Friday, October 6, 2006, 10:16 a.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Kia~

You don't know how good it was to hear from you! Thank you for writing to me! I just wish it were under better circumtances---

Kia, I am aware of Naomi's situation. They must be absolutely devastated about their missing daughter! But don't give up hope; God knows where she is, and if it is His Will, He will keep her safe from danger. That is all we can do at this time: pray. Believe me, Kia, I have been doing an awful lot of that, and even my husband and the children have been stormin' the Gates of Heaven for her safe return!

You are right: there are so many bad things happening, but there are also many good things happening too. It's just that the press focuses so much on the negative, you  hardly hear of the good things. I think the news should report more of the good; maybe then, the news would be a lot easier to take in the long run.

Kia, I am so sorry that happened to you. Some kids have absolutely no sense or courtesy when it comes to dealing with people who are disabled, and so many people like to take advanatage of them. If I had been that boy's mother and I  had heard about what her son did, I would ground him until he realized the error of his ways, or I would make the boy take a "handicap-awareness" class. Let him walk on crutches for a few hours, see how "easy" it is for him  to get around!

People do not realize that people use things like wheelchairs, crutches, canes, or whatnot for a reason, and not everyone can get around easily. When I read that part in your letter, I cried.

I have had to face some of this very stuff when it comes to my kids. There have been days when my disabled children came home from school in tears because "some mean kids were teasing them", and you can't imagine the pain I get inside my heart! Those are my kids, and people have to understand that just because they are disabled, that doesn't mean their minds  are! They are as capable as any other child, they just do things differently, and people need to learn to accept that adn treat them with the dignity and respect that they so rightfully deserve!

I am just glad you weren't hurt. You could have very easily been, but even in that scary, helpless moment, God had His Hand on you. I am glad that you are getting homeschooled; maybe that might not be the best solution, but in your case, it might be easier in the long run. My kids were never homeschooled: all of them have gone to public  schools, where my disabled ones were mainstreamed (or as in the cases of Jodie and Todd) or were put into special education classes.

Now the little ones are no longer so little, and all of my kids are growing so fast! But we, their parents, taught them that the world was not a nice place at times, and they'd best  be ready to handle rejection or insensitive people. We have taught them  that they aren't the ones who are disabled: it's those who refuse to aknowledge them, accept them, or give them a chance. This is where the problem lies: there are too many outdated myths or notions about the disabled, and we have to be the ones to educate and inform.

Well, Kia, I will let you go. I am at work, and I'd best get my charts updated, or the boss will have my head if he catches me typing a letter instead of updating my flowcharts! LOL Take care, sweetie, and God bless! Please, by all means, keep us updated on Daniella's situation! Tell your mother to take care of herself, and tell her I will write her again as things warrent.

(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tennessee, Louie May. :)