Human Interest Story

Katherine contracted the AIDS virus via a blood transfusion during an operation about three years ago. Her husband, who was working abroad at the time, disbelieved her and promptly left her. An embittered Katherine was left to fend for herself and her young daughter Samantha.

When 32-year-old Katherine was told that she had entered the last stage of full-blown AIDS and probably only had a couple of weeks to live, she was devastated. Her first concern was her daughter’s future. Samantha lived in an orphanage, and to add insult to injury, Katherine received this traumatic news days before Samantha's birthday. Katherine's last wish was for us to visit Samantha on her birthday - a wish we were more than happy to fulfill.

We had met Katherine at the Care Home for Terminal Cases – a home that we were instrumental in setting up about a year ago. Whenever we stop by the Care Home, we bring along toys for the 6 children who live there with their AIDS-positive mothers.

One toy was a monkey that turned somersaults. We all know how much children enjoy new toys, but we were amazed at the excitement and laughter this little monkey brought to one little tyke, as the monkey somersaulted around the room making funny noises.

Katherine heard the clamor from her room, so asked what it was all about. We quickly arranged for Mr. Monkey to pay her a special visit, and as he did his antics across the floor, Katherine's haggard and sickness-strained face broke out into a beautiful smile.

The next day Samantha and the 42 other orphans at the nearby orphanage had one terrific Birthday party! Not only did the city's most popular clown visit them, but also there were balloons, presents, and games for all, with extra love and attention lavished on our celebrant.

Katherine had become a regular attendee at our meetings for PLWA (People Living With AIDS), and the Lord had slowly healed her bitter heart as she learnt of His love. She enthusiastically sang hymns and participated in all our positive input activities. Samantha also attended these meetings at times, responding just as enthusiastically as her mother. The more they both learned about Jesus, the more their hearts became reconciled with their destiny.

The day after Samantha’s birthday, Katherine passed on. The photos from Samantha’s birthday party had been delivered to her, and she chose a couple of the best ones of her daughter and put them under her pillow. Hours later, she woke up on The Other Side, with firsthand knowledge that there’s no more AIDS or other diseases in Heaven!

And Samantha? Just before Katherine passed on, the Lord supplied a sponsor for her, an answer to her mom’s prayers, a mother’s last wish fulfilled.

Christmas Freewrite

Anything I Want???

The only thing that I really want to talk about is what I always talk about. HUNTING! Hunting is my life that is the easiest way to put it I was raised around hunting. And that is all that I do on my weekends and even the week sometimes. During the winter when deer season ends even though I already guide a little bit in that season and get paid for it I cannot wait for it to end. Right when it does end is when I start getting all my high paid jobs for hunting. I will literally stay up and guide hunts 24/7. Because when it gets cold all the coyotes and bobcats start coming out and I get to guide all of the varmint hunters that come in. We will stay up sometimes up to 72 hours! But I am getting paid for something I enjoy so it isn't that bad but I guess that is all I can type for right now. So if I ever come to school dead tired and cranky don't mess with me unless you want to talk about hunting!

Anything I Want???

Halloween Controversy

I'm kind of half and half on the subject of banning Halloween for that school it was a stupid and pretty wrong thing to do. I mean at first it is funny because you wouldn't really think about it but then you start thinking about all of the innocent people killed because of one man, and you decide to dress up like him? That is one kid who is pretty stupid if you ask me. So yes suspend him if he does something that dumb again but don't ruin a fun time for everyone else it's the only fun time until you get out for Thanksgiving or Christmas so I would let everyone else wear their costumes but make them take them off if it is inappropriate.

Memories

One of the greatest memories I have is with my grandpa who lives in Wichita Falls I was around 4 or 5 years old just old enough to think I was going to be faster than he was. We had gone to the park and we had been playing for an hour or so when I found a stick that was just right for me to swing. And unfortunately my grandpa was the one to find that out he was facing away from me looking at something when I ran up behind him and smacked him right where it counts in the "buttocks"... All I could do was drop the stick and run while I was laughing he picked it up and started chasing me all over the park and I remember that was probably the fastest I had ever run in my life he never did catch me until he got too tired and we both had to quit. Even when I am older that will most likely be my favorite memory.

Bonfire

My views on not having a bonfire this year are not very good because everywhere I have been there has been a bonfire. So it actually bothers me A LOT I may not have been at Childress all that long but just like at Quanah it has been school tradition A LONG TIME so I think we should have been able to keep it going. My solution for the bonfire problem is getting someone to have a bonfire at their house but set up a fence and a gate so everyone that participated in the bonfire would have to sign a waiver making them liable for all injuries that happen to them. That way you could have fun at the bonfire without having to worry about getting sued by some idiot that got to close to the bonfire so that is my solution and maybe we will be able to use it sometime next year or my senior year.