No good deed unpunished
Tuesday, August 14th, 2007
There’s this boy who’s just turned 13 who is as sweet as can be, at least when he’s around us. His parents don’t get along (a big understatement) and divorce papers have been filed. Mental problems. Spiritual problems. Several months ago they asked us to keep the boy rather than put him in foster care. Our family voted “for”. I was the last to be convinced.
Recently, the mom called, in dire straits, asking us to keep the boy for 4 days before his summer camp. She’d had enough of him. We said sure and I picked him up.
In less than 72 hours, we became the mom’s enemies. On day 3 she picked up her boy and told us (with several Bible verses thrown in) that there would be no more contact. That we were hypocrites. Nothing but a sham.
And as a parting shot, if we wanted payment for keeping her boy, just send her the bill by mail.
So we’ve kind’ve been moping around the last couple of days, wondering how it could have been done differently, how we should have responded. And, of course, we continue praying for the boy’s family.
Recently, the mom called, in dire straits, asking us to keep the boy for 4 days before his summer camp. She’d had enough of him. We said sure and I picked him up.
In less than 72 hours, we became the mom’s enemies. On day 3 she picked up her boy and told us (with several Bible verses thrown in) that there would be no more contact. That we were hypocrites. Nothing but a sham.
And as a parting shot, if we wanted payment for keeping her boy, just send her the bill by mail.
So we’ve kind’ve been moping around the last couple of days, wondering how it could have been done differently, how we should have responded. And, of course, we continue praying for the boy’s family.
