Urgent Prayer Request for a Scout

[SR540Beaver 116]

Dan and ASM915,

 

I appreciate your comments on organ and tissue donation. My son is 14. There is a young man that he played little league baseball with for a number of years and has gone to school with since 1st grade. In years past, they used to do sleepovers together. This young man's mid 30's mother was on a heart/lung transplant list for the past year or so. A match was not found and she passed away within the last month. Our Scout's family's decision to donate his organs and tissue was an opportunity to talk with my son about how this might bring some peace to the family and how wonderful it would have been if his schoolmate's mother had had an opportunity to receive a match. In the midst of death, it is a gift of life. It can give some comfort and meaning to those who suffer a loss and allow their loved one an "extended" existence while bringing joy and life to another family.

 

Thank you all for your continued prayers and thoughts.

[ASM915 90]

From Tragedy, Death and Sorrow does Life and Joy spring forth because of a Good Turn and Being Helpful to others at all times, even now.

May he be remembered for these acts and may he be buried in his uniform and with full Honors.

You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

 

Here are some words from one of the greatest philosophers of last the century:

 

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them you love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward or tarries with yesterday.

You are the bow from which your children as live arrows are sent forth.

The archer seek the mark upon the path of infinite, and He bends you with His mighty that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as He love the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

 

 

You would know the secret of Death.

 

But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?

 

The owl whose night-bond eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.

 

If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide to the body of life.

 

For life and death are one, even as the river and sea are one.

 

In the depths of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;

 

And like seed dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring.

 

Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.

 

Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honor.

 

Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?

 

Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?

 

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

 

And what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God encumbered?

 

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

 

And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

 

And when the earth shall claim your limbs,then shall you dance.

 

 

You joy is your sorrow.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

How else can it be?

The deeper the sorrow carves into your being , the more joy you can contain,

Is no the cup that holds your wined the very cup that was burned at the potters oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again into you heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater then sorrow," and others, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy and sorrow rise and fall.

[kb6jra 10]

SR540Beaver and AntelopDud, My prayers and best wishes for the both of you as well. This has been a tragedy to this poor boy and his family...and his extended Scout family, of which you two are a large part.

 

I cannot attempt to relate to the pain this is causing you, but putting it in terms of what it would do to me makes my heart heavy. I've only got 25 boys in my troop, but they're all my sons from the day they join. I'm not unique in this and know that you two have deep rooted feelings for those in your care as well. Stay strong through this greiving process for your boys, for your adults, your families and the family of the lost scout. Bless you both in the days ahead, it may not seem like it, but they will be better.

 

 

[Lisabob 13]

Such a sad situation. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and the community and the troop. It is truly heartbreaking to think that any person would feel so hopeless in life, and a child at that. I hope his soul has found peace.

[SR540Beaver 116]

First, let me say thank you to all of those who have responded in this thread and to those who although did not respond, have likewise remembered this young man and his family in their thoughts and prayers. After tissue and organ donation decisions were made, our scout was removed from life support around 4:30 PM on Wednesday. He passed away around 1:30 Pm yesterday (Thursday). Services should be this coming Monday afternoon. There will most likely be some involvement by some within the troop at the services and possibly a color guard. Then we will have the professional counselor at our troop meeting Monday evening.

 

Again, we appreciate your thoughts and prayers and ask that you would continue to pray for this young man's family, friends and our troop.

[SR540Beaver 116]

To those of you who have followed this tragedy, I wanted to bring you up to date. The funeral was yesterday afternoon. We had over 80 scouts, scouters and parent in attendance. The boys served as door greeters, manned the guest books, ushered and escorted ladies in the family to their seats. They also acted as a color guard and led the Pledge. The SM had checked our records and determined that he had met the requirements for Life Scout and awarded the rank badge to his mother during the service. Myself and some of our other Scouters served as pallbearers. He was buried with his Handbook in his hands and the vault for his casket had a large metal Scout emblem affixed to the lid.

 

His mother had put together some really nice displays that were inthe lobby of the church. On one side was a display of items from when he was a baby up thru all of his school activities. On the other side was a display of his years in Cubs and Boy Scouts. There was a wonderful slide show during his service. The church was packed and they brought additional chairs from every corner of the church. In the ned, it was standing room only.

 

It was obvious how many people cared for this young man and will miss him. His actions were so needless. please continue to remember his family in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Out of respect, we did not hold our Troop meeting last night. Next week we will have professional counselors for our whole troop meeting time. They will split the boys into three groups. One will be the new scouts. The second group will be second year scouts and the third group will be all older scouts. The counselor will be in the center of the room with the scouts around them and the parents in an outer ring so they can know what the counselors say. Keep the troop in your prayers as well.

 

Thanks Scouters!

[DanKroh 11]

Thanks for the updates, Beaver.

 

I'm so sorry. Will continue to light a candle of prayer for all those involved.

 

I don't know who to attribute this quote to, but someone once said "Suicide happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain."

 

Thank you for continuing to do your best by those who are struggling with the pain of being left behind.

[dave.424 10]

I'm new to the forums and just saw this thread tonight. I was saddened to see the ultimate outcome. My prayers are with the family and friends of this young scout.

 

Dave

Jer 29:11

[AntelopeDud 10]

Thanks to all of you. As SR540Beav eluded to, there was a tremendous Scout presence at the service and they would have made all of you proud. They all stepped up and approached us saying "What can we do" and "I want to be involved". They were all very loyal, brave and reverent.

 

This has opened up so many thoughts in my head (and I know SR540Beav's as well) about the importance of our involvment with these kids. Onve I get my head on straight again, I have some interesting thoughts for topics.

 

Again, thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers. It really did help to know that you were all there for us.

 

-AD