Bon soir dear friends and strangers,
It has been a few weeks since I have posted anything here, and for that I apologize. Life has been crazy as usual with the normal ups and downs. God is my constant. I am thankful for that. Tonight however, my story is not about my present mission field in Nicaragua, but rather from my last calling in East St. Louis, where I was prepared for my work here.
I received a message from a former student of mine out of East St. Louis, Illinois. He told me that two of his friends were shot, one of whom died. The story is more gruesome than I would like to share, and it is very tragic considering both girls were only sixteen years old. We prayed for their families, the community, the girl who survived, and the young man who shot them both. His sentence is still undetermined, but God's judgment is not in until He decides. Even if this young man spends the next sixty years in prison, there is time for God to move in his heart.
For those who are aware of the violence of East St. Louis, you know that this is unfortunately not uncommon. I have heard a lot of these stories with different circumstances but the same results. The saddest part is that I have heard most of them from kids and youth. Last year, the city of St. Louis was statistically rated the third most violent city in the world beating out cities, like Baghdad, Iraq, Mogadishu, Somalia, Grozny, Chechnya, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sixty-five percent of the violence came out of East St. Louis.
I lost a friend last year in East St. Louis, and it was difficult to hear ten-year-olds talk about how they spent Easter running from gun shots. I also lost a student who was eleven almost one year ago to another prevalent problem in the community: house fires. Yet as always, there is an upside to the situation in any place where tragedy abounds. There is a place in that city where kids and youth have a sanctuary filled with strong Christian role models who have helped shape the future and characters of thousands for over two decades. It's the Christian Activity Center. It is an after school community center that is entirely dedicated to the wholistic growth of kids in East St. Louis. It's also where I got my bearings as a missionary. Every week over six hundred kids pour into the CAC for guidance, programs, help with homework, and a whole lot more. Both girls were members, and leaves me with little doubt that God was active in their lives and gives me solace that the girl who passed is in a better place. If you want to learn more, go to www.cacesl.org. If you are in the Saint Louis area, please take some time to check this place out. It will move you.
Please pray for the families and community that have been affected by this awful situation. I ask that you pray that they see God's presence in the midst of this as well as His love. I also ask you to pray for the young man who is now in jail. Please pray that God uses this situation to speak to his heart. Nothing shall separate us from the love of God.
Gott segne dich,
Seth
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