Last night while hoeing up Obi-Wan's garden, Terry makes a cameo appearance on Undercover Lane. He's still living at the Salvation Army while his two kids Jason and Sally live in foster care in a near by town.
He gets a 2 hour unsupervised visit with his kids each week and he came by to invite our family to join them today. So we picked them up at the CPS center (my first time to ever step foot in this legendary place) and hung out at a city park for a couple of hours. It was fun.
It was great to see a former-addict dad hang out with his kids, who he really loves. Every moment counted. It kills him that they can't live together now. I cannot imagine what life is like in those shoes...being addicted to something that drives the law between a dad and his children.
We were pretty honored to be a part of their time together. I really miss Jason. For someone who has lived through the hell he has in his 14 years of life, he is really the most well behaved, intelligent, and talented kid I've ever known. No exaggeration. And Sally, you can tell that if she lived in the right circumstances, she could be a great actress/entertainer some day.Thank you CEO for continuing our journey with Terry and his kids. Thanks for the victories in his life and raise Jason & Sally to be what you created them for them since birth.
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This was one of the most bitter sweet moments in life I've ever experienced. Terry was so excited waiting for his kids to come. He had dressed up and put on cologne like he was on a special date. He was all nervous and told me about a "game" his son came up with that they play. His son says "guess what dad?" Terry says "what" and his son replies: "I love you". Terry iniciated the game as we were leaving the park and the three of them kept going back and forth with "I love you"s.
When we got back to CPS, he watched his kids get into another guy's van and you could tell he didn't want to let them go, he kept kissing them and hugging them and checking to see if they were in, shook the man's hand and came back to our car trying to act like he was ok, but said that he couldn't wait for this to be over.
I get so comfortable with my little life sometimes that I forget what hell so many people are going through. I whine and complain, but here is a family ripped apart by sin, and with nothing. No home, no car, no posessions, but for a backpack each. Yet they were so full of joy, so full of hope and above all love. We had gotten so discouraged by the constant denial and ugliness in Terry for so long, that I honestly hadn't put it in him to get back to the CEO and change. Neighbors and other Christians wanted to either turn him in to the law, or take physical steps to propel him to change. The Lord told us to wait and pray and just be there. Then they disappear and Terry shows up a new man, giving all glory to the CEO, and slowly getting his life back. It was all about timing and the grace of the CEO, for Terry to make the steps, humble himself and find power in the blood.
He thinks he's a paycheck or two away from getting a place and then it's just a matter of time and proving himself until he gets his kids back. May this new life in him never dim and may the CEO pour out goodness on him.
Best wishes from a former foster child... I really hope this story has a happy ending.
Lisa
http://sunshinegirlonarainyday.blogspot.com/
agent b
this is agent c here, i guess prayer really does work. this has blessed me so much, there are really no words to express good enough! miss you all expecially little agent man at your house.
love you all so much
agent c in the desert and i am not kidding
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