In preparation for the holidays, our family regularly contributes to Angel Tree’s, food boxes for the less fortunate, as well as supplying needs for homeless shelters. There is no shortage of needs to be met, and more people than ever need hope.
I well remember times in my life when I was uncertain if I would get another job after being laid off, how I would pay an unexpected bill … you may have experienced the same. As I was visiting a shelter recently, I saw single mothers with their children seeking a place to sleep, a hot meal to eat, a place to get a new set of shoes and socks. What amazed me was the happiness I saw in some of them when you supplied needs we consider so basic. I think they felt hope when someone recognized them and knew that somebody cared. Then I read a story about Nick Yarris.
Nick Yarris had a happy childhood for about 5 years before he was brutally attacked by a teenage boy, leaving him brain damaged. As a young man he became heavily influenced by alcohol and drugs. He was accused of a crime he did not commit. His life went from bad to worse while on trial. He eventually was convicted and spent many years on death row, all for a crime he did not commit. He was surrounded by guards who abused him. He lived 24/7 with the feeling that no one cared.
