Read Online I Speak For This Child: True Stories of a Child Advocate by Gay Courter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gay Courter
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jeopardy. If she lasts with us long enough, I know that our ministry will work on her, but we have to be vigilant not to allow one child’s misbehavior to spoil it for the others.”
She turned and opened her desk drawer. “Let me show you something.” She handed me a copy of the Tabernacle Home daily schedule, which listed prayer meetings, Bible study, religious workshops, meals, an hour of personal time, and an hour of exercise broken up into thirty-minute segments between 5:30 A.M. and 9:30 P.M. “AS you can see, there is no time for visitors.”
I glanced at the wall clock. It was almost four. The schedule said that was an exercise period. “I could take her for a walk.”
“No, she will come inside and see you in the place you were the other day.”
Realizing I had won a small victory, I merely nodded in acquiescence.
Mrs. Shaw gave me a crooked smile. “Just like you, my husband and I are volunteers, and so it is important for us to know that this investment of our time yields something that is spiritually rewarding. But now, in Lydia’s case, we have an obstacle that may not be surmountable.” Alice Shaw leaned toward me as though she were trying to break through our differences with reasoning. “I know you don’t want to be part of the problem. In fact, you think you are part of the solution, but because Lydia is the only girl with a Guardian ad Litem she will be corrupted in a way the others will not.”
I forced myself not to say something I might regret.
In any case, Alice Shaw barely paused. “Let’s say we allowed you to take Lydia outside this facility,” she said, walking toward the door. “Because we would not be able to monitor what she might hear or learn, her training could be compromised. You must remember these are truly cunning kids with appalling reputations. So we must reevaluate her placement here. Maybe we would serve the Lord better if we put our time, energy, and money into another needy girl.” Then Mrs. Shaw waved for me to follow her to the same area where I had met with Lydia before. After pointing to where I should sit, she disappeared.
In a few minutes, Lydia, wearing Bermuda shorts and a flowery blouse, came inside. There was someone cleaning the floors on the other side of the partition.
“Hi, Lydia. How are you?” I asked, genuinely pleased to see her again.
She looked up with flashing eyes. “Why are you back so soon?”
“I told you I would come in a week.”
“Well, I don’t want to come to live with you, and there is no way you can make me.”
Startled, I wasn’t sure at first what she meant. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I am not even allowed to take you to my house. I will only visit you where you are living, Didi.”
“I thought you said you were going to be my foster mother.” Then she scowled. “And who told you to call me Didi?”
“Your mother and sister used that name so I thought you preferred it.”
“I don’t ever want to be called it again.”
“I’m sorry for the mistake, Lydia.”
“So you met my parents?”
“Your father was out, but your mother talked about how much she and your father care for you. I think there is a lot of love in your family. Also, she helped clear up some of the things that happened.”
“Like what?”
“Like the fact that you never put anyone in a microwave oven, and that most of it was not your fault, but you were punished and nobody else was.”
“It was my fault and I deserved my penalty.”
“Surely you did not belong in juvenile detention.”
“I took drugs and had sex and even fooled around with devil worship.”
“But that’s not why you went to detention.”
“I was on the wrong path and if I hadn’t gone there I wouldn’t be here or have accepted Jesus as my savior. I know that this is the only right path, in fact, I have proof that my prayers are working.”
“What’s that?”
“I have been praying for a guitar, and then the day after you were
She turned and opened her desk drawer. “Let me show you something.” She handed me a copy of the Tabernacle Home daily schedule, which listed prayer meetings, Bible study, religious workshops, meals, an hour of personal time, and an hour of exercise broken up into thirty-minute segments between 5:30 A.M. and 9:30 P.M. “AS you can see, there is no time for visitors.”
I glanced at the wall clock. It was almost four. The schedule said that was an exercise period. “I could take her for a walk.”
“No, she will come inside and see you in the place you were the other day.”
Realizing I had won a small victory, I merely nodded in acquiescence.
Mrs. Shaw gave me a crooked smile. “Just like you, my husband and I are volunteers, and so it is important for us to know that this investment of our time yields something that is spiritually rewarding. But now, in Lydia’s case, we have an obstacle that may not be surmountable.” Alice Shaw leaned toward me as though she were trying to break through our differences with reasoning. “I know you don’t want to be part of the problem. In fact, you think you are part of the solution, but because Lydia is the only girl with a Guardian ad Litem she will be corrupted in a way the others will not.”
I forced myself not to say something I might regret.
In any case, Alice Shaw barely paused. “Let’s say we allowed you to take Lydia outside this facility,” she said, walking toward the door. “Because we would not be able to monitor what she might hear or learn, her training could be compromised. You must remember these are truly cunning kids with appalling reputations. So we must reevaluate her placement here. Maybe we would serve the Lord better if we put our time, energy, and money into another needy girl.” Then Mrs. Shaw waved for me to follow her to the same area where I had met with Lydia before. After pointing to where I should sit, she disappeared.
In a few minutes, Lydia, wearing Bermuda shorts and a flowery blouse, came inside. There was someone cleaning the floors on the other side of the partition.
“Hi, Lydia. How are you?” I asked, genuinely pleased to see her again.
She looked up with flashing eyes. “Why are you back so soon?”
“I told you I would come in a week.”
“Well, I don’t want to come to live with you, and there is no way you can make me.”
Startled, I wasn’t sure at first what she meant. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I am not even allowed to take you to my house. I will only visit you where you are living, Didi.”
“I thought you said you were going to be my foster mother.” Then she scowled. “And who told you to call me Didi?”
“Your mother and sister used that name so I thought you preferred it.”
“I don’t ever want to be called it again.”
“I’m sorry for the mistake, Lydia.”
“So you met my parents?”
“Your father was out, but your mother talked about how much she and your father care for you. I think there is a lot of love in your family. Also, she helped clear up some of the things that happened.”
“Like what?”
“Like the fact that you never put anyone in a microwave oven, and that most of it was not your fault, but you were punished and nobody else was.”
“It was my fault and I deserved my penalty.”
“Surely you did not belong in juvenile detention.”
“I took drugs and had sex and even fooled around with devil worship.”
“But that’s not why you went to detention.”
“I was on the wrong path and if I hadn’t gone there I wouldn’t be here or have accepted Jesus as my savior. I know that this is the only right path, in fact, I have proof that my prayers are working.”
“What’s that?”
“I have been praying for a guitar, and then the day after you were
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