Verbal and physical abuse, violence, lack of role models, poverty, no communication, divorce, separation, betrayal.
These are few examples of what many young people go through in their homes. It's so common nowadays to talk to youths whose families are falling apart. This is a shocking reality. Sometimes I few that we, YPG pastors, are not doing enough to help them. Not that we don't put effort. It's just that it seems not to be enough. We can feel their pain.
Sorry to be so honest but sometimes I feel like giving an earful to their parents, some slaps if so.
Due to these awful experiences, they develop hatred, grudges, suicidal thoughts, depression, loneliness and all kinds of evil feelings which, with time, develop so much that the need for a coping system is needed.
And that's when things get worse. Plans to kill the culprit of the family's crime begin to disclose. Running away from home or swapping the family for the streets become the only apparent solution. Slashing the wrists or consuming drugs seem to be the only method available to vent the frustration and scape the pain.
The question is: who is hurting who? Is this type of behavior and act the solution to solve the problem? Is it an intelligent way to 'get back on them'? I don't think so. I mean, doing all these and keeping all alive, vividly inside for too long is hurting you only, not your parents or whoever hurt you. You put your future into jeorpady because of what happened years ago. Is it worth it?
I know one might say, "I am what I am because of them. So why should be the one to forgive?" True. One might have plenty of reasons to think in such way. But, again, IS IT WORTH IT?
I've heard of people getting to the point of going to jail due to the turn his/her life took after years of tasting the bitterness at home.
So, there is only one way to beat all these: FORGIVE and FORGET.
I know some of you will probably frown after reading these, like some youths did before once they heard the magical word FORGIVE. But this is the only way. What else is left to do? Get into a time capsule, turn the leveler back 10, 20 years ago and arrive back in time in order to try and fix the whole thing? There is no such thing and we know that.
We, at the YPG, are proposing that you come and let's help you with that. We know it isn't easy but with spiritual help and guidance you will definitely get there. We've witnessed this happening many times in the YPG. www.youthpowergroup.com
Beginning this Sunday we will teach you 5 steps of how to turn a bitter home into a sweet one. We meet at 1pm (some churches at 1.30pm) in every YPG branch throughout America.
God bless you.
Pr Luke Castro
YPG National Coordinator
