Somewhere there's a boy. His skin may be white, his skin may be black. He may have a T shirt on, he may be wearing a polo. He may be in the United States, and he may be in Ukraine, Uganda, or Uruguay. He may love the sea, he may fear it.
Wherever this boy is, no matter what he looks like, no matter what he fears, he needs to be told that there is nothing to worry about. He needs to be told that his eyes are the most beautiful when they are free of tears and hatred. This boy needs to know that the bad things his parents are a part of do not make him bad. He needs to be told that no amount of water or soap will wash away the guilt that he feels. He must know that his guilt is built upon an unreliable foundation. He needs to see that his sins can be gone; that they can be wiped away. He needs to know that he can look into the faces of all people, because no one is a better person than him. He needs to know that when he stands up, he does not stand alone. Somehow, the news must reach his ears that everytime he is hit, everytime he is yelled at, someone else is being hit and yelled at too. Other people have felt his pain, and also felt love.
A lifetime of darkness cannot erase the love that waits to shine from within you, Dear Boy. You need to know that love awaits you on the new side of your dark past. No matter what you have done, no matter what has been done to you, Sweet Boy, there is life and light awaiting you. Don't ever forget that. And don't ever stop waiting and watching for deliverance, and for your new day. There is hope. Do not give up. The dark will never overcome the light, though it may seem as if all light left your life long ago. Keep believing, Precious Child. You are a member of the kingdom, and you have nothing to fear.

Lydia