During one of his early Christmases, Jimmy made a mistake. His father had a bad temper and a drinking problem—and when he became angry, he also became violent. If Jimmy ever irritated him, Jimmy’s father would respond by hitting him and yelling insults. That particular Christmas, Jimmy made the mistake of asking his father if he had brought home any presents for the holiday. Jimmy’s father became furious at the question and threw Jimmy to the ground. With that, Christmas became a day like all the others—just another day for Jimmy to get beaten up by his dad.
That was the last time Jimmy mentioned presents to his father. But there were other things Jimmy became too afraid to bring up as well. In his house, there wasn’t always enough for him to eat—since asking about food upset his father, Jimmy stayed quiet. He started struggling in school because he didn’t have the right supplies and had no one he could ask for help doing his homework. When Jimmy realized he needed to wear glasses, he kept that to himself, too. And he certainly never told his father that he spent each day feeling frightened, hopeless and sad.
Jimmy was eventually referred to Mercy Home and when he arrived, he had a difficult time being part of such a supportive community. After years of fending for himself, Jimmy didn’t want to open up to anyone and found it hard to believe he was finally cared for. When Christmastime came, Jimmy blurted out, “Christmas is stupid!” He was sure the holiday would prove another painful disappointment. It wasn’t until Christmas day—when Jimmy saw each and every child receive a special gift—that he began to understand that things could change for him at Mercy Home. He still had a great deal of healing to do, and many harsh memories to work through, but he felt safe and loved enough to try. This Christmas, please consider sharing a gift with our children to let them know that like Jimmy, they will always have a safe and loving Home in our care.
Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting the privacy of our boys and girls, we have changed the name used in this story, as well as certain identifying details.
