Please...forgive me?

One of the hardest parts of Friday night's robbery for me was the fact that the 30 year old man ratted on one of the youth that was involved in the robbery. He was then set free for giving information. It wasn't that he ratted on someone, as much as who he said it was. When Ken told me the name of the youth, my heart sank and I cried in our home. We know of this youth very well. In fact, we often pass him on the road to the camp and are greeted with warm words, the usual hug and a kiss on the cheek. It wasn't any different on Friday afternoon when Katherine and I were leaving the camp. The youth walked up on us, greeted us both and gave us each a kiss on the cheek. But, Friday night he then robbed the camp. He comes from a family with a very long history of difficulties; stealing, drugs, prostitution, alcohol abuse. We came to Costa Rica with no judgment upon this family, but knowing what may lie ahead for us with working at the camp from the previous administrators. Over the past year and a half even with language barriers we have tried to extend the love of Jesus to this family giving them the benefit of the doubt. We have loaned out ladders, tools, soccer balls and have received them back from the father and his boys. Despite suggestions from others, we have invited this family into the camp and to church to receive ministry. In some small way, it might have seemed that we even earned the "trust" of the family. I have to say, it hurt on Friday night to receive word that one of the boys was involved. Tonight, that boy came to our home with the Youth Pastor requesting that he be allowed to talk to Ken and I. We allowed him in our home and I sat next to him on the couch. Before my eyes, I saw a broken youngster, crying, shaking, admitting that he had been in the camp, that what we heard was true, it was him, and asking for forgiveness. I didn't expect that tonight. We spoke with him for a few minutes and then I asked him if I could pray with him. I have always believed that there was something good in this kid. I still believe that tonight and I told him so! God has a plan and a purpose for his life, but he has choices to make. He has attended church and Youth Group long enough to know the ways of the Lord. Only God can do a miracle in his life. He is still working in our lives too. Molding us to see people as only He does and asking us to love in ways that only He can! I am only capable of forgiving him because of what the Lord has done in and for me.

Eph. 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you".