What if????

August 5, 2014

My name is James Stanley. I have a wonderful home with parents that would give their very life for me. I have three incredible sisters that do their very best to help me do the things I need to do and a brother that enjoys spending his life tormenting me to the point of anguish. In other words I couldn’t have it better if I were to spend my entire life looking for that perfect place. Last night I was feeling picked on and decided to pay these people (my wonderful family) back for all the injustices they have inflicted upon me. My grandfather, who usually provides me with jerky and other neat things broke my heart when he disciplined me by telling me not to destroy my mother’s birthday cake (Heck, I didn’t even know it was my mother’s birthday and didn’t care either because they were so mean to me.) Then he said he was sick and went out to lie down.

During the night we both had weird dreams and this is the story in those dreams.

About two in the morning, I woke up to the reality that I was actually living in the high mountains of Haiti with my mother and her very mean boyfriend. Noise, wind, crying, screaming, dead bodies, and panic filled the air. I crawled out to find that nothing but rubble was left of our village. One old dog was roving around with his front leg so badly injured that he just laid down and went to sleep. I began to walk and look for food but there was none. I looked for my family and found them all smashed up against some trees at the edge of the forest. Nothing would ever be the same again.

After five days of walking I found some people in a large tent city prepared by the Red Cross and other humanitarian services. They gave me a little space on the ground about three by five where four other boys and I could some sleep, get a little water, some rice, and some medicine if we needed it. I found out I had leukemia and would probably die within the next few days. I cried out for my mother and father. I cried out for my brother (even if he picked on me, he would still help me; then, I remembered that they were all dead and that I was all alone.

The missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had come to our village during the last few weeks and taught us about God. They talked of a loving God that would help us when we prayed to Him. I hadn’t learned how to pray so I just started talking to God and asked him to give me the strength to find someone who would help me like my mother and father, brother and sisters had before the earth quake.

I went for a walk the next morning and found a clean, well kept perimeter wall with a large inviting gate. I went inside and found some very nice people that gave me some clothes and let me stay there until I could find some place to go. They taught me about eternal life, being able to be with my family again, and all the other things I needed to go before I was taken by leukemia.

Then I woke up. What if???