Holding on to Hope December 2009 Update
Abuse, all kinds of abuse silently destroys our community's everyday. Take the story of David Smith of Phoenix, Arizona. At age 22 David weighed an incredible 650 pounds. Most people's first reaction is, how can they do that? Those people have no self control, just stop eating.
David grew up a pretty normal kid but he grew faster than his peers. At age 12 he was 200 pounds and the teasing and name calling tore away at his heart. By age 16 he was nearly 500 pounds and dropped out of school from the physical limitations and the constant ridicule. His home and eating became his safe place. Isolated and alone he grew to 650 pounds. He contemplated suicide, surgery to restrict his eating, or reaching out to someone for help. A young personal trainer took up the challenge and started David on a program and provided round the clock supervision. In two years David lost 430 pounds.
David's story was recently shared on TLC where he read a letter he wrote to his trainer well into his recovery. "I have never shared this with anyone", he started. "When I was six years old I was molested by a neighbor boy. I felt so ashamed; I could never tell anyone and it made me feel like I was dirty".
David's soul was attacked and he believed his only recourse was silence. It led him to a safe place and he nearly ate himself to death to cover the shame. There are millions suffering with wounded souls. David's story is intriguing. Intriguing enough to make it into a widely watched television special where we are amazed at what can happen to human beings and we miss the point completely. It is time to shatter this silence and speak out from pulpits, classrooms, and media about the devastation of abuse to the soul.
If it is just too hard to confront the issue in your community, then consider calling on Holding on to Hope Ministries. They will speak to your school, church, or organization and at least bring the subject out in the open. Keeping in quiet is just allowing millions to suffer without hope. Call us today. www.holdingontohope.org. 623.341.5792
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