Janey Reads with Help from God

The rain was pouring down as we walked up the hill on Jackson Street. Janey was walking down the hill towards us cradling something in her arms. As we came closer, I could tell she was crying softly. “Hi sweetheart”, I said as we hugged. Janey sobbed. “Look what I found,” showing us a Styrofoam cup with a tiny, dead bird. “I’m going to find a little coffin and give it a proper burial. Do you think I’m crazy?”

I put my arms around her and said, “You know, Janey, Jesus tells us that His Father knows every sparrow that falls. If God cares about that little bird, just think how much He loves you. He created you in His own image and likeness and He loves you. He thought you were so special that He only made one of you!” She started to cry again. “I’m so sick of this life down here. I hate what I’m doing to myself and what I’m becoming. I’m tired of being sick and sad.” She pulled up her pant legs to reveal the worst case of psoriasis that I’ve ever seen. Her legs and arms were completely covered. There was not one square inch of unaffected skin. “You know I’ve never wanted to hurt anyone’s feelings and today I did and I feel so bad. I just don’t know how to get away from the drugs. I’ve tried and I keep coming back and now I’m starting to believe there is no hope for me. I don’t want to die down here.”

Pat began going through a bag of ‘extras’ that we pack for the girls. “Janey, do you have a bible?” he asked. She dropped her head and said softly, “I don’t know how to read.” He was unable to hear her amidst the traffic noise around us and produced a small new Testament. Before I could say anything, he started, “Look Janey,” he began, “In John 3:16, Jesus tells us, ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.’ Now you read it with me, and let’s put your name in here to make it personal, because God’s Word is written to you!” This time she looked at me for help and stammered quickly, “I… I’m just starting to try to learn to read.” Again, Pat couldn’t hear and was holding the little bible and marking with his finger for her to read with him. Janey and Pat read together, “For God so loved Janey, that he gave His only begotten Son, so that when Janey believes in Him, she will not perish, but have eternal life.” Pat handed her the bible saying, “Now you’ve always got home in Jesus.”

I chose this moment to place Fr. John Bertolucci’s “Personal Savoir Prayer” as a bookmark to John 3:16 and Janey, still wide-eyed in amazement, asked what it was. I said, “It’s a prayer to Jesus that you’ll be able to read one day.” She held the card up and read perfectly, “Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for my sins. I acknowledge You as the Living God. I accept You as my Lord and my God. I invite you into my life. Lord Jesus Christ, I receive you as my personal Saviour. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Heal and strengthen me. I love you Jesus!” “Oh my God, I read that! Did you hear? I read that! I can’t read, but I read that!!! That was God, wasn’t it?!?” She was jumping around excited and exclaiming. I was still trying to figure out if she could read or not but her absolute joy was so sincere that I just couldn’t doubt it.

When she calmed down we just held her and told her, “Janey, God has just shown you a miracle! He wants you to know that He can help you read when you aren’t able to, and in the same way He can help you get off drugs and get out of here. He can heal your psoriasis, and your memories, and get your kids back. He loves you, Janey, and He wants you to believe in that Love, because that’s your hope!”

We prayed a simple prayer of thanksgiving and hugged her goodbye. Janey was beaming when we left her and when we looked back she was skipping off down the street.

I know that she can believe in our Loving Father- that in itself is a miracle! Her own father began injecting her with heroin at the sweet and tender age of nine years old so that he could sexually abuse her. She endured that until she ran away at 16.