Miracles in our midst

I'll never forget it, long as I live. The moment haunts me now and always will.

She was 9 years old, a little ragged, but beautiful, and very vulnerable and appealing. The shy, seemingly diffident smile didn't quite match the look of sadness in her eyes, and though there was a wariness about her, an uncertainty, I felt she wanted to say something to me, to make contact. She wore a simple red dress, just a little big and too dressy for daytime, obviously a hand-me-down, but she felt pretty in it.

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So I drew nearer to her, starting to bend down to hug her, or at least to take her hand, saying, "My goodness, you look so pretty ..." – when she bolted and ran a few steps away, turning her back on me and apparently trying to look like she hadn't seen me, ready to run again if I pursued her. I was completely taken aback; what had I said or done to make her run from me like that?

Then Carla Roberts, a longtime North Carolina Department of Social Services social worker, softly told me more about this beautiful little girl – and why she would run from me, and from any adult, especially a man. I'm well aware of the inhuman things men can do, even to helpless children, but I still feel tears welling up when I think of the horrors, the despicable and inexcusable indignities and abuse this little angel had been subjected to. I wanted to hold her in my arms like the grandfather I am, to try to absorb some of the pain and inexplicable humiliation she'd known. And I sensed that's what she needed, deep down in her soul, and wanted emotionally. But past experience had taught her not to let any man get close to her.

And to compound the nightmarish feeling of the scene, I looked around me and saw over 20 other children, girls and boys, most of whom had been treated in similar ways – too often by parents and relatives, people we all expect to love and shelter and nurture helpless little kids, not to abuse and use and treat them like disposable tissues. And all the children looked so "normal," mostly polite and helpful, dressed nicely and cooperating with the workers who were accommodating me and other visitors to the Yahweh Center Children's Village in New Hanover County, N.C.

I say they looked so normal, and they did. I mentioned my mild surprise to Carla, knowing what these kids must have been like when they became her responsibility. She responded, "You should have been here last night; we had to call for the police." What? Call for police? What could she mean?

She explained, "Although most of our kids have made real, significant progress here, they've been so bruised, wounded, and almost crippled emotionally and psychologically, that just the least thing can startle and panic them. Last night, something triggered panic in one of the kids, and many of the others reacted uncontrollably, tearing up things, throwing furniture and screaming. We had a riot on our hands and had to call for help!" But things like that have happened so many times there that she wouldn't even have mentioned it, except to correct my misimpression that their good daytime behavior indicated the kids were almost rehabilitated. Not so, sadly, although many of the children are improving over time, with lots and lots of expert care and tender love.

Back in the mid '80s, young Carla Roberts was literally on her face, praying that God would show her some way to cope with the growing numbers of abused and neglected kids, especially the ones that schools would no longer accept and that agencies felt were beyond help.

In time, others joined in her concern, and on Feb. 3, 1987, the Yahweh [Jehovah] Center was incorporated, and a little house was bought in the heart of Wilmington. At first, it was a 90-day shelter for abused, at-risk kids ages 5 to12. They served 58 children that first year, and tracked them upon leaving to find out what was happening to them and how "cured" they were. They knew immediately a more long-term program was needed.

By 1990, their focus had expanded to working with sexually abused children in a residential program, one that was nurturing, Christ-centered and clinically based. It was by then available to a statewide population of fragile children who were suffering not just from terrible physical abuse but from multiple adoption disruptions. Not surprisingly, these victims had been warped and become erratic and hard to discipline or control, even for caring foster parents. In 1996, Yahweh Center was licensed as a child-placing agency, so they could try to match the kids with therapeutic foster families and achieve lasting placements. They were becoming known, at least in North Carolina, as the last best hope for "hopeless," ruined kids.

In 1998, the Yahweh board secured 12 acres of land off Interstate 40, and today there are 14 lovely acres that include gardens, playing fields and cottages that have picket fences and porches with rocking chairs – a real hometown "village" that surely must look like heaven to these little escapees from the hells they've known.

There are 21 residential beds on campus for children who meet the medical authorization for a very high level of care and supervision, including trained psychiatric care. It's a serene, beautiful, secured facility, with 24/7 care from a multi-disciplinary team of RNs, residential staff, teachers, several therapists and a child psychiatrist. A new full-time medical director/child psychiatrist, one of the top in the country, is coming aboard – mainly because he wants to be part of the magnificent rescue work going on at Yahweh Children's Center.

But, as wonderful as this all sounds – and it surely is wonderful – the need far exceeds the capability of this one attempt at a patch of heaven on earth. And the ongoing costs continually exceed the funds coming in from Medicaid, whatever agencies can help, private donations, grants from foundation partners and special events like the one I was privileged to be part of. Somehow, Carol and all her valiant helpers have to try to raise over $100 a day, per child, just to meet daily operational needs. And too often, even funds owed the Center are late in coming – and there is a current serious need, right now, for $45,000!

I hope you'll join me in doing something to help this marvelous, essential Good Samaritan work. You can go immediately to www.yahwehcenter.org and make a donation as directed on the home page. The mailing address is Yahweh Center Children's Village, PO Box 10399, Wilmington, NC 28404-0399. The phone number is (910) 675-3533.

God's name is on this Center, and His hand is on these children and those who work daily and selflessly to help them. He makes wonderful promises to those who help "these little ones" in His name – and I want to be one of those.

I pray you do too.