Monday, February 4, 2013

Prayers for Ethan

Last Monday Jimmy Lee Dykes got onto a school bus, murdered the bus drive and kidnapped a 5 year old named Ethan. He has taken him into a bunker and has held him hostage, today is the seventh day of this situation. We need to pray for this child and pray that God will bring an end to this for the child.

I feel a strong connection to this child because he has Asperger's Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I have a 6 year old with those exact same conditions. There are various levels of Asperger's and ADHD and I am not sure to what levels they impact his life.

Don't get me wrong, this is a situation that I would never want to see an adult, much less a child in. This would be extremely difficult for any child, being taken away from their family and being held captive in an underground bunker, but all of that fear, frustration, anger, etc is going to be amplified within Ethan.

Asperger's causes someone to not only require a normal routine or structure in their life. Even the slightest change, such as the buzzing of a light or color of plate, can cause them to go into a full blown emotional meltdown. The meltdown is not like a fit or tantrum, which they are commonly mistaken for by people not familiar with the condition. The big difference is a fit is a way to get something they want and is entered into and ended by choice. A meltdown is caused by the inability to effective deal with a change in the environment or the inability to correctly process new stimuli that is introduced. The child is not choosing to do it and has little or no control over it, they just can not deal with the emotional/informational load that is being placed upon them.

On the positive side, Dykes is allowing in medicine, toys, coloring books, etc. This is hopefully helping him adjust better.

We need to come together as a Christian community and pray for this poor child to be safely and promptly returned to his family and that God will protect him while he is there. God has this child's best interest at heart, but I read about this and see all the things that would cause my 6 year old to such intense stress and meltdowns and my heart breaks. Please join with me in praying for this child's safe return home.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/alabama-hostage-situation_n_2613865.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57567409/boy-held-captive-in-ala-bunker-may-celebrate-6th-birthday-as-hostage/

Isiah 41:10  fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 121:7-8 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

I will close this post with the Prayer of  Protection written by James Dillet Freeman

"The light of God surrounds us;
The love of God enfolds us;
The power of God protects us;
The presence of God watches over us;
Wherever we are, God is!"

http://www.unity.org/resources/articles/prayer-protection



1 comment:

  1. Praise God, Ethan was rescued today. Unfortunately, the kidnapper died, but the child was safely returned to his family. That is the most important part.

    ReplyDelete

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