A Trial In Our Community

      (Photo of downtown Raleigh)

This week I've entered another world.
I've spent two days, Tuesday & Thursday,  in downtown Raleigh, sitting in a very chilly Wake County Courthouse courtroom watching a sorrowful, convoluted, sordid story unfold.
If you read this 'novel', you would not believe it.
And there's more to come.....

Almost two years ago a precious family from our church suffered a great tragedy--their 17 year old Eagle Scout son was murdered. Not only murdered, but killed by 4 'friends'. Not only murdered by friends, these people were high schoolers. And not only just any local high schoolers, they were attending the high school 1/2 mile from me--where my kids spent their high school years. This group of kids hung out at the Plaza where I work. One of the boys, the one on trial right now, worked 4 stores down from where I work. The plot was discussed & hatched all around my 'world'--Target & Lowe's, Wendy's, Blockbuster's across US 64 from me, etc.

It's hard to wrap my mind around all this---the manipulation, the deception, the lack of responsibility, the cruelness, the lack of remorse, the lack of truth, the lack of adult supervision/concern....should I go on?
Drugs, jealousy, romance, sex, depression, all here.
All of this from children.

But, at the same time, I simply can't separate the pity I feel for these teenagers. They lived in a world they perceived as hopeless. I have no clue what their family dynamics were, but I sensed from their testimonies most of them felt unloved & outcast, that no one cared for them. So they clung to one another, trusted one another even when it was foolish to do so.
Now, in 2010, as their trials begin, these teenagers have been living in jail about two years. Makes me ill to think they are living daily in a place of oppression & darkness within our prison system, trapped in a world of evil begetting evil.
(I fear we've failed at restoration & rehabilitation in our penal system in the 21st century)
What desperation.

Lord, help us comfort our friends & remember the dear son & brother that died.

Lord, help us not to forget these sad children & their families whose lives will forever be changed--& pray for hope & redemption.