WOODEN SHOES AND WAILING MOTHERS

Illustration copyright by Rob Bauwman Photo by Shutterstock

Fourteen-year-old Dagmar trembled. Faces in the windows revealed the danger. Her heart thumped as the bus roared, coming to a squealing stop in a cloud of dust at the center of the small Dutch village.
Dagmar’s friends stood beside her, nearly paralyzed, as a young uniformed man stepped off the vehicle and looked over the crowd.
Mothers, many carrying babies, rushed out the doors of nearby homes. Feeble old men limped after them, faces blanched and twisted with fear. Everyone knew why the soldiers were here. They’d heard from others that while all the able-bodied men fought the war, their enemy pillaged villages, stole food—and took prisoner young women to satisfy the soldier’s lusts.
One glance about and a signal brought men out of the bus like bats pouring from a cavern at sunset. Several headed for Dagmar, but one tall fellow shoved the others aside and grabbed her.
Her scream joined the shrill chorus that rose from the village girls as they were dragged toward the vehicle.
The rest of the village stood frozen in place, silent. Yet, Dagmar knew they prayed to Someone mightier than the enemy.
As the soldier wrestled Dagmar to the bus door, a mighty cry emerged from the village women. As one, they slipped off their wooden shoes and attacked. Dagmar whirled out of her captor’s arms, grabbed her shoes and cracked him solidly on the head.
Dizzily holding their heads, gripping their bellies, soldiers ran for the bus. The driver followed and when all were in, drove away. The village was saved.
I met Dagmar years ago as she told her story, tears streaming down her face.
I’ve thought many times since how America’s children are carried away by the enemy of our souls. I’ve gone to battle into the heavenly realms many times for my children and grandchildren, and praise the Lord, God worked in their hearts and they responded. They serve the Lord.
Yet, perilous times have come. Satan roams about like a roaring lion, as the scripture says, and many children are on their way to hell because of attacks on their minds, bodies and souls. Public schools teach, no matter how much they learn about our amazing creation, life and the universe happened all by itself and God is not there.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote about lost children. “Listen to this! Laments coming out of Ramah, wild and bitter weeping. It’s Rachel weeping for her children, Rachel refusing all solace. Her children are gone, gone—long gone into exile.”
Parents weep for children today. As part of curriculum, they must accept homosexuality as a genetic state instead of sin. Hate for certain people, beliefs (especially Christian), and ideas is encouraged. The morning-after pill is given in some high schools. Planned Parenthood claims it’s not abortion because the egg hasn’t attached to the womb, but in vitro shows life in the egg. Abortion is a required service in the new health care law.
Many of our youth end up with emotional and mental problems, alcoholism, drug addition, and are sometimes suicidal,
CDC’s 2010 report on Sexually Transmitted Diseases identified STDs as one of the most critical health challenges facing our nation, with 19 million new infections each year costing the health care system $17 billion, not to mention the misery caused by herpes, the shame, the cancers caused by human papilloma virus, the infertility caused by Chlamydia, liver failure caused by hepatitis, not to mention AIDS.
There are emotional problems as well. Breakthroughs in the burgeoning field of neuroscience explain the impact having sex has on the developing brains of adolescents and young adults, say gynecologists Joe S. McIlhaney and Freda McKissic Bush in their book, Hooked (Moody Press). They present scientific data that demonstrates sexual activity releases chemicals in the brain, creating emotional bonds between partners. Breaking these bonds can cause depression and make it harder to bond with someone else in the future. They also say chemicals released in the brain during sex can become addictive.
A large number of women suffer from post-abortion stress syndrome as well.
Is there hope? Yes! But we need to pray, take off our spiritual wooden shoes, storm the gates of heaven, defend our children and give them tools to defend themselves, such as a knowledge of God’s Word, reasons for faith and why we believe, and parents who model the teachings of Jesus Christ.
In another passage Jeremiah wrote there is hope. “Stop your incessant weeping, hold back your tears. Collect wages from your grief work.” GOD’s Decree. “They’ll be coming back home! There’s hope for your children.” GOD’s Decree.” (Jeremiah 31:14-16) The Message.

©Copyright Ada Brownell 2012