Amarah's Corner: Don't give up on your dreams

Hi! My name is Amarah. Kids are important to me, and they’re important to Jesus, too.

In Matthew 18:10 (KJV), Jesus said, “Take heed that ye despise not (hurt or be mean to) one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”

“Kids like me” are kids whose parents are drug addicts, and alcoholics; kids who have suffered, or who are suffering, abuse and neglect on multiple levels; and kids who are victims of bullying.

Hey kids like me! I have something really special to share today. In spite of the hurtful things our parents who are addicts say and do to us, they don’t seem to realize we still love them. Just, never-ever let that hurt make you stop believing in your dreams! And this is why - when I was little I remember certain movies I watched all the time, i.e., FIEVEL in An American Tail, Thumbelina, Secret of NIMH, A Troll in Central Park, Anastasia, Land Before Time, and more. Then, I discovered something even more amazing — at the very end of each movie was something magical — it was Mr. Bluth’s signature (watch one - you’ll see what I mean)! I learned later he was the creator, animator, illustrator, producer, director, everything for those movies. He became my HERO. The way he animated was mesmerizing and his movies helped me escape the pain of my mother’s addiction (I still watch them)!

When I was blessed with this column last year, I also started writing stories. I kept thinking about Mr. Bluth, his movie-magic, and I wondered how his career started. I read a biography about him that said he was 5 years old when he saw Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” The story said he went home after the movie and began drawing the characters from memory. Wow! After high school graduation he went to Disney Studios with his portfolio of drawings and applied for a job. They hired him on the spot!

So, after reading about Mr. Bluth and how he got started, I was even more excited and started praying and believing (Mark 11:24) to meet my HERO. And, you know what? On my 14th birthday, I met my HERO, Mr. Don Bluth! It was so exciting! He has a theatre in Scottsdale, Arizona, Don Bluth’s Front Row Theatre. And, the night of my birthday they were doing a production of, The Little Mermaid, and I had a front row seat! (I felt like Brother Jerry because I was highly favored)! The best part was that Mr. Bluth met with me before and after the play, and took time to talk with me. He is AWESOME!

I told him about my column and ‘kids like me’ and asked if he wanted to share something with you. Mr. Bluth said, “Love your parents, because they’re your parents, but don’t follow them into the darkness.” Meeting Mr. Bluth was the BEST birthday of my life. But it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t realized how important he is to me, and how important he has been in my life. And because of how important he is to my dreams, I started praying and believing every day to meet him, just like Jesus says in Mark 11:24 (KJV), “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Kids like me (whatever your age), don’t stop believing in your dreams! Pray and believe like Jesus says, and those things will happen. Now, I’m praying and believing God will continue blessing Mr. Bluth in everything he does! Thank You, Jesus, for Mr. Don Bluth!

And, thank you for reading my column. Please send questions or comments to me in care of the Courier, [email protected] or write to me at Amarah’s Childrens Foundation “Kids Like Me” P.O. Box 354, Alamosa, CO 81101, or call (719) 937-1033, leave a message, and someone will return your call. If you know a kid like me, or parent who is an addict, or alcoholic, please tell him or her about “Amarah’s Corner, Kids Like Me” in the Valley Courier newspaper and tell them to contact me, or you can contact me on their behalf. And, if you know a kid like me, or parent, who does not have a Bible, but would like to have one, please, contact me and I will make sure he or she gets a Bible of their very own, “…and all the earth may know there is a God…” (1 Samuel 17:46, KJV).

My goal is to help kids like me, and I want to help their parents, too. Until next time, remember, Jesus Loves You, and JESUS IS LORD!