have fun and learn.

ANYWAY back to what I was going to post about, Clyde. Clyde is a very silly boy, very loud and energetic.. kinda like me hahah.. Anyway one Thursday, I think two weeks ago someone dropped him off at the corps. When I got there he was sitting in the bandroom crying. Now that's not like Clyde. So I went over to him and asked why he was so sad. I couldn't really understand him but he said something like there is nobody to look after him. His older brother Issah wasn't there so he was alone. Issah is like his parent. So I took him around with me, gave him gum, let him sit next to me in singing company and sit with me at dinner. He always just sits next to me and hugs me. So later on that day he said to me "Would you be my mommy? Because my mommy has gone away and I want you to be my mommy." My heart broke. I said to myself "I wish I could be his mommy." I don't remember exactly what I said to him but I quickly changed the subject. It kills me inside. Just because I give him attention and hug him and show that I care about him he wants me to be his mommy. He doesn't get any of that at home. I couldn't imagine growing up with parents who didn't care...could you??


Another thing that bothers me is the media. Because Clyde isn't really looked after or cared for he knows waaayyy tooo much for a 6 year old. I caught him singing this song "Ima put you to bed." Oh my WORD!!!! It is sick that children 6 years old are singing about having sex. What is going on in this world!


Which brings me to my next point. The bible says train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it. What are we as the Salvation Army doing to help train those children? to help train those lost men and women?? Those lost teens? What are you personally doing to train them? Sure we have our weekly programs at the corps but I think we become content and satisfied with what we are doing and don't strive to get more people and think of new ways to reach people. They need us and more importantly they need JESUS! I love hearing and reading about The Salvation Army back in the day. They were awesome. They were out in the streets, out in the bars reaching people. They were brave and they made an impact on people. I pray for BOLDNESS every day. That I would be bold in my faith and bold in reaching out to people. That we as an Army would be BOLD.

To be honest with you all I think that the Army has a little bit of changing to do. I realize that there is a need for all the corporate business stuff that I would never fully understand but I think we may be focusing on that (dare I say) a bit too much. When was the last time you went out into you neighborhood or local bar and started talking to people and sharing you faith with them?? They did it back in the day...why can't we do it now? We don't have the time right? That's what most people say. We should make time! We should want be out there. It's sad that so many people only know The Salvation Army as a place where they donate clothes. Let's change that. What is stopping us? I'm asking you this What is stopping us? I want to know what you have to say about this.