i had some free time during work yest to do some online research on youth work and i came across this writing by a youth's mum about her teenage son. out of curiousity, i read it, having no inkling what the story was about.
as i read more and more, i see a painful story unfolding. the sad thing was that she found out her son wasnt like any other normal teenage boys because he was bisexual. but the sadness didn't stop there.
the saddest thing was, her son fell into a deep depression, lost all hope in ever living a normal life without being ostracised for his sexual orientation, committed suicide and died-- at the prime youthful age of 17.
the truth is this; the teenage boy came into the open about his sexual orientation. His family eventually accepted him and continued to love him for who he is. Yet because of his confession; people were mean to him, outcasted him, treated him as some alien, fought him and said all sorts of nasty things about him. He had no acceptance from the society he lived in. there was almost zero tolerance for people like him with a sexual orientation different from the rest.
to continue to live was too painful for him. he saw no hope in trying. nothing he did, changed how people viewed and treated him-- no matter how hard he tried. tragically, he gave up on life in a world which was merciless.
the most painful thing after his death for the family was that the eye centre refused to let him donate his eyes because they claimed that they did not want to take the risk as he was a bisexual.
WHAT?!!?!!
is your initial reaction like mine? what kind of risk do you mean? and how does being a bisexual affect the quality of your eyes?
is that infuriating to you?
think of that boy's family.
if i were the boy's kin, i would be irate!
the saddest and most impactful part for me after i finish the read was that the boy never tasted love and acceptance from the people around him --he didn't live long enough to. he never got the love and acceptance he needed to continue living. life became a hopeless struggle and pain for him. gosh, are there many youths out there who live like him?
and the lesson for me is; am i one of those who will offer acceptance and love to a boy like him? Or will i, like the rest of the merciless world, offer him nothing?
and i pray i will never ever in my work with youths cease to love and accept them for who they are, no matter what they become. i want to love them unconditionally, and never want to become one of the reasons that drive them to desperation or hopelessness. God help me!
Serene, 25, Christian
a sinner saved by God's grace.
a beloved child of God.
a social worker (youth).
a daughter.
a sister to 2 younger siblings.
Your Love
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." -1 John 4:10
Loves n Adores
*God; the Father, Son Jesus and Holy Spirit
*Family; Tan
*Church; Grace Assembly of God
*My close friends
*My cell group; AHH (After His Heart)
*Youths
*Missions
*Children
*Good food, Chocolates and Ice-cream!
