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! This week we have Part 2 (read part 1 here) of the thoughts and feelings of a young mother regarding the fate of her friend who was recently arrested on drug charges:

Despite what the world may think of a 27-year old woman with three children by three different fathers, multiple felonies on her record and facing prison time for drug possession, my best friend is a beautiful, wonderful woman. She has a lifetime of stories, a mouth full of wise-cracks and a heart full of gold. She is a mother, a sister, a daughter, an aunt and a friend. She has always been there for the people she loves. Sadly, now she is nothing but an inmate-number to a majority of the people she is in contact with on a daily basis. Does that really change who she is deep inside? Should that affect how we see her and assist her as a community? When does all of the good she has done in her life get to outshine the mistakes she has made?

There is a lesson in all this that I hope may make a difference in a complete stranger’s life. Everyone knows someone affected by drug addiction or just poor life choices. Maybe your first thought would be to turn you back on them and move on with your life. I understand, as I have felt that way too about many people I have met, especially here in the San Luis Valley. And then this happened. The most important thing that I have realized is that everyone who struggles, or does things that we may disagree with, regardless of the severity, is still a beautiful deserving person deep inside. They are our mothers, sisters, fathers and brothers, sometimes even our children. It is a scream for help, attention, and love. And as their reasoning may not make sense in our minds at first, if we slow down and take a step back from our day to day lives, and put ourselves in their shoes, we may learn a thing or two and slowly start to understand.

Finally, I will say this, I don’t believe anyone wakes up in the morning and says, “Today I am going to be an addict.” I don’t think any mother in the world willingly goes to bed at night thinking of picking up an addiction and leaving her children in the hands of others. Every addict has their story, a breaking point, and a life full of situations that has pushed them to that point. We must remember - addiction does not discriminate. It doesn't care if you are rich or poor, Christian or Jewish, man or woman, old or young. It is a battle that we must all fight. We must stand with our friends, our family, and teach that there is a way out of that lifestyle. It is our job to offer a hand up, a hug, a shoulder to cry on, or even just a friendly smile. Who are we to turn our backs on the people who need us most? What type of a community would that make us? We need to be the change that we want to see!

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!