The Beauty and Heartache of Loving and Caring for Hurting Children
This week we picked an article from October 25, 2019. This article resonated with the passing of our co-founder, Joe Rackley, last week. Though we feel the heartbreak of Joe's death, the kids and people that knew him felt joy knowing him.
Joe and Anne felt children could flourish in a home with Christian values and a lot of love. It also meant Joe and Anne felt heartbreak when the kids left. They also felt happy the children were going back to their families.
I hope you enjoy this week's story...
I hate it when I witness a memorable or life-changing moment but can’t seem to put it to paper as eloquently as I’d like. I especially feel that with today’s article.
Many of you tell me how much you enjoy this article. Your kind words always touch me…but I truly wish I could bring to life the beauty and heartache of loving and caring for hurting children and struggling families who desperately need to feel loved and cared for.
Life is always changing and normally the things that bring us the most joy can also bring us heartache.
In choosing to work in this ministry, we are, to some degree, always 'risking' our hearts. But we also know the risk is more significant for the children who need us…they are at risk of not having someone willing or able to step forward to love them. Over the next few weeks, we will again experience the bittersweet joy and sadness as we help transition a sibling group to an adoptive home. We have come to love them dearly and know they love us.
"But She's My Best Friend"
One of these precious kids just had a birthday, so we had a birthday/going away party. We didn't realize until just before the party that our Case Manager's little girl didn't know about the transition and possible adoption. In one fell swoop, her little heart was crushed, "But she's my best friend." She said to her mom. And in that instant, two hearts hurt. A little ten-year-old girl is devastated to lose her best friend, and mom's heart is breaking for her. Now, mom has to wrap her brain around; she's not just risking her heart in doing this line of work.
It brought to mind an old country song by Patty Loveless that starts with a little girl moving away from her best friend and her mom trying to help her process it.
“Through the back window of a '59 wagon I watched my best friend Jamie slippin' further away I kept on waving 'til I couldn't see her And through my tears, I asked again why we couldn't stay Mama whispered softly, Time will ease your pain Life's about changing, nothing ever stays the same
And she said, How can I help you to say goodbye? It's OK to hurt, and it's OK to cry Come, let me hold you and I will try How can I help you to say goodbye?”
The Joy in Loving Someone Outweighs the Hurt
This song always makes me cry. And it always brings home the fact that life is always changing and normally the things that bring us the most joy can also bring us heartache. Like loving someone and then having to say goodbye. But I also believe the joy in loving someone, especially a child, far outweighs the hurt.
As Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
It's All Worth It To Help A Child in Need
When Joe and Anne started the Collins Children's Home 40 years ago, Joe believed it was worth the risk to help children from difficult backgrounds. The experience was sometimes heartbreaking to see the challenges the kids went through. There was more happiness in seeing hope in the kids' eyes for their future.
If you are interested in learning how you can help, the children at the Collins Children's Home check out the many ways you can Get Involved.