One definition of “at-risk” is a person in danger of being harmed, taken advantage of or subjugated against their will. In extreme cases people are killed, some physically many others emotionally. Hope no longer exists. During my undergraduate degree in college, I spent two summers of service, one year in Turkey and another in India. Through these experiences I developed a more realistic world view and began to understand the suffering of many. These windows of discovery actually changed my professional direction. Now decades later I have seen . . . too much suffering and evil, injustice, poverty, war, famine, addiction, human trafficking, abandonment, and more.
It wasn’t until much later that I realized that the crucibles in my own life prepared me directly and contributed to my passion and commitment to pursue this path. From the concept development of psychologist Carl Jung and immortalized through the writings of Henri Nouwen, having suffered ourselves, “We become wounded healers.”
No need to write extensively here. My life story is best portrayed in my 4th published book. “All Who Wander: Rediscover God’s Purpose on Your Journey.” In fact, I began life as an “at-risk” child. An assortment of care givers, until I was adopted at age 5; I never knew or met my birth father. Thankfully I was blessed with a loving adoptive dad. Later, when married, my first-born daughter (on my birthday) was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological condition, that took her life at age 10. “At-risk” takes many forms, these are just two. There are so many loving parents, around the world, struggling to keep their children from danger or death! This YouTube video tells a bit more of my daughter’s situation. The creator of the video posted it as “Ralph’s Story”, but it most certainly is “Bristol Michelle’s Story” and God’s tender mercies in the midst of pain and suffering.
Now decades later I have had the absolute privilege of helping thousands of children (woman and men) who were “at-risk”. The tragedy is – MANY more are still in danger!
Here are a few examples:
- Supplied hundreds of hospitals, clinics, neo-natal and maternity facilities with medical equipment and supplies.
- Established orphan care support systems in dozens of countries.
- Established an L.A. domestic violence shelter, and assisted dozens more.
- Arranged the necessary “operatives” to get an Afghan friend, wife and 3 kids out of country before they were killed by the Taliban. This team stayed in place and rescued about 1,000 more.
- Supported the release of women in forced prostitution in India and created social enterprise income opportunities as they returned to a life of freedom.
- Funded trauma informed educational curricula for the children of recovering addicted mothers in Alabama.
- Supplied high nutrition food for “wet-feeding” centers for infants and young children unable to digest solid food.
- Paid the hospital bills for young mothers with children not allowed to leave the facility i.e. are virtual prisoners until their family pays the bill. One such group of mothers in the Congo are singing their joy!
