Recently I attended a sad event. It was a funeral of a young man who didn’t have to die. He died due to his own decision to use alcohol and it was a fatal decision. At his memorial service I looked around the room and saw more than a hundred of his friends and associates who lived a similar lifestyle.
I work daily with those who have made poor choices. They come to me for help in that their decisions have left them homeless and without money. Their choice to use self-destructive behavior; using alcohol or drugs is a common thread to their dilemma. Another common thread is that many of my clients are young men and women. Just today I turned on the evening news and witnessed the breaking news of yet another senseless crime committed by a young 22 year old who decided to open gun fire on a political gathering killing 6 and injuring another dozen people.
For just a bit my thoughts began to question our society and what we are teaching our youth. “Is this why I am seeing so many young adults who find themselves in trouble? Are we failing to teach our children basic truths that we were taught in our younger years?” I began to ask.
As I continued to reflect upon these events my thoughts began to take a positive turn. I began thinking about that group of Wake Forest University Students who worked with me at the homeless shelter recently. The group of Campbell University students who gave up their spring break to travel with me to Atlanta, Ga. to assist refugees in a poverty situation. The young Chowan University music student who was motivated to play a concert at his church to raise money for that homeless shelter, and the joy I witnessed when he presented to the shelter the large sum of money from his concert. I am reminded of the many young adult men and women I have been fortunate to work along side as they have begun their career in ministry. I am thankful to know the new Global Field Personnel we commissioned last summer at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s General Assembly. Men and women at much sacrifice have taken up residence in places all over our world, raising their own support, to be the presence of Christ. Men and women who will drive a hundred miles to help serve a meal at our homeless shelter because they want to be a part of helping another human being. Men and women with no thought of how much they will be paid taking on low wage, full time employment in places that serve “the least of these.”
It is truly sad to witness the waste of a young life, but it gives me joy and comfort in the future knowing there are young men and women who do actually get it. Men and women who are going to change our society for the better and who are an inspiration to some of us who work along side them. My young friends, you know who you are, thank you for your commitment and your dedication. I feel the world is a better place because of you and I am proud to be your friend and colleague.
LaCount Anderson
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